Hikers Workshop

 

 

EDA Practical Self Defense Workshop for Hikers

Want greater personal safety and peace of mind while you're hiking?

Join us for a practical, informative, and interactive workshop on Saturday 6 April 2024.

Venue:

Observatory Sports Club
59 Frederick Ave
Observatory, JHB

Time: 13:00 - 15:00

Workshop Fee: R200pp

Presented by: Des Brown, Krav Maga instructor and founder of Elite Defence Academy International.

 

 

 

 

If you've already booked your spot:
Please see the general workshop information and FAQs further down on this page.

If you haven't booked yet, and would like to:
Please pop us a mail at des@edakravmaga.com or text / WhatsApp on 076 533 9715, and we'll provide you with banking details and any other information you might require to secure your booking.

 

GENERAL WORKSHOP INFORMATION

What to bring

You won't require any specialist training equipment - we will have everything there.

Walking stick / hiking pole:

However - certain defensive techniques using a stick, staff, or hiking pole will be covered during the workshop.

So, if you typically hike with a walking stick or hiking pole, please bring this with. We absolutely recommend having a walking stick with you when you go hiking or even for a neighborhood walk, so even if you don't have one, we ask that you bring any suitable light, sturdy stick with you to practice some of the stick-related techniques we'll be sharing.

Dress

Dress casually and comfortably. You'll be practicing some of the techniques safely and carefully with a partner, so wear anything that allows you easy movement. Hiking boots not a necessity (unless you really want to wear them!).

Facilities

The sports club and recreation center is neat, clean, and secure.
There is abundant safe and secure parking, with a car guard in attendance.
Adjacent to the main hall, there are well-maintained bathrooms, as well as a small Portuguese restaurant / coffee shop facing the sports fields.

Directions

Observatory Sports Club is located at the top of the historic Sylvia Pass, which forms the border between Orange Grove / Linksfield, and the greater Bedfordview area and surrounds.

Google Maps should get you there just fine, but in case you need it, here's a map with a pin drop:

 

 

Indemnity (because we have to)

Upon arrival, you'll be asked to pop your details onto an attendance sheet which also indemnifies us from any injury etc. Rest assured, our training is 100% safe and conducted with great care, but as with all things, we'd like to cover ourselves just in case.

Please let us know if you have any pre-existing health concerns or injuries we should be aware of - again, the techniques you'll do are absolutely not extreme in any way, but it's better to be aware of any health concerns upfront.

 

 

SPOTS ARE LIMITED - BOOK NOW

 

 

Our February 2024 workshop - a record turnout!

 

 

FAQs

 

Is there any age limit to this workshop?

No - all are welcome. Our techniques and principles of personal safety are useful for absolutely everybody. If you're bringing children or teens to the workshop, we'll also show you how the learning can be applied in safe, age-appropriate ways, and how you can ensure better safety as a family too.

Am I at risk of getting injured or hurt?

Our workshops are geared for the utmost safety, and the physical self defense techniques are practiced carefully and in a fun, responsible manner.

We're very careful, and although certain techniques can feel very realistic, rest assured - you're not going to be exposed to anything reckless or silly or potentially injurious. 

At all.

You're in good hands.

What will I gain from this workshop?

You'll be learning some seriously useful practical skills - that you can remember and apply immediately!

These include:

• A smart and startlingly simple way to instantly increase your unconscious situational awareness by more than 300% - effortlessly.
  
  
• Personal safety preparedness for hiking (and everyday life).
  
  
• Simple but highly effective hand-to-hand self defense techniques that work, regardless of size or strength.
  
  
• Using your hiking pole or walking stick as a devastating defensive weapon in a crisis.
  
  
• The practicalities (and drawbacks) of common self defense tools like pepper sprays and tasers.
  
  
• How to safely navigate a high-risk situation like an armed holdup.
  
  
• How to control fear and make highly intelligent decisions in a high-stress situation.
  
  
• Step by step, easy to follow training that equips you quickly and effectively for smart self defense and personal safety.

We'll also be doing a Q&A segment where we'll answer any questions and provide personal advice on specific situations or contexts.

We're here to help you, and if you would like info on something that can't adequately be covered during the Q&A time, we'll gladly communicate via email or WhatsApp afterward to ensure you get the information you want. There is no extra charge for this - we're more than happy to help where we can.

How will "self defense" training help me if I'm confronted by an armed assailant?

Common sense dictates that if you're facing an armed robber, the best course of action is to hand over your belongings. The goal is smart safety, not heroism.

But - you'll also be learning skills that help you do the right thing the right way:

• How to de-escalate potential aggression through the use of body language, verbal redirection, and compliance psychology.
  
  
• How to pre-empt and prevent potential immediate physical threats.
  
  
• Key words that influence a criminal's decision making process.
  
  
• How to not lose your valuables to an armed robber.

 

Can these self defense techniques work against a larger or stronger assailant in a crisis?

Short answer: yes, they can. The system we teach makes use of smart biomechanics, distraction, and timing to enable a defender to prevail against someone who is physically more imposing. We'll show you - very practically - how this works.

 

How will I remember everything I've learned?

Don't worry - we'll mail you a refresher worksheet PDF after the workshop, with all the key points! The worksheet will be illustrated, so those physical self defense techniques will be super easy to practice at home if you'd like to.

We'll also send you a safe link to a short downloadable video covering key physical techniques - so you'll be able to remember everything you've learned!

Please note that although we ask for your email address on the attendance form, this is entirely optional. If you do give us your email, we guarantee privacy in line with the POPI Act, and you will never be spammed, nor will your email ever be shared with anyone else.

 

SPOTS ARE LIMITED - BOOK NOW

 

If you have any other questions, or require any specific information, please  don't hesitate to let us know.

We look forward to welcoming you!