URBAN KNOCKOUT ™ is a self-defense and fitness program all in one. In the United States, thousands of women are abused, abducted and even killed in violent attacks, both reported and unreported. Joanne, a victim of violent crimes, created these unique self-defense-styled exercises to avoid ever becoming a helpless victim again. Now she wants to help you to never be a helpless victim. Joanne Harris began Martial Arts training in 1996. A Black Belt in Taekwondo, she has won 12 gold medals in 12 forms competitions including two National Championships in 2002 and 2003, two California State Championships, the 2002 United States Taelwondo Union and World Taekwondo Federation, the 2000 Korean Open, and First Women's International. Joanne Harris Self-Defense Systems Urban Knockout WHEN YOU BECOME THE WEAPON, ONE MOVE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
Joanne Harris Self-Defense Systems - Urban Knockout
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JOANNE HARRIS
Biography

Joanne Harris holding award and wearing medalAward-winning film and TV hairstylist Joanne Harris had just finished work one warm July evening. She pulled into her underground parking garage and got out of the car, only to be violently attacked, robbed and beaten by an assailant armed with a .45 automatic.

An average woman in stature and an easy target and likely prey, Harris determined never to be a victim again. Harris earned her Black Belt in Taekwondo seven years later from Master Young In Cheon, former U.S. Olympic Taekwondo coach, studied hand-to-hand military combat with expert military combat veteran Nick Reid, and trains in boxing with professional boxers and trainers. She has combined this knowledge to create “Urban KnockOut ™,” a revolutionary, new women’s self-defense and personal fitness system on DVD.

“In this ‘makeover’ culture, when the emphasis is so on glamour, women need to makeover the consciousness that we are vulnerable and defenseless – a target for violence,” says Harris, who has won 12 Gold Medals in Taekwondo “Forms” competitions including two national championships, and two international championships including the renowned Korea Chunchon International Taekwondo Championship in 2000. “Empowerment means having a mental strategy based on specific self-defense moves that have become natural through repetition training,” she explains.

image of Joanne HarrisBorn in Los Angeles, Harris grew up playing on movie sets. Her father, Harry Harris, is an Emmy Award-winning primetime television director. Her mother, Geraldine, is a retired teacher for children with learning disabilities.

Joanne Harris’ natural athletic ability began to shine in high school, where she “lettered” in Varsity Tennis and Women’s Volley Ball, then was honored as “Athlete of the Year.”

In addition to her athleticism, Harris also exhibited a natural talent for creative and artistic forms of expression. After exploring various creative interests, Harris decided that hairstyling was her career of choice. She has since become an expert colorist, utilizing the artistic elements of tone, light and form in her work. In 1994, Allure Magazine included Harris on its list of Best Colorists in the Country.


To date, Harris has been the hair stylist and colorist for many celebrities for specific roles including Richard Gere, Gwenyth Paltrow, Jamie Lee Curtis, William Hurt and Laura Linney, to name a few. She has worked on numerous television series from “Seventh Heaven” to “Anything But Love,” for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. For her most recent feature film, “Sorority Boys,” Harris won “Best Contemporary Hairstyling For A Feature Film Award” from her industry peers. Harris is also a graduate of the San Francisco Opera Wig Making Academy.

Joanne Harris demonstrating moveHarris was coming home from a routine day’s work on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” when she was so brutally attacked. But it was not the first time. Previously she had survived two violent encounters: an attempted date rape and a domestic assault. This third time, however, was particularly frightening. She considered buying a gun herself and did some real soul searching when an inner voice said, “YOU become the weapon.”

 

And now she has created “Urban KnockOut ™” to share this information with women everywhere. After all, says Harris, “one move can save your life.”