HI-YAH! Inside the UAE's booming martial arts scene


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

Martial arts are increasingly becoming popular in the UAE, from those steeped in history and honour to ultra-violent styles. And class attendance is booming.

Ancient warfare techniques are proving effective in improving child behaviour, relieving stress and arming people with self-defence skills.

The popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has boosted demand for classes in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Ultimate Fighting Championship's star-studded return to Abu Dhabi next month will further fan this interest. MMA star Anderson Silva has performed taekwondo, a fighting style originating in Korea, with devastating effect to become UFC's longest reigning champion.

Master Grant Randall runs the WTTU Moo Duk Taekwondo centre in Dubai International Financial Centre, the UAE’s first full-time training academy.

It is very different to MMA events, where there is goading and trash talk.

"We train all our students in respect, honour and discipline," he tells The National. 

“There is no boasting about victory or wallowing in defeat."

There is no boasting about victory or wallowing in defeat. We train all our students in respect, honour and discipline

Taekwondo comprises kicks – from head-height jabs to spinning heels – "the most devastating kicks of any martial art", Mr Randall says.

“Taekwondo and other Chinese or Japanese martial arts are built on similar foundations of respect and honour.

“Most children in Korea will do taekwondo in some form. It is used by the army there. It is a military martial art, with conditioning of your limbs to be strong enough to kill someone, yet also to be able to look inside yourself to be a better person,” he says.

About 140 people train at Moo Duk, some are as young as three.

Mental strength is central to martial arts.

For an experienced taekwondoin or karateka – practitioners of the art – stronger punching power is related to better control of muscle movement, honed from years of repetitive practice, rather than muscle strength.

Researchers in cognitive neuroscience at Bangor University in Wales found children comprehensive in taekwondo achieved higher grades in maths — and were better behaved.

Make no mistake, taekwondo is tough.

The style’s best exponent display balance and poise of a ballet dancer but with the power and precision of a middleweight boxer.

Experts suffer years of thrashing with bamboo canes and physical contact to deaden nerve endings and strengthen battered limbs.

“The art is 2,000 years old, it is an ancient fighting style used by warriors similar to the Japanese samurai,” says Mr Randall, who also instructs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at his academy, a style favoured by the UAE military and police. The Briton trained in South Korea under master Kang Sinchul.

“It is important to strengthen our bodies for the kicks, learn how to avoid punches and how to attack," he says.

“We have office workers, mums and professional athletes coming to train with us. Fitness is a huge part of what we do.”

Since becoming a demonstration event at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, the sport has evolved to become more like "foot fencing", in which opponents attempt to lightly strike electric sensors within body armour.

It has taken some of the brutality and excitement out of the skill, but is accepted as a sporting discipline. The Fujairah Open in February attracts some of the finest international fighters to compete.

Another fighting style gaining a following in Dubai is Eskrima, also called Arnis or Kali. It is the national sport and martial art of the Philippines and has won attention for its use in Hollywood movies such as The Matrix and the Jason Bourne series.

The technique was introduced by the Spanish in the early 1600s, teaching weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons and various improvised arms.

It includes hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming techniques.

Guro Omar, from the Philippines, has been training in Eskrima since 2006. He offers free lessons to domestic workers and other Filipino overseas contract residents in BurJuman.

“I was taught by my grandfather in our village in Leyte Island when I was a boy,” he says.

“You can use any kind of stick for Eskrima, even an umbrella, so it is easy to improvise.”

Campaigns have been launched to have the style added to the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists for the Philippines.

“If you focus your training for five hours a day, it is possible to achieve a black belt within a year or so,” says Mr Omar, 36, who has reached the fifth degree of the discipline.

“It is not just with sticks, there are different styles and techniques within Eskrima like buno, a form of wrestling and restraints.

“Eskrima is a complete martial art, as it can be adapted to use any kind of improvised weapon.

'Every martial art has its own beauty, but aikido seems most relevant to the 21st century,' says Cathy. Chris Whiteoak / The National
'Every martial art has its own beauty, but aikido seems most relevant to the 21st century,' says Cathy. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“It is more about self defence than attack, although my country’s soldiers are trained to use this in battle.

“Other countries are copying this technique, and it is being used now in Russia and America.

“We are very proud of Eskrima, and we don’t want to lose it from the Philippines,” says Mr Omar.

Dubai has a multitude of options for anyone wishing to try out martial arts.

From the more spiritual Tai chi or Chinese kung fu, to the Indian self defence style of Kalari, from Kerala, with moves inspired by animals and nature.

Australian Cathy Darnell has been practising aikido, a Japanese martial art for more than 20 years.

As the only female fourth Dan aikido instructor in Dubai, she teaches all ages at the Zanshinkan club at Dubai Karate Cents in Barsha.

Other countries are copying this technique, in Russia and America. We don't want to lose it from the Philippines

“Aikido is one of the youngest martial arts, founded in the early 1900s,” she says.

“The idea of aikido was to have people living in harmony around the world, at peace with themselves, especially during conflict.

“There is no competition in aikido but it is used by police for control and restraint techniques.”

The Zanshinkan is one of the oldest martial arts centres in the UAE and will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

Classes are mixed and about half the members are women.

It is a spiritual art, involving training with a bokken (wooden sword), jo (long staff) or tento (wooden knife) and other weapons.

“I’ve found aikido the best way to strengthen my own body and to stay calm and connected,” Ms Darnell says.

“Every martial art has its own beauty, but aikido seems most relevant to the 21st century.”

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

RESULTS
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The past winners

2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Soldier F

“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.

“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.

“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”

Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

RESULT

Everton 2 Huddersfield Town 0
Everton: 
Sigurdsson (47'), Calvert-Lewin (73')

Man of the Match: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)

Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.

  • It’s So Easy
  • Mr Brownstone
  • Chinese Democracy
  • Welcome to the Jungle
  • Double Talkin’ Jive
  • Better
  • Estranged
  • Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
  • Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
  • Rocket Queen
  • You Could Be Mine
  • Shadow of Your Love
  • Attitude (Misfits cover)
  • Civil War
  • Coma
  • Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
  • Sweet Child O’ Mine
  • Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
  • Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
  • November Rain
  • Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
  • Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
  • Nightrain

Encore:

  • Patience
  • Don’t Cry
  • The Seeker (The Who cover)
  • Paradise City
The lowdown

Badla

Rating: 2.5/5

Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment 

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Most F1 world titles

7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)

7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)

5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)

4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)

4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)

HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED

Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.

Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.

The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.

The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.

A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.

AL%20BOOM
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WIDE%20VIEW
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MATCH INFO

League Cup, last 16

Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Tales of Yusuf Tadros

Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)

Hoopoe

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