The blue plastic breaking board – equivalent to three and a half inches of wood – that Sean Elliot Martin held out, parallel to the floor from his midsection cracked loudly as Brittany Glaser tore through it with a quick upward thrust of her knee. The sophomore business management major’s five fellow students’ applause rang through the classroom-turned-dojo – it was the newcomer’s first attempt.

“I was kind of nervous about it at first because I didn’t know how thick [it was], but it was really easy,” she said.

Glaser was the most recent attendee of Martin’s self-defense class, which is open to all students, free of charge, every Monday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in room 501 of the Patterson Building. There are about 15 students who routinely participate.

Martin – who also teaches English at Point Park University, Duquesne University and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh – developed Kage-Essensu, which he said is Anglicized Japanese and means Shadow Essence, with the intention of it emphasizing “practical self-defense.” The fifth-degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and Freestyle Combat Karate, said the style, which is sanctioned by the Eastern USA International Martial Arts Association, was designed to be effective by anybody regardless of fitness level.

Any student wishing to participate only needs to show up. Martin said that his classes are comprised of people with varying skill levels – students attending intermittently for two years mingle with beginners.

Aprille Stanis, a junior photojournalism major who started attending the class last semester, said the classes make her feel more confident.

“I feel like I can defend myself more,” she said. “I feel safer walking through town.”

Another regular, senior film and video production major Ross Thane, said he enjoys the class more as something “extra” and “fun” to do.

“You don’t have to be here every day,” he said.

Glaser not only demonstrated how quickly the techniques can be digested by breaking the board, she also did so by successfully throwing to the mat a more experienced male student by pressing a nerve in his neck with her thumb – an attack that shoots a stinging pain outward from the inflicted area that should force the recipient to collapse.

“It basically didn’t take much effort at all,” she said.

Martin noted that the takedown was authentic.

“It’s sacrilegious for us to fall if we don’t have to,” he said.

Martin told his students that some of the best self-defense techniques can be found on a list of moves banned from martial arts competitions. Some of the more brutal tactics suggested included biting, ripping off ears and sticking fingers in your attacker’s orifices.

Martin cautioned his pupils not to worry about getting ear wax on their fingers.

“Destroy this dude,” he said. “Then you can go wash your hands, have a manicure or whatever makes you feel better, but you’re alive to do it.”

Although he said he fortunately never had to use any of the moves himself, Martin estimated that about a dozen of his trainees have. He said that none were injured by their assailants with the exception of one of his top students who was ambushed by two pipe-wielding members of the Crips street gang, both of whom were high on PCP.

“We think it was some kind of initiation,” he said. “They blindsided him and hit him a couple of times . . . did some damage to his face. Eventually they hobbled off and one of them spent three weeks in the hospital.”

The class generally does not include weapons training. Martin occasionally utilizes practice weapons when the majority in attendance are sufficiently experienced. The students are, however, taught weapon defenses.

Martin also offers private lessons in his home and teaches a self-defense class at Duquesne. He plans to start one at the Art Institute in the future.

Despite the viciousness of some of the defenses put forth, Martin said that he takes caution that his classes are carried out in a safe manner and that no one is forced to participate.

“We’ve never had a single injury,” he said. “People can come and observe if they want. They’re not obligated to do anything.”