This hand-to-hand combat style packs in a lot of punches, literally. But more than that, it is an exercise that teaches one how to be on the guard in dark alleys. It started as a lethal combat training for the Israeli Army and is now a craze the world over in its fitness, aka boot camp avatar.

Move over karate as Krav Maga is the new ‘get fit-cum-self-defence’ fad in the town. And the list of takers is only going up, mainly, thanks to the chain-snatching and other incidents on the rise in different localities in the city.

Builds confidence

“I decided to join the classes after my bag was snatched outside a multiplex. My self-confidence levels plummeted and I wanted to get mentally strong. I came across Krav Maga in Delhi. It was a boon when the classes started in Hyderabad. A friend of mine had his laptop snatched in Gachibowli in broad daylight and he is learning Krav Maga too,” says Dhara, a lecturer.

A visit to Krav Maga instructor Ajit Nathaniel’s class in Jubilee Hills on weekends showcases a cross section of people – students, IT professionals, businessmen and home makers – taking keen interest in the boxing regimen, sprints and the works which leaves them tired and confident the same time.

Burn 800 calories

“Self defence is an attitude. Krav Maga is been taken up largely by people who want to learn self-defence or threat response. One also burns 800 calories in one session of the high intensity class. It is a down-to-earth, no-frills regimen for people focussed on self-defence and fitness,” says Ajit. While all military professionals in Israel are given combat training with hand-guns and special tactics, Krav Maga bare hands training is chosen for civilians, he says. In India, his organisation Krav Maga India headquartered in New Delhi, founded by Vicky Kapoor, trains the Prime Minister’s SPG, various law enforcement and special tactic groups such as Punjab Police SWAT team and more.

The significance of the combat training in present scenario is proven by the fact that Krav Maga found its way in the training programme for IPS probationers at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel National Police Academy here.

“One should be able to defend oneself. I did have an orientation towards Judo and Karate and joined Krav Maga one month ago. I find myself more alert and in a better shape to tackle any situation. Krav Maga is helpful for civilians to know self defence. My work takes me abroad and such training is useful,” says Nayan Choudhary, a software professional working with an IT firm in the city.

Training under safety guidelines such as usage of shin guards and gloves makes Krav Maga stand apart. “We are accountable to an international organisation in Israel where we also undergo constant training as instructors and have our knowledge updated,” says Ajit as he is contemplating on opening a centre in Secunderabad as well soon.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/

HYDERABAD: Less of a martial art and more a system of hand-to-hand combat devised by the Israeli defence forces, Krav Maga isn’t for the weak-kneed. The system combines grappling and wrestling techniques with street fighting skills. You learn how to break the stranglehold of an attacker by going for his groin, face or knee. Unlike in martial arts where certain moves are not permissible, the focus of Krav Maga is crystal clear: beware of threats and deal with them as effectively as possible.

How is Krav-Maga different from conventional martial arts? “This is close combat, with no rules. It helps in real street fight, unlike judo or karate that do not allow an all-out fight against the opponent,” says Ajit N, city-based Krav Maga instructor. According to him, it is easy, effective and works in any situation. “You don’t have to be powerful. It just tunes your reflexes to down any opponent.”

“This form of martial art uses elements of physical fitness to tone muscles and help in coordination. You’re burning calories and we incorporate standard calisthenics, but the primary reason people come to us is for self-defence. Toning and losing weight is not the main goal but many women say they see results during the training,” says Ajit.

Krav Maga techniques are practised in simulated, ever-changing situations.

Krav Maga is very aggressive and dynamic in itself. Basically, you work up a huge sweat just doing the motions. You’re punching pads and being grabbed by people. “It’s as real as we can make it.This makes you more confident and capable of handling any situation that may require physical exertion and also helps in dealing with stress under pressure. It is mainly because you are trained to react beyond the normal,” Ajit explains.

The fitness advantages of programmes such as Krav Maga lie in the short, high-intensity explosiveness that occurs in muscle fibers.

“When you are building up kinetic force, you are developing really strong neurological pathways from your brain to your muscle, which helps instincts and reflexes. Any type of really short, intense workout helps elevate metabolic rate and burn more fat,” he says adding, that students practising Krav Maga expend 20 to 30 per cent more energy than during a less intensive activity such as step aerobics.

