It’s with some trepidation that I walk into the fitness studio. I’m definitely more “bunny rabbit” than “tiger” when it comes to fighting skills, and I’m also pretty out of shape, so this class involves me stepping far out of my comfort zone.
The class begins with 20 minutes of fitness exercises, which involves some gentle running, jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, back extensions, jump squats and burpees. The trainer Ahmed Ateek explains that the exercises aren’t just to warm up, but to build up our heart rates too. “If you’re being attacked, you’re scared, and then your heart rate rises. This will control your emotions and your thinking, and your body will freeze up. If you get used to doing the manouvres while your heart rate is increased, you’ll know how to react quickly under that pressure.”
Ateek goes through different moves for different situations, which we practise in pairs.
We begin with hair grabbing. Ateek chooses one female attendee to demonstrate the move, which involves moving forwards, grabbing the hair-holding hand, pulling them into you hard and fast, and punching them. It takes me a few tries to get the angle right, and I feel like I’m fighting a strong natural instinct to back away in such a situation. But after a while, I start to enjoy the release of tension that the punching motion gives me – it’s a great stress-reliever.
We learn other manouvres, including a few well-aimed kicks. The person you’re kicking is protected by a padded cushion, so Ateek encourages us not to hold back. I’m surprised how much latent anger I have to vent out on that cushion.
I’ve had my handbag snatched from me in the past, as a tourist abroad, so the most useful move I learn that day is what to do when someone tries to grab your bag. “The first thing you need to do is to hold onto your bag with one hand (the closest hand to the bag) and not pull your bag down and back,” says Ateek. “Then you need to go towards the thief’s body, grab him by his shoulders and start the knee strike on his chest and groin area, using fast knee kicks.”
When Ateek clasps his hands around my neck to demonstrate what to do when somebody is choking you, I find that I’m shaking like a leaf. You can’t go through this training without imagining how you would feel if somebody were to attack you in such a way in real life.
Ateek also keeps us on our toes by trying to scare us occasionally, yelling in our ears when we least expect it. “The shock makes people freeze and forget everything they’ve learnt in this situation,” says Ateek. “They need to learn how to overcome that fear.”
My knuckles are sore that evening from all the punching, but Ateek says that with regular attendance the body quickly adapts to the strain. He also tells me that I need to practise the moves I’ve learnt, but my husband isn’t so keen on the idea of me using him as a punchbag.
Would I enroll in the class regularly? Yes, if I lived in Dubai. I feel that I’m exploring a new side to myself, and knowing a little bit of self-defence is a great confidence booster. Would I use the moves I’ve learnt in real life? If I somebody was coming at me with a knife, then I’d certainly try. Wouldn’t you?
• Mixed self-defence classes are held on weekdays at Oryx Fitness in Al Barari, Dubai, and cost Dh85 for one hour. A three-hour ladies self-defence workshop will be held in May and July, and costs Dh200. Visit www.oryxfit.com/ for details.
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