23 December, 2016

Christmas / New Year training


Saturday 24 December - check with Pete or Anthony on the day

Monday 26 December - no training / club closed

Wednesday 28 December - training as usual

Saturday 31 December - check with Pete or Anthony on the day

Monday 2 January - training as usual

... and then back into it for another year.



Southern Kung Fu instructors Pete (left) and Brent.
19-12-2016
Photographer: Anthony



Anthony.
21-12-2016
Photographer: Rachel

10 December, 2016

Fitz




"If I can get close enough, I'll guarantee to stop almost anybody.
The bigger the man, the heavier the fall."

- Bob Fitzsimmons

31 October, 2016

Ving Chun Kuen kung fu men


From left to right:
Nikhil and Brendan with instructors Pete and Brent.

Photographer: Anthony
28 Sep 2016

14 October, 2016

Our Brendan



09 September, 2016

Kung fu men and woman


Left to right: Fin, Moo, Sean, Pete (instructor), and Brendan.

Photographer: Anthony
7 Sep 2016

13 July, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 93

Dairy owner fights off four robbers



Dairy owner: 'Get ready to die'

 


 


A Northland dairy owner yelled "get ready to die" as he chased away four men who tried to steal from his store.

The owner was armed with only a broom as he ran at the men - one of whom was armed with a crowbar - at the Kingsway Dairy in Hikurangi, north of Whangarei, yesterday afternoon, Radio NZ reported.

The owner, who did not want to be named, told the Herald he had no sympathy for people who tried to rob from him, and had no qualms putting his own life at risk to stop it from happening.

He said the men - three of whom have since been arrested - entered his shop while he was cleaning and "donged me on the head and pushed me".

"There were four people that came into the shop and I don't know what they were after, I didn't give them time to talk even, I just gave them a bit of action and when they were running away I threw the board on the front windscreen and the windscreen shattered."

The man said he saw the men sitting in their vehicle outside the shop for about five minutes before the incident happened and knew they would be trouble.

"They came inside the shop and I saw them and one of them just donged on my head with a crowbar and I said 'hey' and I pushed them and they pushed me. I was so angry with them, I just said 'come on boys, get ready to die', because I'm ready to die as long as they're ready to die. As long as I can defend myself I have no sympathy, I'm sorry."

The man said he had owned the dairy for 13 years and attempted robberies happened "all the time".

"I don't put up with all that sort of nonsense, not in my world and I don't want them to do community service. I'm going to tell police their punishment should be hard."

He suggested the offenders be dumped miles out at sea and left to try and swim back into shore.

"If they swim, they have a life, if they don't, then too bad ... I don't want them getting just two years or five years jail."

Northland police are investigating the incident.

The dairy owner said he was phoned last night and told three of the four offenders had been arrested, however, the fourth was still being sought, along with the blue vehicle.

Anyone who may have seen people acting suspiciously in the area of King St, Hikurangi, yesterday afternoon is asked to contact Northland Police on 09 430 4500 or they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

10 July, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 92

Man calmly ignores armed robber then walks away...





A man who calmly carries on making souvlaki while an armed gunman attempts to rob his Christchurch store is being hailed online as "the chillest chip shop operator ever".

CCTV footage posted by Canterbury police on their Facebook page shows the man bagging up a souvlaki when a masked and armed robber enters the Papanui Rd store shortly before 11pm on May 28.

Unfazed, the man finishes the order, reaching right past the offender to hand it to a customer.

He then calmly turns around and walks away.

The would-be robber then leaves as well without taking a thing.

Canterbury police posted the video on Thursday afternoon, asking members of the public to help them identify the gunman.
 
However people commenting on the post were more interested in talking about how relaxed the unidentified souvlaki-maker was through the whole ordeal.

"This has got to be the most chill chip [shop] operator ever," one person commented.

"Imma let you finish robbing me in 2 secs I just gotta get this order out #customerserviceonpoint [sic]," wrote another.

"Still salts the order and all! #ThugLife."

Nearly 100 comments had been posted late on Thursday night, most of them making light of the situation, which ended without violence or robbery.

"Hunger stops at nothing," read one comment.

Locals said the souvlakis at the unnamed shop were "the best" and, as more than one person pointed out, the service seems pretty good too.

If you know the offender, or if you have information that might help identify him, please contact Christchurch Police Station on 03 363 7400.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police asked people quote file number 160529/4294.

