Bengaluru Mirror

Crash course shows citizens how to stay safe on the streets

There was just one rule at the Krav Maga session organised by Bengaluru Mirror on Saturday: Don’t hesitate to kick butt if you want to be safe.

Krav Maga is the fighting technique developed by the Israeli armed forces. The Hebrew  phrase means ‘contact combat’.

As the city’s streets are becoming increasingly unsafe, the Krav Maga session was just what the doctor ordered. Even the torrential rains could not dampen spirits as people of all ages and sizes  turned up for the crash course in self-defence.

During the two sessions of two hours each, Franklin Joseph, a member of the International Krav Maga Federation, taught participants techniques to deal with situations ranging from chain-snatching to a headlock.

Joseph explained, “We are not training you to be vigilantes or attack machines whose first reaction is to beat somebody up. We are training you to be able to defend yourself in a situation and also get away without getting hurt. You can be thin, tall, fat, anything and still manage to defend yourself.”

He explained the psychological theory behind Krav Maga before moving on to the practical demonstration with 20 of his volunteers. Groin kicks, nose punches, thumb twisting, arm twisting – everything that was effective without being technically challenging – can be used in Krav Maga.

The ladies lapped it up. From school girls to middle-aged housewives, everybody wanted to know how to be safe. Fourteen-year-olds Sanjana Khinvasra and Tanisha Harsha wanted to be prepared for all the horror stories they had heard from college-going seniors about eve-teasing. Saroj Kunda, a 46-year-old home maker, wanted help to defend herself from road rage. She said, “I have had many instances, where people have walked up to my window and threatened me. I need to be able to defend myself.” Even Jalpa Joshi, a 6’ 1″ tall techie, said she needed help on the streets.

“It is not about how tough you look. These guys just won’t stop,” she said as she practised getting away from a choke hold. For Tracy Yach and her daughter Gabriella,  this was an essential skill. The South African family, living in Bengaluru for a year now, doesn’t have complaints about the safety of women on Bengaluru’s streets. “But you can never be too careful,” Tracy said.

Surprisingly, a majority of the audience were men. Anil Naidu, a 52-year-old stock broker in the city, said he wanted to learn Krav Maga as he was being followed for the last year by different characters. Gorde Ganesh was equipping himself against a repeat of a previous incident. The techie said, “I was attacked on Bannerghatta Road about five years ago and robbed. I don’t want that happening again.”

Whatever the story of each participant, the unifying thought was that they wanted to feel safe.

You can be thin, tall, fat, anything and still manage to defend yourself

Source: BengaluruMirror.com

Smitha Nair was returning home from work in an autorickshaw last month, when the driver turned around and asked her, “What do you think about sex?”

The Bengaluru-based graphic designer didn’t reply. Instead, she whipped out her mobile phone and made a mock call. “I don’t care if your mother is in hospital,” she shouted into the phone. “I want those designs when I get there. I will be there in 20 minutes. Is that understood,” she yelled. After hanging up, Nair asked the driver what he had said. He didn’t reply and quietly dropped her to where she was headed.

Terrorism has also heightened insecurity. Lawyer Pankaj Kumar (not his real name) was supposed to meet a friend for dinner at Mumbai’s Oberoi Trident Hotel on November 26, two years ago. He couldn’t make it, but his friend was killed by militants that night. It changed Kumar’s perspective on personal safety. “I decided that if I were ever to be in such a situation, I would be better equipped,” he recalls.

Kumar joined a KM course. “Now, I can fight and disarm anyone attacking with a gun or a knife,” he claims.

Not everybody believes that such fear is justified. Social scientist Shiv Vishwanathan, in fact, feels that fear is spreading a sense of insecurity and anxiety among the urban population. “The insecurity is targeted at the general other — which means, every stranger is perceived as a terrorist or a rapist. This is a recipe for turning into a paranoid society,” warns Visvanathan.

But for some people, self-defence courses are the way to conquer fear. Not surprisingly, the number of young professionals joining the KM course conducted by Krav Maga India (KMI), a private group affiliated to the International Krav Maga Federation, Israel, increased five-fold after the 26/11 attack, says Sadashiv Mogaveera, chief instructor for Maharashtra. “A wide mix of people — including flight attendants, businessmen and housewives — want to learn how to fight,” he says. KMI conducts courses in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi and has held workshops for companies.

