Times of India :: Land of the new warriors

Mumbaiites are practising their lethal moves in the latest martial arts that have caught their fancy, and how! Clearly, they’ve found a handy way to deal with rising stress levels, work pressures, sexual harassment and their fitness issues with popular techniques like these…

Krav Maga
Push-ups, squats, kicks and stretching, after an intense 30 minutes of cardio and fitness training, the students are already grunting in pain and lying listlessly on the ground. Welcome to the world of Krav Maga, the Israeli system of self-defence and fighting, which teaches you the art of street survival. The system which means “contact combat” in Hebrew has devout followers who want that added confidence in their stride. Sadashiv M, a Krav Maga senior instructor, Mumbai says, “What is unique about this system is that it uses the body’s own reflexes. It works on instinct and natural movements. The body’s centre line — the imaginary line running though the centre of the body is the focus for defence and attack.” Ajit Verma, an instructor says, “Krav maga is a total fitness solution in itself. You burn about 800 calories in an hour.”

Capoeira
Brazilians have become famous for more than just their football skills and samba. Capoeira, the national sport, a mixture of dance and martial arts, is quietly catching up with children and adults alike. The class resonates with thumps, loud singing and the sound of a pandeiro (tambourine) and a berimbau (percussion instrument). Capoeirists of all age groups learn the fast and tricky movements in these classes. Trainer Reza Massah says, “This is the only sport which combines the co-ordination of a dancer, the strength of a martial artist, the flexibility of a gymnast, the endurance of a marathon runner and the beat of a drummer in a friendly, non-violent manner.” With its origins in African slavery in Brazil, the deceptive defence moves are light, but precision based. They build strength and balance, evident in the fluid cartwheels, kicks and twirls. Model Rosa Catalano has been practising Capoeira for a while now. “While living in Switzerland, I saw Capoeirists perform acrobats on streets and ever since I have wanted to learn. Capoeira is about rhythm and hardcore exercise. It is not about hurting somebody,” she says.

Jeet Kune Do
Bruce Lee may have died but his legacy lives on. Jeet kune do or the way of the intercepting fist is a street fighting concept and works on evolving according to the needs of the individual. Dr Komal, an exponent of this art says, “JKD helps in physical fitness, stress management and dealing with life’s problems.” It has no set fighting technique. It builds speed, power and co-ordination and involves kicking, punching, knee-elbow or trapping and grappling. Anjali Bhimrajka, a student, says, “In one-and-a-half years, I have lost 15 kgs. I had a ruptured ligament in my knee so any type of weight loss was not possible. But this was the answer to my problem.” Ritesh Reddy, who has been practising for the past six years adds, “I lead a sedentary lifestyle and started these classes to manage stress. I wanted to do tai-chi but found JKD more to my liking.”

Kalaripayattu
“There are 18 secrets in kalaripayattu, of which the highest is hitting your opponent and moving away. At this level, you are assured of your skill and do not need to show off,” reveals Pradeesh Raj, who has been teaching since the past 20 years. Originating in Kerala, the 3,000-year old martial art has three styles to it — one which focuses on weapons training apart from empty hand combat; another which teaches empty hand combat; and the last, which is a mixture of both. The master in this art also needs to understand the pressure points in the body and healing. One learns to wield the mind as adeptly as the sword, as you begin with training your body, then move on to weaponry, and ultimately spiritual training. Actress Upasana Shukla says, “The level of discipline kalari inculcates in you is great. This has helped me in theatre as well and I really look forward to these sessions.”

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