Source: http://expressbuzz.com/

“Krav Maga is a form of self-defence that deals with realistic scenarios where there are no rules. It deals with prevention from threat, psychological buildup to empowerment, verbal self-defence, soft and hard tactical defence against eve-teasing, groping, molestation and rape. It is an instant realisation and reaction to an action or attack,” says Frank J Wolf, instructor, Israeli Krav Maga Self-Defence in Richmond Town. Wolf is the only Krav Maga instructor in Bangalore.

According to Wolf, this art of close combat was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld, a trained boxer and wrestler in Bratislava in order to help protect the local Jewish community during the German military invasion.

Krav Maga trains one to be ready for any lethal situation regardless of age, size, strength and fitness. “The common attack targets in Krav Maga are chin, groin, throat, eyes jaw and knee. If you are attacked from the back and choked, you will not waste time resisting, instead when pushed back you’ll raise your foot to attack his groin,” he continues.

Krav Maga is popular because there are no esoteric martial art techniques that are put to use. Instinctive punches and kicks used in natural self-defence are polished. Krav Maga is an excellent fitness routine and helps in building stamina, confidence and helps to burn those extra calories. Many law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies like the FBI have adopted it.

The Bangalore chapter of Krav Maga has trained around 300 people —among them men, women and children. For Kunga Uuangyal, 28, who is a student at the Krav Maga Academy of Self Defence, this art of close combat has pushed him beyond his limits, both physical and psychological.

“Learning this art form for more than two and a half years has been a huge help in building confidence. I now know how to react to situations that need quick thinking and action,” says Kunga.

“The fitness routine followed in Krav Maga is very intense. The workouts and exercises could be strenuous for a girl but constant resistant practice has equipped me with techniques to defend myself and I’m not scared of walking alone on the roads,” says Urvashi Raizada, 18, another student.

Stephanie Steiger, mother of a five-year-old is amazed to see drastic changes in her daughter Sanara’s attitude. “She is confident, she enjoys it and is ready to startle all the big boys with her defence moves,” says Steiger.

Krav-Maga

Less a martial art and more a system of hand-to-hand combat devised by the Israeli defence forces, Krav Maga isn’t for the weak-willed. The system combines grappling and wrestling techniques with street fighting skills. You learn how to break the stranglehold of an attacker by going for his groin, face or knee. Unlike in martial arts where certain moves are not permissible, the focus of Krav Maga is crystal clear: be aware of threats and deal with them as effectively as possible.

Trust us, this ends up giving you as good a workout as any. “Krav Maga improves your cardiovascular strength to the highest level,” says Vicky Kapoor, chief instructor of Krav Maga India. “It also increases your muscular strength.” Apart from improving your coordination and flexibility, Krav Maga also helps you burn calories. “Each workout is an hour-long and can help you burn nearly 800 calories,” he says. A stress busting workout that makes you think on your feet? Now that’s what we’d call a win-win situation.

Interested in learning?

Delhi: Krav Maga India, 011-41764207

Let’s face it it is easy to tire of workouts. Running on the treadmill every day or following the same weight-training routine for a few months can become boring. It also ceases being challenging when your body gets used to it.

To mix things up a bit, take up a martial art. It’s a great workout that tones your body, jogs your mind, and also sharpens your reflexes, keeping you safe on the streets. Not only are there plenty of options to choose from, but you’ll also never have a dull moment in your workout.

Whether you pick a “soft” martial art like t’ai chi chuan, which focuses less on combat and more on holistic health, or a “harder” martial art like karate that teaches you how to protect yourself in everyday situations, you are certain to reap health benefits.

Apart from offering a vigorous cardiovascular workout, most martial arts also increase your muscle strength, improve flexibility and strengthen the core. Thanks to the complex interplay of muscles involved in a martial art, you get a thorough full-body workout.

As Arjuna Awardee and Olympian judoka Cawas Billimoria says, “A martial art demands so much of you that you can’t really get bored of it.”

Karate

Most of us likely took karate classes in school. One of the most widely practiced martial arts worldwide, karate is not just a way to stay safe, but is also a great overall workout.

While there are slight variations in the katas or sequence of movements taught by the different schools of karate, they all emphasise the use of punches, kicks, locks and throws.

Since karate mainly involves striking and sparring with the hands, it makes for a great upper body workout. “Every punch and lock requires different sets of muscle groups,” says Rajeev Sabharwal, founder of the School of Shotokan Karate-Do in Delhi. “With time, your whole body becomes conditioned.”

