Experts equip women with karate skills

By   Feverpitch Reporter

In the heart of Nairobi’s Industrial Area, a determined group of women enjoy martial arts classes every Saturday.

What started as a self-defense training programme to ward off muggers and attackers, is now promoting karate and judo skills.

The women embrace the classes more because apart from gaining skills, strength, stamina, flexibility and speed, they have become confident in knowing that they are more agile.

The training has helped the women reduce weight, improve blood circulation, develop instinct and remove tension, therefore advanced performance in their different fields. The fortunate martial art exponents are trained by senior black belt karateka and instructor Kaizer Karimbhai and black belt holder Lucy Karobia.

Karimbhai said: “Through martial arts we’ve have trained the ladies on the importance of the correct mental attitude to acquire a calm composure, as the enemies of any physical fitness programme are agitation, lack of flexibility, carelessness and fear. A strong spirit with will power is crucial for success.”

Karobia emphasised that self-defense techniques are not for showing off, but rather as a way for the development of the spirit and character of a person.

“The ladies are learning patience, tolerance and humility,” she said during training in a gymnasium at Zahra Signs Systems Limited.

According to Karimbhai, students are encouraged to have good manners and therefore not to bully or provoke others.

Karimbhai said breathing and shouting are vital elements in training as this helps in calming and surprising the attacker therefore giving one an upper hand if attacked.

Some of the practitioners are Waeni Mutisya, an Advocate of the High Court and Director at Zahra and Nancy Mokua who is the company’s Legal Adviser.

Some of the ladies have recently been graded and given yellow belts with the eyes set on greater things.

“If anyone tries to strangle anyone of these ladies or grasp their wrists, or holds them in a beer hug they can not only get out of these holds but deliver a lethal blow in self-defense,” cautioned Waeni while outlining to FeverPitch the benefits of the martial arts training.