To add to this rare and hard earned achievement, he has also been appointed the Executive Director for Business Development for International Krav Maga Federation in South Far-east Asia.

This is a great day for all Krav Maga practitioners in India and all the students and instructors who have have had the privilege of training under Mr. Kapoor.

Old Tentative Curriculum and Time Table T&T  for reference

Tentative can change without notice

• Changes may be expected
• Lunch/long break of about an hour – will be given during a day of training

Logistics
Registration Form

• 50% of the trip amount along with the form (Non-refundable)
• Rest 50% before 15 days from the date of departure

Places you visit

• Netanya
• Jerusalem
• Dead Sea
• Lunch at Kibbutz

Topics covered during the training:

• Law enforcements subjects
• 3^rd Party Protection
• Defending against releases and knife threats
• Defending against Gun threats
• Using firearms at shooting range
• Training in the Bus
• Training inside and around car
• VIP protection subjects

Cost includes:

• Flight (to and fro) by Air Jordan
• Hotel stay (twin sharing basis) with Breakfast
• Krav Maga Training Fee
• Travel in Israel by bus within Israel
• Shooting (Rental of Car, Bullets and Instructors Fee)
• Car rentals for defense driving
• Travel Insurance

Documents Required:

• Valid Passport for the next 6 months from the date of travel
• Bank statement of last 3 months
• 10 Photographs (passport size)
• Valid Visa (arranged by us)

Cost does not include:

• Personal Toiletries
• Lunch and Dinner
• Any item of personal use

Krav Maga is a form of martial arts that is used by some of the top defence agencies around the world. Find out how Bengaluru’s taking up this latest fitness fad.

Krav Maga, a form of martial arts from Israel is attracting a lot of attention in the city. With only one centre located in Richmond Town, people from all over the city, irrespective of age and gender are thronging the center to learn Krav Maga .

The techniques used in Krav Maga are derived from street-fighting, and makes the most to enhance one’s reflex action. Frank J, a Krav Maga instructor says the Israeli martial art is different from any other kind of martial art as it involves more real-life situations. “Krav Maga teaches you on how to use your muscles in the most efficient manner, using your own reflexes to fight back. Our body responds to all kinds of external attack, and it’s in our subconscious mind. The right utilization of your own reflexes can save you from a lot of danger.”

Frank feels fear can put one in a lot of danger. “When you have a tight working schedule, all throughout the week, you tend to follow a different lifestyle; it was the same with me when I was working for an I.T. company a few years ago. But then, it was after having met few officers from Indian Air force, who educated me about this free-form martial art, that I decided to work on it, which I thought was more productive than what I had been doing then,” said Frank.

It’s after six years of rigorous practice and hard work today Frank masters the art, and has been avidly working as a trainer at his institute in Bengaluru for almost two years now. He says, “I am really grateful to the officers from the Indian Air Force who made me acquainted with Krav Maga. I also thank Vicky Kapoor, Chief Instructor from International Krav Maga Federation, India, who had helped me to understand about this art of fighting.

Krav Maga Israeli Self Defense in Bengaluru

Krav Maga Israeli Self Defense in Bengaluru

Source : http://myBengaluru.com/article/1009/fighting-fit-with-karv-maga.html

14^th May 2009 – Day 1

It was the journey we had awaited for the past several months, after hearing stories from Mr. Vicky Kapoor our beloved teacher (Sensei : Mentor/Teacher in Japanese) about his experiences in the land of the origin of Krav Maga, our curiosity was getting the better of us with every passing minute. It had boiled down to 7 people from a starting count of 25 odd, but words can do little to describe our experiences to the people who missed the trip.

We gathered at the international airport at 0230 hours, the flight was scheduled for 0530 hours. We were travelling on Royal Jordanian airlines so we had a short stop over at Amman, the capital of Jordan.

I don’t think any of us (except Mr. Vicky Kapoor of course) knew what to expect; was it going to be war torn? Would there be air raid shelters every where? Will we be walking through streets with exploding suicide bombers? Will we get swine flu? Will our training kill us? The last question wasn’t relevant because we knew we had been trained by the best instructor in the world, and no matter what they threw at us, we would come out winners.