Some styles like the gojuryu incorporate specific weight-training techniques called hojo undo that strengthen the wrists and forearms.

Most styles incorporate stretching exercises and breathing techniques. “You start with stretches and move on to punches and kicks,” says Sabharwal. “You don’t get bound to one kind of workout.”

Judo

For a martial art that means “the gentle way” in Japanese, judo features a lot of grappling, wrestling and knocking opponents to the ground. But the Olympic sport is safe enough for people of all ages to practice.

Unlike other martial arts which focus on using force to strike or spar with an opponent, judo hinges on using the opponent’s own strength to dislodge or topple him.

Naturally, judo both demands and contributes to a high level of physical fitness. “It is one of the most complicated sports to practice because it requires both power and muscular endurance,” says Billimoria. “Normally, when your power increases, your endurance decreases and vice versa. This training makes you very strong mentally and physically.”

T’ai chi

T’ai chi is for those who prefer a steady, unhurried pace of exercise, as it is made up of a slow sequence of movements that emphasise correct posture, better balance and coordination. Infused with balletic grace, these movements are also said to improve lymph and blood circulation. Since the movements focus on using the full range of motion of your joints, you can avoid creaky joints as you age.

Although t’ai chi does have a basis in self-defence, it is mainly practiced for its numerous physical and mental health benefits. “T’ai chi conditions your heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen,” says Rakesh Menon, director of Flowing Wheel, an institute that offers training in t’ai chi.”It is also a very good stress buster,” adds Menon.

Interested in learning?

Capoeira

At first glance, capoeira looks like an infectious combination of catchy beats and freestyle dance with a bit of football thrown in for good measure. There doesn’t seem to be anything aggressive about this fluid martial art that originated in Brazil. But once you start swaying to the rhythm too you simply can’t resist you will realise that capoeira is an efficient yet engaging way to stay fit.

All the elements of capoeira are geared towards strengthening your core and making you faster on your feet. Take the basic side to side movement or the ginga. According to Mumbai based capoeira instructor Reza Massah, “That movement itself is like doing a 1000 situps”. The 72 basic moves of capoeira incorporate dance moves, stretches and breathing exercises. Since most of these moves are done standing, you’re sure to get a great workout for your legs. In addition, the back flips and high kicks will improve your balance.

More than combat, reacting fast and avoiding injury is the focus of capoeira. “Capoeira teaches you to outsmart your opponent. You learn to protect your face, avert blows and fall better, without any strain on your knees and ankles,” says Massah.

Taekwondo

The Korean martial art taekwondo is one of only two martial art forms that features in the Olympics, the other being judo. In Taekwondo, the leg is the most important weapon of combat. You learn a number of kicks, including jumping, spinning, skipping and sliding kicks.

Apart from being an excellent lower body workout, taekwondo also improves your agility, speed, balance and stamina. It is both an aerobic and anaerobic workout, and stretching exercises on the ground form an important part of the training. Even if you don’t want to break wooden boards a test of prowess and mental discipline used in advanced training taekwondo is sure to give your fitness regime a kick-start.

It might have been developed as hand-to-hand combat for the Israeli military, but Krav Maga today has morphed into a popular group activity with team building at its core. There are different programmes for civilians and for the military. And bite this: there are defence programmes for women and children too.

Ultimate Tactical and Combat, a private outfit of Krav Maga practitioners in Delhi, teaches the discipline at various locations like Radisson Hotel, Noida, Club Excel and its own studio in Saket. In Kolkata, Solace gym holds special classes for children twice a week.

Krav Maga trainer Udit Bagga, who conducts classes at Ozone in Delhi at least three days a week, says: “Apart from burning some 800 calories an hour, the highest in any group activity, it is about combat in a real-life situation.”

Exercising alone can be drop dead boring. So how do you get back your zest for burning that fat without letting the monotony of it kill you? Well, just go social.

Social workouts or group exercises are all the rage today. And the news gets better as group sessions — encompassing a wide spectrum from cardio workouts to body conditioning and flexibility routines — come free with membership at most savvy gyms across the country.

“A feeling of bonhomie pervades such sessions. If the person next to you is executing the same steps as you and an instructor is keeping up the tempo to peppy music, you are likely to exercise better,” says Devashish Singh of Fitness First.

According to fitness consultant Preetom Mukherjee-Roy, a good gym should offer at least four to five different group activities. He adds: “The routines are changed frequently which is also why group fitness is never monotonous.”

