Welcome to our page on the SJSU SmarTough Self-Defense Program, directed by Dr. Gong
Chen.
Gong Chen, Doctor of Education from University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, currently a full professor at San Jose State University, specialized on instruction, research, publication, and promotion of self-defense education, expertise listed as following.
The following is a brief overview of Dr. Chen’s extensive work in self-defense curriculum, design, and practice.
- Curriculum design for universities: Invented SmarTough Self-defense Skill System in 1990-
1993 and presented at 1993 National Basic Instruction Program Convention. The physical self-defense system was commended by the convention as “the first systematic self-defense skill system”; invented SmarTough Self-defense theory system in 1993-1996, and presented at SW AAHPERD annual convention where the whole SmarTough Self-defense was commended as “the first system that turned self-defense into a branch of science”; brought this system into Beijing University in 2002 with Professor Rui Zhang; adopted the whole course in universities in China through the 2004 National University Self-defense Instructor Training Project (a major project in the 10-5 Plan in Ministry of Education) and 2005 Southwestern Regional University Self-defense Instructor Training Project; and adopted by Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco for Chinese oversea students associations in Western Region of USA for the Safety Year Project in 2010. - Curriculum design and promotion in public schools: He was invited by Strategies to publish designed self-defense curriculum contents for public schools in 1999; sponsored by California Association of Health, Physical Education, Dance and Recreation and California Health and Physical Education Framework to provide numerous workshops and lectures that trained public school teachers to teach self-defense in California schools since 2009.
- Research and books: Dr. Chen has conducted numerous studies on crime prevention and self-defense; the recent monograph presented systematic knowledge on chances of success in self-defense dealing with different types of attacks, and established a scientific base for self-defense education; self-defense books in English version included A new concept self-defense (1998), A comprehensive guide to self-defense (2004), teaching self-defense in California schools (2011); Mini studies on self-defense of college students, Comprehensive lab studies on chances of success in self-defense at different attacks
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SJSU SmarTough Self-defense for California self-defense teachers
California passed a law that requires all middle and high schools in California offer self-defense as a required subject in 2010. To compensate for the urgent and tremendous need for self-defense instructors in schools to carry on the law, California Associate of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (CAHPERD) sponsored Dr. Chen to train schools teachers to teach self-defense classes through workshop series and presentations in CAHPERD annual conventions. Dr. Chen traveled to many school districts to provide workshops.
Dr. Chen, with his former students (now school teachers) Anthony and Rachel, lectured a 8-hour self-defense instructor training workshop for 60 elementary, middle and high school teachers in Fairfield-Suisen School District.
Teaching self-defense in schools
Dr. Chen lectured a 5-hour self-defense instructor training workshop for 14 middle and high school teachers.
Dr. Chen lectured a 5-hour self-defense instructor training workshop for 28 middle and high school teachers at SJSU.
Dr. Chen lectured a 5-hour self-defense instructor training workshop for 18 middle and high school teachers at SJSU.
Dr. Chen lectured a 8-hour self-defense instructor training workshop for 36 teachers in Antioch School District. It was the first of series of self-defense instructor training workshops sponsored by CAHPERD for California middle and high school teachers.
Dr. Chen taught self-defense in many schools to benefit students there, and observed the ability and discipline of school kids to learn self-defense.
Dr. Chen taught self-defense to 200+ students of 5th, 6th, 7th grades in six classes at Tierra Linda Middle School at San Carlos in 2011.
