At 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, while most students are still half asleep, a small group gathers in the gym for Nueva’s new self-defense class. Taught by jiu-jitsu black belt and professional instructor Cody Alan, the course might look like a typical combat workout. But the most important lesson students learn isn’t how to throw a punch—it’s when not to.
Alan, who also teaches Nueva’s music production elective, has been training in Muay Thai and boxing for over 14 years and introduced the self-defense class at the beginning of the school year. Class by class, students learn Muay Thai fighting technique along with lessons on avoiding confrontation and staying aware of potential threats.
“You don’t teach people how to win fights,” Alan said. “You teach people how to be prepared.”
For many students, that emphasis changes how they think about self-defense entirely. Instead of treating violence as a first response, Alan walks students through scenarios that prioritize judgment and restraint.
“It’s not just about learning moves,” said Livie P.-F. ’26. “It’s about when to actually engage, when not to engage, and when to just scream and run instead of trying to defend yourself.”
At the start of each class, students begin with stretching drills before moving on to calisthenics and controlled striking. Music plays while Alan leads the drills, correcting form without stopping the flow of the workout.
During brief pauses—while students stretch or catch their breath—Alan talks through essential topics like nutrition, injury-prevention, and building strength over time. The class feels equally like a rigid workout and an ongoing conversation, guided by what students want to improve.
By the end of the class, despite the training being physically demanding, the atmosphere remains supportive and light. “It’s a nice way to start the morning,” Mars R. ’27 noted. “ I find myself feeling more energized throughout the day.”
For its students, the class offers more than just self-defense; it provides a structured, thoughtful start to the day, combining first-rate martial arts training with lessons on fitness and long-term readiness.