Five and a half hours later, we landed in Amman, in the midst of desert dunes as far as the eye could see (which actually was 20 miles south of the city of Amman, a rather green metropolitan development) . Was this how Israel was to be? Would we collapse from dehydration every day during training? We consoled ourselves by browsing through the duty free shops, eying things needless and necessary, affordable and unaffordable.

The flight from the Queen Alia International Airport at Amman to Israel was short and kept us brimming with excitement. Our curiosity was laid to rest soon enough. We were left with our mouths gaping as we approached Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel. It was a lush green, modern cosmopolitan city, complete with sky scrapers, and flyovers, and beautifully landscaped roadways and cityscapes. This was just the beginning for us to understand how this small community of people had taken what little they had and made it into what the world envied (or at least a lot of their neighbours did!)

The Ben Gurion International Airport was an impressive piece of architecture. It has been rated as the best middle-eastern airport for a few years running now. It has an eventful history with two serious terrorist attacks having been carried out on its premises, a feat that was only achieved by the terrorists hijacking external aircraft and force-landing them at Ben Gurion. Israel’s own security provisions are world famous, and has helped bestow the distinction of the world’s safest airline to El Al.

We were introduced to the nearly-invisible but tight security arrangements ubiquitous over the length and breadth of Israel, especially in public areas such as malls, airports, etc. We were firmly questioned by the immigration officers, smart ladies in security uniforms, as to our intentions for the visit, who relaxed when they learnt we had been personally invited by the International Krav Maga Federation to train in Israel. Mr. Vicky Kapoor pointed out a S.W.A.T. canine agent, also know as a dog, and his handler playing in the luggage area, but alert to any illicit substances that may be hidden in people’s luggage.

Since we were being accompanied by Mr. Vicky Kapoor himself, we were honoured to be personally received by Master Avi Moyal, one of the four global directors of IKMF and his brother Mr Shlomi Moyal, among the senior instructors of IKMF, and this was only the beginning. This was the first time that we met our ‘remote control’ student – Ms Reema, who had been a student over the telephone for the past couple of years and had flown down to Israel especially for the T&T with us. We would share many cherished moments in the days to come.

We started off to Avi sir’s house after stuffing ourselves into Avi and Shlomi sir’s cars. Some where among the suitcases were Udit, Ishan and Gaurav, trying to catch glimpses of Israel over the luggage to little success. We were relieved to be out of the cars and were ready to eat a horse for lunch.

We were pleasantly surprised and extremely grateful to be treated to a lavish Israeli luncheon, personally prepared by Avi sir’s wife. We stuffed ourselves silly, and drank amazing mint tea and fruit infusion.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor gave us a short demo on kettle bell exercises and showed us Avi sir’s backyard, where he had spent several days training with Avi sir, perfecting his Krav Maga skills that had brought him to the level of expertise where he stood today.

We then rode to Netanya, the mother land / birth place of Krav Maga, and the adopted home town of the father of Krav Maga – Imi Lichtenfeld. It was down the very streets of this town that about two decades back, people greeted Imi with a warm “servoos”, which Hungarian for “hello”. It was down the streets of this very town that Vicky Mr. Vicky Kapoor had walked and trained with the very best, when he started on his Krav Maga journey five years back. And we would now experience the same journey for ourselves.

We checked into a new hotel this time; one that had not been frequented by Mr. Vicky Kapoor earlier. A sprightly hotel called ‘Galil’ (a Hebrew word meaning ‘hill’ or ‘boundary’) with a yellow and white façade. The hotel was on a small cliff overlooking the beach and a wonderful view of the clear blue ocean. We knew we were in for the time of our lives.

We had the option of taking rooms on a twin sharing basis, but we decided to squeeze into a single room, yes, all four of us! So , Udit , Gaurav, Ishan and Jaipreet were all set to live with each other and fight over who goes to the toilet first in the morning. We ended up in a nice room overlooking the beach (Netanya has over 14 kilometres of beaches and has evolved into a major tourist destination).

