Our Self-Defense classes
At BeYourOwnHero, we teach our students the best techniques and skills to defend themselves in a wide variety of dangerous situations. We prioritize efficiency and ease of learning rather than orthodoxy and adherence to dogma, which means that we are not focused on a single school of combat sports or martial art, but rather that we incorporate different elements that we feel are the most effective into our classes. Your assailant will not suddenly stop dead in his tracks when you tell him you are a Black Belt, but he will regret trying to attack after you introduced him to a quick succession of highly effective defence moves that leave him writhing on the ground trying to catch his breath...
In the words of Bruce Lee, the man who introduced the West to kung-fu and popularized it to the world "The extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way, and martial arts is nothing at all special; the closer to the true way of martial arts, the less wastage of expression there is."
Below is a list of the different martial arts that we draw inspiration from:
Praying Mantis Kung Fu
Praying Mantis Kung Fu, also known as Tong-long Pai, combines the excellence and precision of the Northern Praying Mantis System with the dynamic kicks of Tam Tui. This style emphasizes flexibility, balance, and a diverse set of skills. It is generally considered well-rounded in the martial arts community. Training includes punching, kicking, blocking, grappling, and weapon training with tools such as the stick, sword, flute, bench, and fan. This well-rounded approach ensures that practitioners develop a wide range of skills and improve their overall physical and mental well-being.
Choy Lay Fut
Choy Lay Fut is a unique and powerful Chinese martial art popularized by Bruce Lee, who considered it to be one of the most difficult styles to attack and defend against, and merges three distinct martial arts styles: Choy Gar, Li Gar, and Buddha Style, offering a comprehensive approach to self-defense. Training focuses on full-body fitness to improve your strength, flexibility, and coordination through dynamic movements. You will learn an array of skills, from punches and kicks to joint locks and grappling, ensuring you’re prepared for any situation.
Southern Dragon Kung Fu
Southern Dragon Kung Fu, also known as Leung Ying, is a distinguished martial art from Southern China, renowned for its unique pugilism and esoteric, unorthodox fighting techniques. Inspired by the mythical dragon's movements, this style stands out as both distinctive and rare within the broader martial arts community.
Karate
Modern karate focuses on striking techniques such as punches and kicks, while traditional karate includes throwing and joint locking. Karate emphasizes spiritual cultivation, with many dojos following rules that promote character perfection, effort, and courtesy.
Jujitsu
Jujitsu is a family of Japanese martial arts focused on close combat, either unarmed or with minor weapons, to defend against or subdue opponents. Jujitsu has a very wide influence over many modern martial arts and combat sports such as Judo, Aikido, Sambo, ARB, Brazilian Jujitsu, and Mixed Martial Arts.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a very versatile art which can be considered as a way of life, a meditation technique, a sport, or a martial art. Tai Chi focuses on flexibility, balance, coordination, breathing, discipline and patience.