While we may live in one of the safest cities in the world, it never hurts to learn how to defend yourself. Abu Dhabi has loads of gyms and centres for getting fit and several of those offer intensive self-defence classes.
We spoke to some trainers and got the basics about the challenging and diverse courses on offer.
Cobra Muay Thai boxing
This sport is a form of combat martial arts that originated in Thailand. This discipline is also known as the ‘art of eight weapons’, the weapons in question being: the fists, elbows, knees, shins and feet. It began to gain popularity in the 16th century and really took off in the 20th century.
Zayed Sports City trainer Matt Dryden strongly recommends Muay Thai for anyone looking to get fit. ‘I’ve had people lose weight really quickly while learning and actually many people come to do it to get fit. In terms of a workout, it’s the best cardiovascular training there is.’ Regardless of your age, gender, or physical fitness, Matt recommends the classes for anyone looking to get fit fast. ‘I do have people who learn
it and go on to compete, but many others just enjoy it as a great, intense contact sport.’
Trainer Yasser Ahmad Abu Jeish tells us that nearly 60 percent of his students do the course purely for the physical fitness rather than to fight. ‘The classes really give you confidence, as well as good posture.
It is also an excellent way to get fit very fast and many people fall in love with it and become addicted.’
Matt Dryden teaches classes on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Zayed Sports City, Al Madina Al Riyadiya (055 616 0996). Yasser Ahmad Abu Jeish teaches classes at the Cinema Building, Najda Street, Al Markaziya. Open Sat-Thu 10am-1pm; 4pm-11.30pm (02 676 9658, 050 901 7528).
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a relative newcomer on the martial arts scene and is considered a hybrid sport. It developed as a combination of Muay Thai, Karate and Western boxing. Japanese kickboxing was developed in the 1960s and American kickboxing developed in the 1970s. It mainly uses a combination of punches and kicks.
We spoke to trainer Dawood, who has been teaching kickboxing for over 20 years, about its appeal. ‘Over 50 percent of my classes are women, and the reason they love the class is that it is a fun way to lose weight and get a nice shape. It usually takes two to three months to learn the basics of the sport, such as the proper stance and some technique and once that’s done, some people advance through the levels very quickly.’
Open daily 9.30am-6.30pm. Hilton Abu Dhabi, Al Khubeirah (02 681 1900). To contact Dawood directly call (050 612 3336).
Oriental Kobudo
If you have some skill in martial arts, we suggest Oriental Kobudo. This self-defence utilises weapons, such as the rokushakubo (six foot staff), sai (dagger-shaped truncheon), tonfa (handled club), kama (sickle), nunchaku (chained sticks), tekko (knuckle-dusters), tinbe-rochin (shield and spear) and surujin (weighted chain). There are also other variations of weapons used, but they are less commonly found.
Trainer Rafzan says, ‘We cannot teach Kobudo except to people who are already good in karate. It can get dangerous if you don’t have good control and technique and you start swinging around some weapons.’ Despite its difficulty, the trainer tells us he has seen people of all ages and genders interested in taking up the sport. ‘Usually our top karate students show an interest in it’.
The Oriental Karate and Kobudo Club has classes across Abu Dhabi. Contact the head office in Tourist Club. For more information email: karate@emirates.net.ae (02 677 1611).
Fun facts that will knock you out
• It’s thought Muay Thai developed in Thailand back in the day when people only had rudimentary clubs and short spears, which forced them to fight at close quarters and necessitated methods of fighting incorporating the feet, fists, elbows and even the head.
• In Thailand, children as young as four sometimes compete against each other in Thai boxing.
• Japanese kickboxing was created by the Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi and Tatsuo Yamada (karate practitioner) in 1966.
• Japanese kickboxing developed into K-1 in 1993.
