Self-defense is a crucial skill for everyone, regardless of gender, however, it can be particularly empowering for women to ensure their safety amid the unlikely circumstances they come across in society, from being subjected to eve teasing to inappropriately getting touched in crowded spaces. Celebrating International Women's Day, Swarna Srikanth speaks to Mohitraj Singh, 29, who conducts self-defence training sessions along with practicing martial arts like jiu-jitsu, karate, taekwondo, kickboxing, and yoga, among other areas of expertise.
Founder of Whole 9 Yards (W9Y), a mixed martial arts (MMA) academy, Singh tells us why women must be introduced to self-defence while putting down some effective and easy techniques. Read excerpts:
What is self-defence and why is it important for women?
Self-defense is simply a countermeasure one opts for to save oneself from harm. It is both internal and external, whether it's about building confidence or being caught in an intimidating situation like a brawl.
Reflecting on the National Crime Records Bureau data reporting over 4.45 lakh crimes against women in 2022, one every 51 minutes, women's safety is the need of the hour. Self-defence is a crucial tool that every woman can use to fight situations that demand to protect themselves.
What are some of the self-defense techniques one can easily practice?
Self-defence begins with self control. Often, when one is in a difficult predicament, there's stress. So it's important to begin with yoga. Focusing on one's breath to manage anxiety helps one face the situation with more clarity and calmness. Later comes strength—being able to outrun any possible threats or escape unsafe spaces. This makes vitalising oneself with the power of strength training important; martial arts is a great way to do that.
Boxing is an easy self-defence technique to practice, both Muay Thai and kickboxing. Regardless of whether it is easy or not, these techniques require training and consistent practice.
Where can one reach to learn self-defence and become safe?
Learning self-defence has become more than easy in this day and age. There are so many outlets to explore, from physical classes to digital training. One may also reach out to my personal academy in Mumbai, Whole9Yards, for the same. Here, we impart self-defence lessons with a holistic approach, aimed at both mental and physical well-being.
How young do you think self-defense must be learned?
I started my venture with martial arts quite early, at the age of 5. However, I think 7 is a good age to start martial arts which assist self-defence. This is because by 7, kids tend to have more developed bones as compared to when they are much younger. While I've shared a perspective on the starting age, I'm of the opinion that it's never too late to learn.
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