22 June, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 91

Ex-army man fights back - Attackers get more than they bargained for


 
 By Roger Moroney

A 21-year-old man was set upon at the Guppy Rd riverbank. Photo / Paul Taylor


A group of men who took to a 21-year-old who had been sitting in his car at the Guppy Rd riverbank at Taradale on Sunday afternoon got more than they bargained for when he fought back.

As Detective Glen Restieaux explained - "he is ex-German Army so he defended himself pretty well".

However, as the young man, who is understood to be travelling the country and has been working in Hawke's Bay, took on his assailants one took him on from behind and he felt a sharp blow to his shoulder.

It was not until a short time later after he had driven to a friend's house that he became aware the pain in the shoulder had increased and he realised there was blood there.

Mr Restieaux said his assailant from behind had used what was likely to be a small pen-knife to stab him.

The victim notified police and drove to a medical centre for treatment.

"He's okay - he's gone back to work today."

Mr Restieaux said the incident, which happened about 3pm, was sparked by one of the offenders approaching the man and asking for "a smoke".

The victim had simply been taking time out at the riverside and was having a cigarette when the four men, who were in what was described as a black Toyota Camry, pulled up.

"One of them asked for a smoke, in a gruff way and he responded with something like 'only if you say please' and they took exception to that."

The man was pulled from the car by his hair but took his attacker on.

After he was struck from behind his attackers got back in their car and drove off, and the victim went back to his car and drove to his friend's place.

The offenders were described as Maori with two in their mid-20s and two in their mid-40s, with two of them believed to have gang affiliations going by the clothing they were wearing, Mr Restieaux said.

He said at that time of the day there would have been other vehicles in the popular Guppy Rd riverbank area and police want to hear from anyone who may have seen the incident or seen the black Toyota, or knew of its whereabouts or the identity of the occupants.

Information can be reported to Napier Police on 06 831 0700 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11660353

Hawkes Bay Today

13 March, 2016

Saturday training... and a visitor.

Hadrian, Pete, and I were joined on Saturday by Mike,
one of the founding members of Southern.



Left to right: Hadrian, Mike, Pete.


Left to right: Hadrian, Mike, Anthony.


11 March, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 90

Teenage jogger knocks attacker to the ground and escapes


A 16-year-old jogger was chased by a man who tried to 
grab her while she exercised in Hastings. 


1

More Hawke's Bay women have contacted police with reports of harassment while running.

On Monday a Hawke's Bay teenager was finishing off her running loop at 8.20pm.

The 16-year-old was jogging along Southland Rd and about to turn into her street when she slowed to reply to a text message and felt a pair of arms around her waist.

She said a Maori boy aged between 14 and 15 had grabbed her from behind while riding a bicycle, and attempted to rugby tackle her.

She jerked suddenly and knocked him to the ground and ran away.

He chased her until she arrived at a dairy, once she was inside staff checked for him but he had disappeared.

A police spokeswoman said after the event was publicised on Wednesday police received similar complaints from other women, but no arrests had been made.

On Tuesday morning a Taradale woman reported seeing a young man frequently circling female runners and making them feel uncomfortable.

Police said the man was described as Maori and riding a bicycle.

Police suggested joggers ran with a cellphone to ring for help, or take photos of suspicious behaviour, or alternatively run in pairs or groups.

Reports of similar behaviour or incidents should be reported to Hawke's Bay police on 06 831 0700.


2

A Hawke's Bay teenager doubts she will run alone again after being grabbed by a stranger while jogging on Monday night.

The 16-year-old Hastings Girls' High School student was finishing off her running loop at 8.20pm.

She was jogging along Southland Rd and about to turn into her street when she slowed down to reply to a text message.

With her headphones in and head down, she felt a pair of arms slide around her waist.

A Maori boy aged between 14 and 15 had grabbed her from behind while riding a bicycle, and attempted to rugby tackle her.

"At first I thought it was someone playing around and I tried to laugh it off, and then I realised I needed to get out of there."

She jerked away and the movement threw the boy off his bike and on to the footpath.

"He was moaning and groaning about how hurt he was," she said.

"I turned around and started to run towards a dairy and he chased after me."

When she arrived at the dairy, she explained what had happened to the staff and rang her parents.

By the time staff checked outside for the offender, he was gone.

Early the next morning, a Taradale woman reported to police that a young man was frequently circling female runners and making them feel uncomfortable.

Police said the man was described as Maori and riding a bicycle.

What also upset the teenager was the response from other members of the public.

"There were cars driving past, and I passed a group of three guys as I was running away and shouted help, but they just turned the other way," she said.

"You are just as bad as the person doing [the offending] if you do nothing about it."

From now on, she planned to be more aware of her surroundings when she was out running, and would exercise with other people or her dog.