Our first evening was spent with Mr. Vicky Kapoor giving us a guided tour of Netanya. We also got the (rare) opportunity to make our first visit to the Dojo of master instructor Gabi Noah: the same dojo where Mr. Vicky Kapoor underwent his training in the years past. That was a great experience. We saw some students training there, under senior instructor Elyah, who we thought were from Israel. Little did we know that they were IKMF students from France who were also there for the T&T program, and we were going to share the next 8 days together in the same bus, travelling around Israel, and learning from the masters.

Later that night we also met other Krav Maga students from around the world: There were students from Portugal (Big Nuno, not-that-big Nuno and Piedro), USA (Paula, Gail and Dante), Spain (Carlos, Rafa, Luis and OTHER DUDE), Italy (Fabrizzio), and Germany (Juergen Wolf). They had travelled to Israel for the Law Enforcement Intensive course spread over ten days, and they were all instructors and accomplished martial artists from their respective countries. It was an honour to meet them all.

15^th May 2009 – Day 2

We spent day two on the road. We started our day on a guided tour bus, driven by a gentleman by the name of Ronny (who we discovered later on, used to drive a bus only as a hobby, he was actually a very gifted engineer), and his sister Yail. Yail was to be our ‘running commentary’ provider for the next several days. She introduced us to the rich cultural, architectural and geographical heritage that lay in the tiny but gifted country of Israel.

We started out on the Road 01 which led from Netanya to Tel Aviv. Netanya is famous for its diamond industry, which is only recently getting a run for its money from India. Netanya is also famous for the Wingate Institute, Israel’s national institute for sports excellence. It has produced several national and international level sports persons and also houses a sports training centre for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

Israel houses 5 universities – 2 ‘Technions’, 2 universities in Tel Aviv, 1 in Haifa (Israel Institute of Technology), and 2 in Be’er Sheva. Israel specializes in agriculture in difficult places and adverse conditions (no doubt, they have converted a virtual desert into a green country!). They have fruit trees such as Pecan nut, olives, pomegranate, figs and barley and cotton plantations. They also have other species such as pine, oak, eucalyptus, cherub (which is the symbol of long life) and mimosa dotting the gentle hilly terrain.

While driving through the Ayalon valley we passed the strategic hilltop of Latrun, which has a history dating back to the biblical period. It was at this place that the Israelites, led by Joshua defeated the Amorites. It was also home to a 12^th century fortress built by the crusaders and later held by the Templars, though little remains of this castle today.

Durng the time that Israel was under Ottoman rule (1517 to 1917), a monastery was established at Latrun by French monks of the Trappist order. The monks established a vineyard and today produce a variety of wines. During World War I, the monks were expelled by the Ottoman Turks and the monastery was destroyed. The monks returned in 1927 and built the current building.

It also featured in the six-day war of 1967 when it was recaptured by the IDF from Jordanian and Arabic possession which permitted the reopening of the road to Jerusalem.

Onwards from Latrun, our first stop was the town of Ein Kerem (Ein – spring, Kerem – Vineyard), the town famous from the Bible for being the birth place of John the Baptist. It is also famous for the Hadassah Hospital and medical university. It is built around a small spring which, as history has it, was the same place where Mary cam to visit Zachariah and Elizabeth. This was then (2000 years ago) known as the town of Judah

From the ancient times water was the prime resource that was valued in this area, so springs were important areas that towns were built around. Unlike India where there was an abundance of water and flora and fauna, Israel like other Middle Eastern countries was mostly covered by desert, so water sources were cherished areas. So whoever was in power exercised it. So when the Muslims came, they built a mosque around the existing church, etc.

We then went on to the Yad Veshem (Yad – memory/memorial, like in Urdu, and Vashem – Name), or the “Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority” is Israel’s official museum to the vicitm’s of the Jewish Holocaust.

Designed by the famous architect Moshe Safdie, it is a beautiful building built in limestone (the stone that most buildings in Israel are either made from, or clad in). He is also the architect for the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex at Anandpur Sahib in the state of Punjab in India.

Located at the foot of Mount Herzl on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is a 45-acre (180,000 m²) complex containing the Holocaust History Museum, memorial sites, such as the Children’s Memorial and the Hall of Remembrance, The Museum of Holocaust Art, sculptures, outdoor commemorative sites such as the Valley of the Communities, a synagogue, archives, a research institute, library, publishing house and an educational centre, The International School for Holocaust Studies.

