6 hot

thesundaytimes June 7, 2009

Learn to
fight back
More people are picking up Instructors whom LifeStyle spoke to said self-defence
is a crucial skill everybody should learn.
self-defence skills – usually martial “I’m amazed that people don’t take out an
arts-based techniques modified ‘insurance’ on themselves by learning self-defence
when they would easily buy insurance for their car or
to fend off attackers house,” said Mr Chatri Sityodtong, 38, founder and in-
structor at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts, which teaches a
Yusuf Abdol Hamid combination of muay thai, Brazilian ju-jitsu and wres-
tling.

H
is hands gently push against those of his
training partner and together, the two men
make sweeping circular motions as if per-
forming a choreographed dance.
But Mr Peng Sin Pooi, who has been
learning the taiji-related martial art of Pushing Hands
for the last 10 years, is no pushover.
“I feel confident in defending myself – this tech-
nique makes me a tougher object while using minimal
force,” said the 53-year-old who works as a technical
staff in an electronics company.
He may be an old hand at Pushing Hands, but he is
among a growing number of Singaporeans learning
self-defence at various schools and community centres.
The surge of interest is timely.
Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng warned in
January that in bad times such as the current recession,
petty crime could increase as people become desperate.
Indeed, crimes against persons – in which the victim
is an individual who suffers bodily harm as a result –
rose 5.6 per cent last year. Robbery and snatch thefts
against elderly people rose 3 per cent.
No wonder ordinary people are fighting back by
learning self-defence.
One of the main organisers of self-defence classes is
the People’s Association (PA), and such courses have ex-
perienced a 20 per cent increase in attendance over the
past three years, says Ms Jacinta Lim, director of PA’s
lifeskills and lifestyle division.
Over 48,000 people participated in its self-defence
courses last year.
Classes offered by the PA and private organisations
are usually based on a form of martial arts, often stream-
lined to suit students who want to learn only the most
effective moves to defend themselves in a street attack
(see other story).
For example, a ju-jitsu women’s self-defence course
caters to students who are “not necessarily fit, strong,
flexible or young”, said Mr Felix Fong, an instructor
and the president of the Ju-Jitsu Association Singapore.
Singapore’s relatively low crime rate may have lulled
Singaporeans into a “false sense of security”, he added.
Mr Teo Yew Chye, 50, an instructor at Kapap Acade-
my, which specialises in a civilian version of an Israeli
special forces self-defence system, added: “Many work-
ing adults travel often, and while Singapore may be
safe, other countries are not.”
Former national service commando Patrick Goh, 50,
is taking no chances despite his military background.
He said: “As I get older, I feel I should do something
more useful for myself.”
Mr Goh, who is married without children, has been
learning Kapap for two months and wants his wife’s
22-year-old niece to get involved as well.
“If somebody bigger were to try to harm her, she
would have a better chance of getting out of the situa-
tion,” he said.
Self-defence training has certainly paid off for some,
said the Ju-Jitsu Association’s Mr Fong.
Recently, one of his students, a small-built woman
in her early 30s, managed to overpower two male attack-
ers while she was walking her dog at Bishan Park at
night.
He said: “She was the only one around, so she kicked
and punched them until they fled.”
She declined to be interviewed.
Not all self-defence training is physical, however,
with many classes emphasising that getting into a fight
is a last resort.
Students of silat, the traditional Malay martial art of
self defence, learn values such as humility and patience,
which help them avoid confrontation.
National silat coach Sheikh Harun, 28, has had sever-
al experiences where his training helped him avoid
quarrels.
He said: “Sometimes, you may have a different
opinion from others, and when the other person is
very aggressive, you have to learn to take a step back.”
yhamid@sph.com.sg
Kapap students learn self-defence during a training session that simulates real-life street fights, including the use
of real weapons such as knives.
Kapap Academy
What: Personal protection and self-defence system
developed by the Israeli special forces.
Where: Classes are by appointment and location
varies.
Cost: $10 an hour (student); $20 an hour (adult)
Duration: Two hours a week over 10 weeks
Contact: Call Bryan Yan, assistant
instructor, on 8224-1822 or log on to
www.kapap.asia
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts
What: Curriculum includes muay thai (Thai
kickboxing), Brazilian-style ju-jitsu and wrestling.
Several Evolve instructors are world champions in
various martial arts.
Where: 02-22 PoMo Mall (formerly Paradiz
Centre, 1 Selegie Road)
Cost: Free trial at 6pm (Mondays to Fridays)
and 1.30pm (weekends); lessons start at $189
per month
Contact: 6337-0082 or go to
http://evolve-mma.com
Silat for self-defence
What: Traditional Malay martial art of self-defence.
Elements of silat include self-defence, and learning
mental and physical discipline.
Where: Kaki Bukit Community Centre
Cost: $6 (People’s Association members) and
$10 (non-members) for 12 sessions
When: Every Wednesday, 8 to 9.30pm. The current
ST PHOTO: YUSUF ABDOL HAMID
course started last month and runs till Aug 12.
There are still some vacancies.
Contact: 6445-4223 or visit http://one.pa.gov.sg
Ju-Jitsu basic women’s self-defence
What: Japanese martial art with an all-round
fighting syllabus, including striking and
immobilisation
Where: Tanglin Community Centre
Cost: $40 (PA members), $50 (non-members)
When: Every Sunday 2 to 4.30pm. Current course
begins today and runs till June 28.
Contact: 6251-3922 or log on to
http://one.pa.gov.sg
Pushing Hands
What: Self-defence derived from the art of taiji.
Uses minimum force to deflect an attacker’s force
and disrupt balance.
Where: Kreta Ayer Community Centre
Cost: $43 (PA members), $45 (non-members)
When: Every Thursday, 8.30 to 10pm
Contact: 6222-3597 or visit http://one.pa.gov.sg
Kali Majapahit Singapore
What: Filipino martial arts, with classes for varying
difficulty levels.
Where: 43 Carpenter Street, 02-01
Cost: Free trial session. Starts from $99 a month
When: Open every day, but check website for
details
Contact: 6534-5254 or log on to
www.kali-majapahit.com