Police suggested joggers ran with a cellphone to ring for help, or take photos of suspicious behaviour, or alternatively run in pairs or groups.

Reports of similar behaviour or incidents should be reported to Hawke's Bay police on 06 831 0700.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/77776102/More-complaints-of-women-hassled-by-man-while-jogging

16 February, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 89

Woman uses sickle to castrate alleged rapist


After days of being abused, the woman struck out at her brother-in-law with a sickle.
(Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/76920320/Woman-in-India-turns-up-at-police-station-with-dismembered-genitals-of-alleged-rapist 

 


A woman in central India showed up at a police station after slicing off her brother-in-law's genitals, telling police he had sexually abused her for days.

The 32-year-old woman, who walked into the station with her three children, said it was the only way for him to be stopped, reported the Times of India.

Police from the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh rushed to call for medical aid for the injured man, but he had taken his own life before help arrived.

The woman had been living with her brother-in-law as her husband was working more than 1100km away in another city.

After days of being assaulted by her brother-in-law, the woman planned her self defence by striking at him with a sickle, reported the Times of India.

She believed the severed organ would be a key piece of evidence in her rape case.

Police said she was mentally stable and had no regrets over what she had done.

According to the Times of India, the woman has been charged with attempted murder.

"This is a rare case and has to be investigated for a proper charge sheet," said Sidhi police spokesman Abid Khan.

23 January, 2016

Self-defence in the News - No. 88

Dairy owner fights off masked teen attacker

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/76127225/lower-hutt-dairy-owner-fights-off-teen-attacker-and-customer-catches-him.html 

 by TALIA SHADWELL

 


 


A Hutt Valley dairy owner was hit with a hammer and cut with a knife after tackling a masked robber in his shop.

Mayur Gandhi managed to fight off the 15-year-old attacker, who then fled on foot. Gandhi gave chase and drafted in the help of a passing customer who caught the teenager, and pinned him to the ground until police arrived.

The Wednesday night attack took place around closing time at 9pm as Gandhi was fetching paracetamol for his wife from his car.

Gandhi heard his wife Sonam screaming and turned to see a figure in a red balaclava trying to force his way through the shop's door with a knife in one hand and a hammer in the other, as his wife and her assistant struggled to hold it closed.

The couple's young children were asleep upstairs above the shop.


Gandhi yelled at the man and the pair's eyes met. 
 
"He had the hammer up in the air. I looked at him, he looked at me ..."

As he raced across to the shop, the women fell silent.

"I couldn't see my wife. I thought she had been attacked, hit."

Adrenaline kicked in, and he tackled the intruder.


 "He hit me with the hammer ... He hit me about the left arm and right arm about five times and cut me with a knife."

The pair tussled in between the counter and shelves, amid the bottles of of Jif and Tip Top icecreams.

CCTV images captured Gandhi's face animated by rage as he lunged for his attacker's weapon.

"I managed to wrestle the hammer off him, and he fell down to the ground."

The teen fled down the road, and Gandhi gave chase.

He spotted a regular customer driving by, and called to him to phone the police.

The customer followed the teenager in his car to a school. The robber turned around when he got to the school, and the customer jumped out of his car and chased him back to the dairy on foot.

"The customer managed to tackle the guy and pin him down," Gandhi said.

Then the police and an ambulance arrived, by which time Gandhi realised his shirt was stained by his blood.

"At the time I couldn't feel a thing."
 
He was taken to hospital, where he had seven stitches in his side.

Gandhi works in insurance, while his wife runs their Railway Ave dairy, Mayur Foodmart. They live above the shop with their young children.

He said he was "pretty pissed off" about what happened.

His wife was unhurt, but badly frightened. "She is still pretty shaken up about it.

"It's affected my wife, more than anything, that somebody would try and do this. We have worked really hard for this and someone would try and rob us."

They later learned the teenager, who was taken away by the police, was just 15. That saddened Gandhi, as a father himself.

"I was thinking about myself at 15. Star Wars was my favourite movie.

"It's not the way a 15-year-old should be living. He should be enjoying his youth."

Sonam Gandhi said she was left questioning why she and her husband had been targeted.

"If we are giving to others, why do we get treated like this?

"I want the thief to get punished. He may not have taken anything from here, but he can't put someone's life at risk."

She was worried about her family's safety. "I am scared, we are going to keep three people inside the dairy in the evening now.

"I am scared as soon as we open at 6am. I have said we should sell and leave.

"If something happened to me, it's OK; if something happened to my husband, we'll be OK; but what if something happened to my children?"