Non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust, at personal risk, are honoured by Yad Vashem as “Righteous Among the Nations.”[1] This includes the likes of the famous Oskar Schindler whose memorial stone is placed along one of the main entrance paths within the Memorial premises.

After a long walk through the painful history of the holocaust, we ate lunch at the Memorial canteen and proceeded for the city of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has the distinction of being among the oldest cities in the world, with a history dating back to the 4^th millennium B.C. It has been the holiest city for the Jewish people since the 10^th Century B.C.E., an important religious centre for the Christians, and the third holiest city for the Islamic people. In the course of its history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times according to Eric H. Cline’s tally in Jerusalem Besieged.

We first drove up to the Mount of Olives (among the prominent hills that Jerusalem comprises of), which also has many significant buildings and complexes on it. We halted at a terrace vantage point from where one could see a clear view of the entire city including the famous Dome of the Rock.

We learnt all about the history of Jerusalem, the people who had conquered it, won it back in war, only to lose it back and win it again. It was a fascinating history. We then drove past the famous King David hotel in towards the old city of Jerusalem.

Ronny parked the bus outside the old city’s walls and we headed towards one of the eight famous gates of the city of old Jerusalem (the city had eight gates, namely: Damascus Gate, Dung Gate, Golden Gate, Herod’s Gate, Jaffa gate, Lion’s Gate, New Gate and Zion Gate). We stood in front of the Zion Gate. Bullet riddled walls, defaced during the Israeli war of independence in 1948, menacingly stared us down. The gate led us into the city, adjacent to the Armenian and Jewish quarters.

Yael then led us in through past the Armenian Quarter’s souvenir stores and into the Jewish quarter. Our long stay at the Yad Vashem had cost us good time, since the next day was Shabbat; most of the stores were closing down. Yael showed us some important Jewish symbols such as the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, and the Mezuzah, a little box that is installed on every Jewish doorposts and gates, and explained their significance to us.

We then walked past excavated ruins of the Roman Empire that lay buried under the several layers of the city of old Jerusalem. This site, known as the Cardo, was a 180-meter long street that ran from north to south. It was the main street that housed the major market places and had the houses of the affluent overlooking it. There is a shaft / well in the Jewish quarter which goes down approximately four metres deep and shows the many layers of the city of Jerusalem. The difference in construction masonry shows the period to which it belongs. The arcade is a nicely shaded walkway with thick walls and has shops to pick up souvenirs from.

We then walked through the Cardo streets and past the many stores that had closed in preparation of Shabbat, until we came upon the imposing plaza at the Western Wall, also known as the Kotel, also known as the Wailing Wall. From here we could also see the Dome of the Rock.

We waited by the side admiring the smart uniforms of the police and army personnel that patrolled the area, ever alert to any irregularities. Mr. Vicky Kapoor pointed out their special flack vests and how they had camel backs integrated into them, as well as a space to store their helmets. Very cool indeed! Ishaan, Jaipreet and Kiddy ma’am went down to the wall to tuck their pieces of paper with their wishes written on them, into the cracks in the walls. Traditionally, it is said that the pieces of paper with your wishes are removed every three months and buried on the Temple mount of Jerusalem, the most sacred site on Earth for the Jewish people, so the wishes come true.

We then proceeded into the Muslim Quarter of the city and started on the “dream walk of every Christian soul” – the Via Dolorosa (the path of sorrow) or the Via Crucis (the way of the cross / crucifix). The very route that Jesus Christ walked on, bearing his cross, to be crucified by order of the then roman ruler Pontius Pilate. Given today’s status quo it was ironic that the walk started in the Muslim quarter and had several stations there before moving on to the next quarter.

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus carries the cross
3. Jesus falls for the first time
4. Jesus meets His Blessed Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. Jesus meets the holy women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. The crucifixion
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb
15. (Additional station) The resurrection.

