GOASIAPLUS November 2018

INSIGHT
D’S FOR DEFENCE
SELF-DEFENCE IS OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED AND
REGARDED AS A SPORT. THESE VIOLATIONS USUALLY COME
WHEN WE ARE DISTRACTED SUCH AS DURING TRAVELS.
YOSHINKAN AIKIDO MALAYSIA ANNUAL SELF-DEFENCE
WORKSHOP TEACHES A FEW MOVES OF PROTECTION.
Text YY CHEN • Photos YOSHINKAN AIKIDO MALAYSIA
Avoidance is the best form of self-defence.
But that’s just a general rule. What happens
when the inevitable happens? And there’s no
chance to whip out the pepper spray, kubotan (the
pocket stick), the compact ‘McGyver’ penknife or
even to press the emergency dial on your mobile?
“Die!” You tell yourself. Let’s just pause for
a moment and wiki into this serious matter; “...
countermeasure that involves defending the health and
well-being of oneself from harm.”
“Self-defence is about survival,” Aikido exponent,
Malaysia chief instructor 7th Dan Black Belt Sonny
Loke defines it succinctly. “It is about getting away
from a hazardous situation and having to apply a
physical technique should be of the last resort.”
At the numerous self-defence workshops that he has
conducted for staff of corporations and individuals,
Sonny and his team have designed an easy to
remember 3 steps as self-defence moves: 'Distract',
'Disengage' and 'Depart'.
He however cautioned that “these responses
to an attack should happen within few seconds,
anything longer than that, there would eliminate the
element of surprise to the attacker.”
The first lesson at the workshop was participants
to be alert and avoid being a target for professionals.
He cited a few situations where travellers put
themselves in vulnerable positions.
Over-shopped with expensive branded stuffs in
eye-catching designers shopping bags. Too busy
with carrying shopping bags with no freehand to
do anything else let alone protect themselves. Or
pay attention to your purse.
Being oblivious on your surroundings coming
away from a money changer or ATM, and placing
the whole stack of money in one place.
Over-trusting other diners in restaurant by
placing your belongings carelessly while dining.
Busy talking on the phone or looking down while
texting in a crowded place.
Your preliminary move to keep personal safety
in check is a good posture. “It is a manifestation of a
person’s mental state. Always maintain head up, neck
straight and chest up.
“Profile your surroundings especially in public
transport and where we dine too. Think ahead of
scenarios and it helps to be a bit paranoid to keep us
alert and not being careless.”
In Yoshinkan Aikido Malaysia, participants are
taught 4 simplified routine moves that cover moving
forward to both sides of the attacker, opening body
sideways to receive the attacker and stepping back.
These 4 movements allow the body to be
positioned at angles close but away from direction of
the attacker and allow the victim to execute effective
self-defence techniques.
“The first thing that Aikido teaches is never to
go head on, instead we avoid the attack by getting
off the line of attack. Allow the attacker's force to
project forward thus unbalancing the attacker. We
then neutralize the situation by a lock, pin or throw
on the attacker,” Sonny explains.
Even though the moves taught at the workshop
seem simple enough but it needs practice to allow the
participants to execute on reflex when the situation
arise. And this would mean repetitive execution of
the techniques.
“As in all martial arts, to be able to master
and applies what you have learned in unavoidable
situations requires years of dedicated training. Aikido
is no exception. Finally, adding to a traveler’s ‘Dos
and Don’t’s’ list, he said: “Trust your intuition.”
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