Review of Master Class with Aidan Carroll & Tony Somers: (Day 5 - February 7th 2009) - By John Sutton
I am not normally an early riser, especially on a freezing cold Saturday, but due to the task that I had to complete today, I was up and ready at 7:30am. I had been chosen as one of the people that was to speak in front of my peers at the hard target self defence class today and this was something that I was not too comfortable with as it is not something that I had a lot of experience with, only ever doing it once before at a wedding 3 years previously, and I can still recall how nervous I was then. However, not to be outdone by my good friend who spoke without notes the previous week,I was looking forward to the challenge. I had a fair idea of what I would talk about and because it had been on my mind for a few days I was somewhat prepared. This did not mean that I was feeling alright because the ‘butterflies’ within were somersaulting and it felt like my stomach had shrunk to the size of a tennis ball.( I wish!)
At 9am precisely, Aidan and Tony asked all of us to gather around the practice mats as the class was about to begin. The first person up to speak was Deva( Hard Target Assistant Instructor) who spoke of the importance of escape and evacuation tactics. He spoke with authority and it was quite clear that he had done this before. I felt weak knowing that I could be next. I did not want to be there and in my head was convincing myself that this had nothing to do with self defence. But before I could stop myself, when Aidan asked who would like to go next, my hand shot up.(something that I really must learn to control in the future.)
But as I learned, this exercise had everything to do with self defence. I had been taken out of my ‘comfort zone’ and facing the fear (of having to speak in public), I completed the task, and I have to add, enjoyed every minute of it! The other two speakers, Mick from Galway, who travels over for each class, and Michael, who thought that he was speaking the following month, got up and spoke from the heart, their honesty being quite an endearing factor. You see, with krav Maga,and I have to add, with Aidan and Tony at the helm, you are taught so much more than punching and kicking. You learn to face your fears head-on, You learn to read situations and identify risks before they become dangerous, and if they become dangerous, you are taught to deal with it the best way you can. I genuinely thought that due to my low level of fitness, I would not be able to compete but I was wrong, because I have not entered a competition. I signed up to be taught how to defend myself, and as Aidan and Tony believe that everyone has the right to defend themselves, they have successfully trained me to hopefully do just that.
The rest of the training session went extremely well, as we were shown how to get out of certain tight situations, which included grappling on the ground, getting out of headlocks, choking and taking your attacker to the ground. Everyone was enjoying it and even I went the full distance, although I was a little sore the next day.(I would like to point out at this stage that I am touching forty in a few months.)
Apart from the physical aspects of self defence in general, I think that what sets this course apart from other more conventional disciplines is that there is greater emphasis on the mental aspects of self defence. You hear of athletes talking of being mentally fit to compete, and ‘being in the zone’, well, Aidan and Tony will teach you to become more aware of your surroundings, the people around you, what is going on, and what the danger signs are, all of which will help you if a situation gets nasty. Being prepared is vital as you might need to make split second decisions that could make the difference. After all, this is street fighting and the chances are that you won’t know your enemy until they are in your face.
Personally, I can honestly say that I have got so much more from this master class then I thought I would, as I am not athletic and have been been coaxed to extend myself beyond my limit which I did not think was possible and because of this I have decided to make some much needed changes to my way of life, my diet and my attitude toward exercise. So that can’t be a bad thing!
We were asked by Aidan and Tony if we would be interested in a level 2 master class and needless to say every single one of us put our hands up straight away, which, in my humble opinion, is a great testament to our two trainers, who are so passionate about passing on their experiences and knowledge to the rest of us. So, roll on the last session of the level 1 master class, I know that I speak for all when I say that we genuinely cannot wait to get stuck in!
John Sutton.
Hard Target Student.