GITT: Give it to them

Picture this: you are returning home late from work and suddenly realise that the auto driver has other plans. Or, you are trying to weave your way through a crowded bus and feel a hand groping you all over. With crimes in urban India steeply on the rise, such incidents are now an unfortunate part of the lives of women living and working in the city. While most of us shrug it off with discomfiture, we need to confront the situation when it gets really nasty. And helping us do just that is GITT, a form of self-defence, mastering which would help us become confident and live and work without fear.

Taught by Ashwin Mohan, who learnt it to handle bullies in school, give it to them, or GITT in short, combines techniques from judo, jujutsu, ninjutsu, kick boxing, and karate to help women be in control when things get out of hand. However, this does not mean that knowing the technique encourages you to pick up a fight at the first instance. On the contrary, it makes you judicious enough to gauge the import of the matter and act accordingly.

The idea is to first use verbal tactics to ease the situation. Says Ashwin, “This is not a school of violence; our philosophy is to postpone-prevent-run. If all these fail, then [only] resort to the skills of defence taught here.” Knowing how to remain calm in adverse circumstances is also an integral part of the training.

Ashwin is a freelance trainer who has, through this method, helped women all over the country become self-reliant. In the city he usually conducts classes at several places that include Indian Heritage Academy (Koramangala), Colour Factory (Richmond Town) and Active Canvas. Those interested, can also approach him personally at 9845396360.

The training usually involves warm-up exercises, shadow boxing, hand and kick strikes and knowing your body and identifying the lethal strike points. Real-life situations are integrated into the classes and women are encouraged to carry protection like pepper spray and chilli spray, and even resort to basic self-defence techniques like biting.

Undoubtedly, in this world of uncertainty, knowing the art of self-defence is the best possible protection.