Smart tactics of defence

A rise in the cases of violence in the City has made learning self-defence and combat skills imperative. A self-defence form that can help both children and women tackle violence effectively is Karv Maga.

Karv Maga was founded in Israel in the 1940s. “It is a self-defence system developed for the military in Israel that consists of a wide combination of techniques sourced by wrestling, boxing and judo.,” says Vicky Kapoor, head instructor of Ultimate Karv Maga, which is located in Indiranagar.

He adds, “ It is easy to learn and can be applied naturally and intuitively. It can be used practically under stressful conditions. An essential part of Karv Maga is its teaching process, methodology and ways of training. ”

Karv Maga enhances basic reflex action of an individual. “The focus is more on simple actions which can be implicated on the streets. We do not emphasise on fighting at all. Awareness, prevention, avoidance, diffusion, soft and hard tactic, and elimination are the techniques of Karv Maga,” says Franklin Joseph, CEO and Chief Instructor, BadAZZ Karv Maga, Langford Road.

It is also incorporated in most security forces. “Many multinational companies also prefer it for their female employees because of its practical and realistic approach,” adds Vicky.

The form can also be learnt by children as Vicky points out, “We concentrate on their physical strength and how to deal with situations like kidnapping. We also focus on building up their confidence, developing their reaction time and helping them defend themselves against an adult assault. We don’t teach them defence against knives or pistol. Since their bones and muscles are still developing, our purpose is to engage them in activities that build up their strength and confidence. ”

The form teaches women deal with a difficult situation using smart tactics. “It is equally important for women to understand that a sexual assault is first and foremost an assault. One cannot decipher the attacker’s motives and automatically realise whether the motive is sexual. Throughout the training, we emphasise on the psychological aspects of both the attacker as well the defender thereby helping women to perceive and realise danger and allowing the techniques to come out naturally,” says Vicky.

Maya, a student, says, “Karv Maga prescribes controlled aggression by giving determination drills, which are similar to the ones received by football and basketball players.” Priyanka, another student, says, “Joining Karv Maga has instilled a lot of confidence in me. I’m a short girl but I no longer feel weak. Now, I can defeat a person who is larger than me without fear.”

According to Franklin, it is important for children and women to train with men. “This way, they can understand the strength of their opponent and prepare themselves when they suddenly get attacked,” he notes. 

 “Karv Maga is not as popular as other martial arts but over the years, a few celebrities have brought it to the limelight,”  he sums up.