These have been the most interesting 5 weeks. Primedia hired Mark Grobbelaar from WIP: Woman InPowered and all the women from the company did his course.
To be perfectly honest when I first heard that we were doing this course, I thought it was a standard Self Defence Course. Now I’m not knocking them, but I’ve done 2 in my lifetime and they have NEVER ever helped. In fact, the one thing they told me to do in a threatening situation encouraged the criminal instead of scaring him away. Long story and epic fail.
What I really liked was how he started the course. He asked us to put our hands up if we can change the tyre of a car. I can’t *hangs head.*
When he asked me if I can, I said no. He said: “You can, you have just never been shown how to.
You can defend yourself, I just need to show you how.”
It’s 1 simple, easy to remember technique that will completely immobilize your attacker. No need for kung fu/karate/kick him in the nuts/years of martial arts training etc… 1 simple punch to the throat and BAM!
We are given a choice… obviously, the best option is to get out of a dangerous situation without having to use this technique… but if, God forbid, you are…at least have the knowledge on how to defend yourself PROPERLY.
I’m a firm believer that knowledge is power!
For weeks we learned how to punch correctly, how and where etc… We were told on the final day we would be punching through a wooden plank. I half believed Mark. The thought process was simply: “I can’t punch through wood. A broken hand is not the look I’m going for this Summer.”
I couldn’t believe it when he brought out the planks – see the video below… I’m so nervous my grammar goes out the window and I have a crazy little nervous laugh. Embarrassing. Bare with me.
It brought me back to the: “I can…because I’ve now been shown how to.”
I was incredibly nervous actually… but I did it and it was incredibly liberating. It was like breaking through the barrier… not just the wooden plank, but the barrier that I really can do it.
The adrenaline rush from actually accomplishing it and then realizing: “Oh my God! I just totally punched through a thick piece of wood! Wooohoooo!!”
Amazing feeling.
I do feel empowered and certainly more confident about my safety.
It just shows that nothing is impossible… life is all about learning and just when you think you can’t… relook at it…you can, you just need to learn how.
I really believe everyone should take this course… INspiring…
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