Les Mills Group Fitness

Group exercises conceived and formatted by Les Mills (a former athlete from New Zealand who developed a series of pre-choreographed fitness-to-music classes) are a rage internationally. At present they are available only at Fitness First and Celebrity Fitness — the two international health club chains in the country.

A typical session may include Body Combat that packs in a power-punching cardio session inspired by martial art disciplines, or Body Balance that incorporates yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates to improve flexibility and strength. For body sculpting there’s Body Pump that includes working out with weights.

“To keep the surprise element going the music is changed and the steps improvised once in three months,” says Singh of Fitness First.

Yoga

Yoga is the magic word in the world of fitness. While some go for the basic traditional yoga classes three times a week, others fit power yoga into their schedules.

If at Wildflower Hall, an Oberoi property in Shimla, group yoga is part of its wellness programme, at Fitness First, traditional yoga is on the schedule three times a week. Meanwhile there are yoga experts like Meera Bhagnani in Kolkata, who conduct classes in their studios.

At Vins, a fitness club in Gurgaon, power yoga is on the menu but only if members pass the flexibility test run by club-owner Vinodini Gupta.

Says Gupta: “If a little bit of power is added to it, yoga transforms into a cardio vascular activity that also helps one to lose weight. Depending upon your target, you can do it three times a week or more.”

Spinning

Non-stop cycling on a stationary bike for almost an hour at a stretch is a big hit too. With an instructor egging you on at intervals (“You are climbing a hill right now, don’t give up now”) and fellow spinners going at it with all they’ve got, it’s not hard to get into the swing of things.

Spinning tops popularity charts everywhere — at Gold’s Gym on AJC Bose Road, Ozone and Fitness First in Delhi.

Says Mukherjee-Roy: “Spinning came into being as off-season cycling. High-octane energy with the right kind of lighting, upbeat music and an instructor acting as motivator makes all the difference.”

Aqua Exercises

In Ballygunge, the heart of Kolkata, Solace Gym and Spa offers exercises in water. You can choose between sessions of aqua yoga, aqua therapy and aqua aerobics.

The deal: one burns more calories in water than otherwise because working out in water is very strenuous. The hydrostatic pressure of the water massages and refreshes you even as you exercise.

In Mumbai, fitness expert Deepali Jain takes classes of aqua aerobics with the help of equipment like aqua pumps, aqua balls, aqua resistance tubing and more. Her main focus is to strengthen the core muscles and the back.

Says Jain: “You cannot cheat the water. You’ve got to work yourself once you are in it.”

Source: I love Kolkata

Hindustan Times Newspaper

Let’s face it — it is easy to tire of workouts. Running on the treadmill every day or following the same weight-training routine for a few months can become boring. It also ceases being challenging when your body gets used to it.

To mix things up a bit, take up a martial art. It’s a great workout that tones your body, jogs your mind, and also sharpens your reflexes, keeping you safe on the streets. Not only are there plenty of options to choose from, but you’ll also never have a dull moment in your workout.

Whether you pick a “soft” martial art like t’ai chi chuan, which focuses less on combat and more on holistic health, or a “harder” martial art like karate that teaches you how to protect yourself in everyday situations, you are certain to reap health benefits.

Krav maga

Less a martial art and more a system of hand-to-hand combat devised by the Israeli defence forces, Krav Maga isn’t for the weak-willed. The system combines grappling and wrestling techniques with street-fighting skills. You learn how to break the stranglehold of an attacker by going for his groin, face or knee. Unlike in martial arts where certain moves are not permissible, the focus of Krav Maga is crystal clear: be aware of threats and deal with them as effectively as possible.

Trust us, this ends up giving you as good a workout as any. “Krav Maga improves your cardiovascular strength to the highest level,” says Vicky Kapoor, chief instructor of Krav Maga India. “It also increases your muscular strength.” Apart from improving your coordination and flexibility, Krav Maga also helps you burn calories. “Each workout is an hour-long and can help you burn nearly 800 calories,” he says. A stress-busting workout that makes you think on your feet? Now that’s what we’d call a win-win situation.

Interested in learning? 
Delhi: Krav Maga India, 011-41764207

HYDERABAD: Terrorism has made life unimaginably tough for the latest batch of IPS probationers what with new combat techniques being introduced into the training schedule. The latest addition for budding police officers at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) is “Krav Maga” an Israeli hand-to-hand combat technique that gives the fighter more aggressive endurance.

