As Toronto’s public transit system continues to be the subject of headlines for some violent attacks, a local gym is taking matters into its own hands in an effort to ensure the safety of commuters.
With help from FIIT Co, Toronto Krav Maga Academy and Kombat Arts Training Academy are offering individuals an opportunity to learn Krav Maga, a practical self-defence system. The class will be centered around scenarios of recent transit attacks and different ways to respond to them.
The workshop titled, “Self Defense on public transit: Elite self defense for the everyday citizen” will focus on skills and techniques to defend yourself on public transit spaces, situational awareness and prevention skills, preventing and defending against physical contact, defending while you’re seated, surviving strikes and weapons assaults, the psychology of attackers, and how to properly react and respond in an attack.
The aim of the course is to help TTC commuters feel protected in the midst of ongoing crimes on transit.
“It’s no secret that people don’t feel safe on public transit,” reads a statement on the program’s website. “And why should they? Nearly every day, the headlines cover news stories of brutal and random attacks happening on buses and subways, perpetrated against innocent civilians at random.”
“However, techniques to survive and get to safety exist and can save your life, or the lives of your loved ones,” the statement continued.
The Toronto Krav Maga Academy and Kombat Arts Training Academy have a mission to provide training and education on self-defense for people in the community, to prepare transit users and ultimately provide them with a peace of mind when on the TTC.
The workshops will take place inside FIIT Co, at 1047 Gerrard St. East. Currently, their April 2 lesson is full, however, spots are open for April 23.