We also learned about the Ethiopian connection with the bible. The Queen of Sheba had traveled to Israel from Ethiopia to meet King Solomon whose wisdom she had heard of. This connection also led to Christianity being adopted in Ethiopia way earlier than the rest of Africa. There is a church, completely run by Ethiopian clergy in the old city, almost on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We then descended through two halls into the plaza / court in front of the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the very spot where Jesus was crucified, removed from the cross by his disciples who tended to his wounds, and then laid to rest in the Sepulchre, before the resurrection. The Church itself was teeming with tourists of all religions. It had a tremendous energy, with hundreds of visitors everyday, traveling to this spot to pray and seek Christ’s blessings, it was a humbling site.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor, Kiddy ma’am, Jaipreet, all our friends from France, Ishan, etc. stood in queue to seek Christ’s blessings inside the holy sepulcher, while we (Udit, Yael and I) waited outside. Our wait was pleasantly interrupted by the evening prayer ceremony. All the people’s voices sang together in harmony, along with the clergy members, a prayer in the name of the Lord.

We them walked our way back to the tour bus where Ronny awaited. En route we happened to see a whole bunch of young soldiers, in great spirits since the next day was Shabbat or their day off. They sat around on the street sides, eating pastries and laughing, some carrying their guns slung over their shoulders. All were at the age when most children in India are busy bunking classes in college and hanging out at the canteens and making plans to party. It really made us feel a sense of deep respect towards the youth of this tiny great country.

Our hotel’s name was the Jerusalem Gate Hotel, with simple but well-appointed rooms. We spent a short time keeping our luggage in our rooms and freshening up, and thinking of how hungry we all were. Yael and Ronny had a treat in store for us: a special Lebanese meal at one the authentic Lebanese restaurants of Jerusalem. We had a hearty meal with our new friends, Laurent, Laurent, Pierre, Nelly, Stephanie and Thierry and could barely move at the end of it. A few tiny cups of Turkish coffee did the trick and we were back on our feet ready to head back to the hotel, and call it a night.

16^th May 2009 – Day 3

We awoke to another morning that we eagerly awaited. We were to head to the Dead Sea this day and see the ancient desert settlement of Massada, on the banks of the Dead Sea, well, almost. We began our drive to Massada, and on route passed several old Second World War vehicles that lay preserved on the roadsides. Apparently these vehicles carried food rations for the Jewish people during the war. Several had been ambushed by enemy forces and that forced the Jews to adopt a tougher but more round-about route to get the supplies through. These vehicles had then been preserved as a memory to those harsh times, and stood as a symbol of the resolve of the Jewish people in times of strife.

Yael pointed out several tents on the outskirts of Jerusalem. These belonged to the nomadic Bedouin people; a tribe that still lived the nomadic life with camels and all. Some tents had old, beat-up cars parked outside them, showing signs that they too were slowly getting seduced by the consumerist ways. Yael pointed out that the Dead sea lay approximately 400 meters (422 meters / 1385 feet) below sea level and is apparently the lowest lying area on earth. Jaipreet decided to test her out by turning on the Altimeter on his wrist watch. The watch confirmed the fact. It was meant for climbing (mountaineering) and not descending (diving) so it gave us a steady declining reading till 1200 feet, and then started complaining; apparently that’s the minimum reading it could give!

We drove past several orange and banana plantations. Eli sir pointed out how in his life time, the waters of the sea had receded by almost half a kilometer, and how the dead sea shoreline was receding further with every passing year.

We stopped at the Masada National Park tourist center. Mr. Vicky Kapoor had told us several days ago that part of the real Masada experience was to climb (read: run) up the hill to the ruins of Masada via the ‘Snake Path’ which was on the eastern side of the hill. It was a 400 meter climb and stretched 2 kilometres in length. It had about 700 steps as a part of the path up and took anywhere between 30 – 45 minutes to climb. It was a challenge that all of us rose up to.

We received our instructions from Eli sir outside the centre: we were to wear caps / sun shades, we were to finish at least one litre of water by the time we reached the top, and we were to run up at our own risk!

We started hiking up the hill side only to be shortly overtaken by the entire French team. We discovered only later that four out of the six members of that team were fire marshals, and underwent intense physical training on a daily basis. Some of our team also joined in the run with them, and some actually made it up to the top along with the fittest two members of the French team, Pierre and Thierry. The time taken by the first bunch was 23 minutes.