But it is not just with “Krav Maga” that the 61st batch of IPS probationers who pass out on November 6, 2009 have an edge over the alumni of the prestigious institution. The 91 probationers, including 23 women, for the first time also had to develop their skills in scuba diving. Certainly fun was simply out of question. “It was all about learning to not only explore the unknown waters and surviving hazards but also acquiring the skill to rescue,” said an officer engaged in training the probationers.

With a thorough revamp of the basic course syllabus for IPS probationers on the cards, the introduction of “Krav Maga” and scuba diving is only an indication of how the nearly one-year training will become more demanding.

Being cut off from civilization for a few days and getting lost in the deep and dangerous jungles of Tamil Nadu was probably not what the probationers, had bargained for when they got into the IPS but they slugged it all. Leading the change in training is director K. Vijay Kumar who in an earlier avatar as chief of TN Special task force had tracked down sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. “The jungle experience need not necessarily make the trainees physically tough. But it certainly makes them mentally tough,” Vijay Kumar told TOI.

Not everyone could master the “Krav Maga” during the two-month training module but it certainly raised the standards of training for IPS probationers. “Krav Maga” is basically a tactical defence skill which stresses on threat neutralisation, simultaneous defensive and offensive manoeuvres, and aggressive endurance in a “him-or-me” context, according to NPA officials.

Source: Times of India

If running on the treadmill or pumping iron at the gym is getting monotonous, then how about kicking and punching your way to fitness? To break the tedium of machine exercises, fitness experts and gyms have introduced combat regimes including Krav Maga, kickboxing and Les Mills’ BodyCombat programmes to their list of offerings.

“These are fun ways to tone the muscles and shed weight while one also picks up some combat moves,” says Leena Mogre, director of Leena Mogre Fitness Academy.

Krav Maga, the military hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel, is flourishing at Calcutta’s Solace gym. Conducted twice a week, the gym also organises special classes for children on Sundays where they are taught self-defence moves.

Similarly, at Ozone in Delhi you’ll find the Krav Maga class packed with students throwing punches in the air and sometimes kicking punching bags. Says instructor Udit Bagga: “Krav Maga is about exploiting the natural reflexes of the body and gearing up to face any form of attack.”

Every Krav Maga session at Ozone begins with a warm-up drill. For about 15 minutes, the students jog around a room and then punch and kick punching bags. Bagga then teaches the students to deal with situations like knife attacks or hostage situations. He instructs them on how to fling punches, hammer-fists (a strike with the bottom of a clenched fist) and elbow and knee strikes.

“Krav Maga is a great workout but the techniques also help one escape from terror situations,” says Bagga.

Gyms like Delhi’s Fitness First and Celebrity Fitness in Gurgaon are action-packed, martial arts venues. The BodyCombat programme is a huge hit at both these gyms.

“Inspired by martial arts, BodyCombat is a cardio workout packed with elements from karate, boxing, Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Muay Thai (a Thai sport which is similar to boxing but also allows strikes with the feet, elbows and knees),” says C. J. Saurez, instructor, Fitness First.

BodyCombat — which looks more like a well-choreographed dance class — is popular with students who enjoy sweating it out with steps matched to perky music that’s specially customised for the classes.

At Fitness First, a BodyCombat session begins with a warm-up session that includes a variety of moves like jabs, punches and kicking techniques taken from karate, boxing, Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Muay Thai. Says Saurez: “In a single class you can burn about 500 to 800 calories depending on how much effort you put into the workout.”

The 55-minute workout includes 10 tracks (or music scores). The first track is designed for the warm-up session, while the second, fourth and sixth tracks are played when the upper and lower body is being worked out (for the lower body you do back kicks, front kicks, side kicks and rotation of the legs while for upper body you do punches and jabs).

The third, fifth and eighth tracks are for high intensity workouts. The seventh track is mainly Muay Thai steps while the ninth focuses on abdominal training. The session ends on the tenth track, which is a winding down track meant for stretching exercises.

“To keep it exciting for students, the programme is changed and redesigned every three months with new music and choreography,” says Saurez.

According to master trainer Toni Giannini of Celebrity Fitness, BodyCombat is a great cardiovascular workout. “Not only does it improve the heart and lung functions, it also reduces the risk of heart disease,” he says.

