MyBangalore talks to Ashwin Mohan, a kickboxer in the city, about insights into martial arts in India and his experiment- Independent Shootfighters.


When you talk about Kung Fu, Karate or even Tai Chi, we all imagine a scene straight out of a Chinese movie. But it has been well documented that India was the birthplace of martial arts. It is said that Kalaripayattu, a Dravidian style of martial arts, became Karate as the form travelled across to China. But India has a bad habit of burying its ancient treasures like they are carcasses of dead animals. Not anymore! There has been a revival of sorts as the younger generation has taken up the task to unearth our glorious past and bring it to the fore. Ashwin Mohan, Chief Coach, Independent Shootfighters Inc, says that South India was the cradle of martial arts. "Before, this part of the country was covered in lush green forests and mountainous regions where open warfare was almost impossible. Our ancestors developed a guerilla type of warfare as the space available to fight was restricted", he says. Even Tai Chi, is said to be based on the 108 forms of the dance, Shiva Tandava.
 
Ashwin also rues that such martial arts are not evolving anymore even though a lot of people are taking to it. "There was a practical purpose to learning a martial art before but what you learn nowadays does not really help you on the streets where you actually need", he says. And with the rising instances of crimes being committed, it is imperative to learn how to defend oneself. This realisation came to him from a bitter experience of being bullied for nearly three years when he was a child. He took up Karate to learn how to defend himself and although he was good at it, it did not help him much as he got thrashed again. A "streetfighter" who happened to watch him took him into his fold and taught him the art of defending oneself. What started out as learning for defending oneself became a passion as he trained and understood different styles of martial arts such as Kickboxing, Taekwondo, Karate and Jujitsu.


Not being content with just learning, he decided to share his knowledge with the world and this led to Independent Shootfighters, an experiment to have a wiki of martial arts, where learning is not restricted to just one style but techniques are incorporated and invented, this sets it apart from the teeming number of martial arts classes in the city "It is sad to see many teachers sticking to the traditional forms. In our classes we include grappling, locks and parkour", he adds. He adds that it is not only important to know how to defend oneself but also to know how to get oneself out of a fight if need be, as violence is not always the answer. Classes, he says are physically and mentally intensive but something which everybody would definitely get something out of.  
 
Independent Shootfighters conduct Kickboxing and Parkour classes and have branches in many parts of the city.

For a trial class contact
 Ph:- 91 9845396360 or log on to http://shootfighter.wordpress.com/
 
Classes are conducted at:
Indian Heritage Academy,  
80ft Road, Koramangala (near Police Station),  
Bangalore
 
Doodle Den, #3 Curley Street,  
Richmond Town, Bangalore
 
Latino Rhythms Dance Academy,  
No 11, Akshaya Arcade, South End Road,  
Basavanagudi, Bangalore 560004
 
Body Count Gym.  
Mahesh Complex, Above Hema store,  
New Thippasandra main road,  
H.A.L III Stage Bangalore-560 075
 
Tarantismo Studio,  
4th floor,Gagan Vasati apartments, No.7,  
Bore Bank Road,  
Benson Town Bangalore-560046
 
20/2, 18th Cross,  
Mallehwaram, Bangalore 560055