The highlight of the climb was Udit, who was in unquestionable physical form, and had to carry Reema piggy back half way up the path. Ishan and Udit took responsibility of ensuring that no one from the Indian team got left back, and they did a great job.

Once we reached the top, we were given a detailed tour of the Palace of the genius but eccentric King Herod. The entire palace premises was designed with extensive granaries, bath houses, sauna and steam bath halls, and gymnasia for the inhabitants. It had an ingeniously designed water supply systems that channeled water to 12 humongous cisterns that could hold a combined volume of 40,000 cubic meters of flood water that flowed through the wadi (valley) of Masada in the rainy season.

The king’s palace was an architectural wonder. It was built on the northern face of the mountain and almost dangled off the rock face. It was constructed on two large stone slabs that almost stuck out of the rock face. The royal Jacuzzi was also overlooking the northern face. We admired the view from the royal Jacuzzi and envied the king for such comfort.

Masada was a natural fortress by virtue of its location. There was no way that it could be conquered. The Romans finally brought it down by storming it from the western face. They built a ramp made of earth, all the way to the top of the hill. The ramp stands as is till date; quite a feat of human effort, and considering that they built it in three months!

After the excursion, we go a taste of the ‘training’ part of the tour and train. Eli sir took a wonderful class on Gun threats from all directions, and showed us in great detail how the techniques worked. It was a double honour for our team, since we were learning from Eli sir, had Mr. Vicky Kapoor with us, as also Pierre, the chief instructor of IKMF in Marseille, France. It definitely was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We descended the hill in 15 minutes flat!

Our next stop was the Dead Sea. Another experience that we could never forget.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor had told us that the Dead Sea was one of the saltiest seas in the world (its apparently called a ‘Hyper-saline’ lake). And that the human body simply floats in the waters without swimming. Now, that’s a little difficult to imagine. But when we got to the Dead Sea, it was a sight to see. The entire water front had tourists just floating. As if they were lying down and relaxing on a bed. They just floated! Now, Eli sir and Mr. Vicky Kapoor had warned us that the waters are so salty that even the tiniest bit going into our mouths or our eyes could land is in a lot of trouble, so we had to be extra cautious.

We quickly changed into our swimming trunks, and headed into the water. It was surprisingly cold for the time, especially since the day had been extremely hot. And as soon as we entered, Mr Ishan, among the youngest Krav Maga instructors of the world, got sea water into his eyes and mouth! It was a hilarious sight and we all laughed as he quickly swam out to the showers and stood there for a while to wash out the salt, then joined us again.

We spent a long time enjoying the waters, and then also tried some cosmetic treatment – the hot sulfur springs on the shores of the Dead Sea, had hot mud that was supposedly good for the skin. So we went to the hot mud pools and like a bunch of happy ladies, applied the mud all over ourselves. Then dried off a bit before going into the sea to wash it all off. We didn’t really see what the big deal was all about!

We wound up fairly late and then changed and proceeded back to the bus. To our delight we also ran into two other Indians from Mumbai who were working in Masada. It was great running into them and chatting with them for a couple of minutes, since that was a rare sight.

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.

Vasanthi Hariprakash, Neha Kidwai
Saturday, January 10, 2009, (Bengaluru)

A private company in Bengaluru is now offering training for ordinary citizens to combat terror. The trainers say that special skills and techniques, imported all the way from Israel, are being used.

They are being trained to dodge a grenade and escape capture by a terrorist. When it’s down to the basics in a terrorist attack, people will know what to do.

“The reason why I have joined here is I had got attacked on the street once and that had diminished my confidence. I was very scared to walk on the streets of Bengaluru and just after two-three classes here, my confidence soared back to normal,” said Liana Emanuel, a software engineer.

“On the street, no one is going to shout grenade and throw grenade. If you hear an explosion, get on the floor as a natural instinct and protect yourself. Later if it is only a firecracker, it doesn’t matter,” said Rahul Vekapalli, another software professional.

It is a self-defence course offered by a private company in Bengaluru for Rs 2900. They have a tie-up with Israel’s International Krav Maga federation, which offers training in defence tactics and fighting skills to military and police personnel there.