If kickboxing is your idea of exercising and de-stressing, then check out Leena Mogre’s kickboxing classes. Her sessions are all about martial arts-style kicks and boxing-style punches. She says a one-hour session alone can burn about 600 calories. Her 10-minute warm-up session includes jogging, shuttle run, slow kicks and some stretch exercises.

The class is instructed on how to hurl jabs (straight punches from the front hand to either the head or the body), cross (a powerful punch which comes from the momentum of turning hips), hook (rounded punch) and an uppercut (rising punch striking the chin).

While the kicking part includes front kicks (striking face-on with the heel of the foot), side kick (striking with the side or heel of the foot), roundhouse kicks which means striking with the front of the foot and semi- circular kick (45° roundhouse kick).

The experts offer some tips to observe as one embarks on these programmes: Since these classes are high intensity, they can safely be practised three times a week while one can continue with the regular gym workout on the other days of the week.

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090301/jsp/graphiti/story_10605118.jsp

NEW DELHI: The Delhi police have set up a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as part of their renewed counter-terror measures. Created some months ago in the wake of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, the team has been participating in mock security drills being carried out in the city as part of its training.

The unit at present comprises about 40 young recruits, mostly in their early 20s.

The SWAT commandos have undergone rigorous training in handling of sophisticated weapons and most have been armed with AK assault rifles.

The SWAT members, who will be armed with sophisticated light-weight weapons in future, are also being trained in hostage and crisis negotiation techniques. They are being taught ways to access a target, conduct searches and rescue operations and carry out close combats. In the recently conducted mock drills in the city, the unit headed most of the operations.

It is learnt that the unit members are also being trained in Krav Maga technique of hand-to-hand combat that focuses on tactical defence skills. It is expected to prepare them for threat neutralisation through simultaneous use of offensive and defensive moves in real-life situations. The technique was first introduced in Israel for providing combat training to security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

“If required, the unit members will also be trained by National Security Guard (NSG),” said a senior police officer, adding that details of the components of the SWAT unit are yet to be finalised.

Another police officer suggested that the specialised unit can be exposed to the experiences of the SWAT units of other countries. “They need to interact with SWAT teams from other countries to know more about their tactics while carrying out operations on the ground. Joint exercises should also be carried out for practical knowledge. They should be apprised of details of previous operations against terrorists to enrich their experience,” said the police officer

Apart from the specialised unit, newly recruited and young constables from all the districts are being imparted 45-day commando training at the Police Training College as part of the counter-terror initiatives. A 10-day refresher course in commando training is also being conducted for others.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/

Photos: Krav Maga Photos Gallery Swat Police training in Krav Maga

Soubhik Mitra, Hindustan Times

Mumbai, January 28, 2009

Through the week, Satish Nair helps software developers make user-friendly programmes for the bank he works with. On the weekend, the 33-year-old business analyst learns how to duck from a flying grenade and defend himself from hoodlums as part of his Krav Maga lessons, which teach the Israeli hand-to-hand combat art.

After November’s terror attack in Mumbai, several professionals like Nair have begun training in martial arts like Krav Maga and kickboxing. “Your confidence grows manifold. It teaches you to hold your nerve in a panic situation,” said Nair. The Mumbai chapter of International Krav Maga Federation received 93 applicants in the four days after the terror attacks. “Slowly people are taking charge of their own safety,” said Ajit Verma, one of the chief instructors with the federation.

Kavita Pai (30), a chartered accountant, invests a few hours a week learning to defend herself. “I finish work at around 10 pm. A month after joining the course, I feel far more safe.” Paul Devassy travels all the way from his residence in Nerul to Bandra to attend training sessions. News reports claiming that the police were not fully trained to tackle such an attack had disturbed Devassy.Dr. Komal V.S., deputy director of the Andheri-based Academy of Combat Fitness, said, “We have witnessed a 25 per cent surge in enrolment after the terror attack.”

The kickboxing association, which runs courses in Bandra, Lokhandwala, Matunga and Goregoan, has witnessed a 50 per cent surge in enrolment. “Earlier, our students, especially women, would consider this as a fitness option. However, the batches since the terror strike are more interested to learn combat techniques. Women aged between 20 and 40 years have enrolled for the courses,” said Ziauddin Khatib, president of the Indian Kickboxing Association.

Some hotels and business processing outsourcing companies, too, have hired the services of these institutes. “Two hotels contacted us recently. We conduct these courses for BPOs too,” said Verma.