Sing with a live band for $5

Cara Van Miriah

Housewife Wang Ya Ye stands on

stage under the glare of the spot-
light and picks up the mike to
belt out a song. She feels just like
a pop star as she starts her melod-
ic tune.
Sounds like another karaoke
night for a heartlander? Think
again. Madam Wang, 52, is sing-
ing with a live band, and has paid
$5 for three minutes on stage to
sing a song and live out her
dream.
It is part of a new trend of
“live karaoke” at Scarlet City Chi-
nese club in AMK Hub in Ang Mo
Kio Avenue 3 every Monday
night.
The concept originated more
than four years ago at communi-
ty clubs, which gave many ama- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK
teur singers like her a platform. At Scarlet City, patrons such as Madam Wang Ya Ye (above) can flirt with fame
Scarlet’s Open Mic Live Band and sing on stage in front of a live audience and accompanied by a band.
Karaoke is a hit among baby-
boomers, who eagerly snap up at 1am on Mondays.
song tickets to perform in front of friends and family. Some partygoers like Mr Fong bring music scores
The wannabes no doubt share the sentiment of for the band if they are attempting a new song.
Madam Wang, who says that she feels like “a real per- Before the amateurs take the stage, a deejay an-
former singing for an appreciative audience”. nounces their names. But the wait could take over an
Nearly 70 per cent of the participants are women. hour, says Madam Tay.
The weekly karaoke event draws nearly 200 people, “This is first-come-first-served,” she explains.
including singers and their friends, from 6pm to mid- “Sometimes, all the tickets are snapped up by
night. This works out to $325 in earnings for the club, 7.30pm.” Shaking her head, she adds: “I get scolded
excluding an $8 first-drink charge per person. by angry customers who throw a tantrum when the
Only 65 song tickets, priced at $5 each, go on sale tickets are sold out much earlier. It’s very difficult to
each Monday night. please everyone.”
At community clubs, the price is slightly cheaper, Scarlet City manager Alan Puah says the latecomers
at between $4 and $4.50 per song. usually “go around the tables to buy passes from other
But Scarlet City regular Richard Fong, 47, a senior singers who are holding two tickets”. He adds: “We
sales manager, says: “I don’t mind paying more to used to have a pre-booking system but we changed it
sing in a nightspot because the sound and lighting sys- because of several no-shows or latecomers.”
tems are much better.” The two-year-old nightspot, which is run by NTUC
At Scarlet, each patron is allowed a maximum of Club, will be holding its bi-monthly “live” karaoke
two songs. competition on June 29.
They must take a queue number after submitting Karaoke die-hards usually come prepared.
song requests to event coordinator Margaret Tay, 65. Mr Fong, a father of two children aged 14 and one,
The oldies are not ones for grooving to the latest rehearses at MacPherson and Braddell Heights com-
chart-toppers – their repertoire includes a mix of Man- munity clubs a few times times a week before he per-
darin, Hokkien and English songs from the 1970s and forms at Scarlet City.
1980s, which the four-piece retro band is familiar “This is a professional stage and I want to sound
with. good,” he explains in Mandarin. “If I practise enough,
Band leader and keyboardist Hong Da Kiang, 48, I will be confident when I get up there.”
tells LifeStyle: “I enjoy playing for the babyboomers, Madam Wang also takes it seriously. The party
who are a fun-loving bunch. They may not know auntie, who spends $1,000 a month on her glittery
much about music, but they often ask the band mem- outfits, tells LifeStyle: “First, I have to practise as much
bers how they can improve their performance.” as I can at the community clubs before I join a contest.
He adds: “They take their gigs quite seriously.” Then, I get another new outfit.”
His band, comprising two guitarists and a drum- She adds: “If I want to shine like a star, I have to
mer, performs from 7 to 11.30pm. Scarlet City closes sing and dress like one.”