“People felt a lot scared after 26/11 attacks, they don’t know how to vent their frustration. Here they know how to release it. They come here, fight, they enjoy, they are laughing, and when they go back, they are relaxed,” said Frank, trainer.

Women have been enthusiastic learners. They feel that not only will this help them fight terror, they will also be better equipped to deal with eve-teasers.

A private company in Bengaluru is now offering training for ordinary citizens to combat terror. The trainers say that special skills and techniques, imported all the way from Israel, are being used. They are being trained to dodge a grenade and escape capture by a terrorist. When it’s down to the basics in a terrorist attack, people will know what to do.

Source: NDTV

Bengaluru IT Pros train in Israeli Survival Techniques

SOFTWARE PROFESSIONALS like Anoop Ramakrishnan, 24, and many others in the tech industry here are picking up new survival skills – not to endure the economic gloom, but to survive a terror attack or a hostage crisis.

Following the recent terror attacks, techies are queuing up to be trained in anti-terror and hostage survival techniques being imparted as part of Krav Maga, an Israeli school of self-defence and combat tactics. They are being taught how to hold their nerve during a terror attack, ensure minimum injury, how to escape a fire, and avoid being trapped in a stampede during evacuation.

Said Anoop, software professional at Sasken Communications: “We are here to learn to minimize casualties through the concept of muscle memory that is how not to panic but train our muscles to move quickly and save ourselves during an attack.” He has been urging colleagues and friends to take these lessons too. Ditto with Ashish Puri, of Cisco Systems, who is also taking the training. “I have persuaded seven eight colleagues to join these workshops,” he said.

Frank JW, the instructor and in-charge of Bengaluru chapter of International Krav Maga Federation, said: “I am currently training 75 people in Bengaluru. Most are from the IT industry” Frank said the training sessions are not intended to make “everyone a Superman” but to teach techniques that can come handy – like lying flat on the floor to escape bullets.

Author: srikanth.r@hindustantimes.com

“Our country needs pro-active awareness and training from the grass-root level. Our people, staff and society itself is the first line defense by being aware & provide constructive surveillance & be prepared in any kind of crisis management, hostage evacuation or to dodge terror hostage takeover like Mumbai 26/11.

Vicky Kapoor”

Indian Express Newspaper

Sweta Dutta

Posted: Dec 07, 2008 at 0309 hrs IST

New Delhi Hotels give staff combat training

Following the Mumbai terror nightmare, several hotels and corporate houses in the Capital are training staff to deal with hostage situations and bomb blasts. A city-based tactical and combat training institute has been flooded with calls for training modules post 26/11.

The training institute, Ultimate Tactical and Combat Pvt Ltd in Saket, claims three five-star hotels and as many prominent BPO firms have hired its services to train staff.

“Beefing up security arrangements will not help, so a number of hotels and corporate houses which are potential targets nowadays are gearing up to face threats by training their staff on coping with blasts and hostage situations,” said Vicky Kapoor, managing director and chief instructor of the training institute. The five-star hotels are based in Central Delhi. Right from the basics of first-aid and fire fighting to minimising blast impact, the module has it all.

“Even if the staff is unarmed, they can dodge terrorists just by using certain tactics. Usually when terrorists strike, they are know they may not survive and so try to kill as many people as they can. The psyche of the terrorist is analysed in detail,” explained Kapoor.

“While the impact of blasts can be minimised by opening up all air flow inlets, the key to dealing with hostage situations lies in predicting the terrorist’s next move. Hostages are usually huddled together or locked up in a room or tied up. So in the beginning, we teach trainees to fight,” Kapoor added.

The module also trains hotel staff to deal with panicky guests and the injured. “First aid is crucial an can save lives. Several people die because they are not lifted in the right manner after sustaining injuries,” he said.

Batches of 50 are taken in and mock sessions are held for the entire team to work in tandem. “It is difficult to train the entire staff at one go as hotels have to cater to guests. So we arrange the training in shifts. Once it is over, mock sessions are conducted,” Kapoor told the Newsline.

The training institute has tie-ups with two Israeli training schools, International Security Academy and International Kravmaga Federation, both of which specialise in tactical combating with suicide bombers and hostage situations.

Several other MNCs and five-star hotel chains in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai have also hired the services of the training institute, authorities said.

Source: Indian Express