When England headed into its second lockdown, I felt that this time round I knew how to make staying indoors work for me. Back in spring, the only things that stopped me from gormlessly walking around my flat and sinking into a TV binge-hole were staying active and fostering a thirst for entertaining new hobbies.
It was the perfect time for me to take up running. And when I wasn’t running, I was cross-stitching, making kimchi and pickling, drawing and practicing yoga.
But, come the second lockdown, with the weather turning grey and rainy, I thought it was time to get into something new, and self-defence really appealed. The question was: how could I learn the skills online?
I sit in the middle of the millennial generation – those born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s. And even though I’ve grown up with technology, somehow it now takes me three times longer to work out the most basic of tasks on my phone compared with when I was a teenager.
In all honesty, apps such as TikTok put the fear of God into my soul. I decided long ago that this wasn’t the platform for me. I thought it was all overactive generation Z dance videos and Jason Derulo living his best life but, apparently, there is a space on TikTok for the technologically confused.
When I finally found the courage to download the app, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to navigate. And with all the snappy educational videos circulating, I decided TikTok was the perfect social media platform to help me learn self-defence.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get scared going on jogs now that the nights have fallen in. I take the busy high street over quiet shortcuts home, and I make sure someone I trust knows where I’m heading. And, I’ll be honest, street harassment leaves me feeling vulnerable and almost frozen to the spot.
I’m hopeful I won’t ever be in a position where I am attacked – but it doesn’t hurt to learn how to keep yourself safe, just in case. Plus, I have a crazy amount of core and upper-body strength, so it would be a shame to let it go to waste!
Self-defence covers a range of practices, many stemming from mixed martial arts. Searching hashtags on TikTok to find exactly what I needed proved to be quite simple. I found it super-easy to use TikTok on my laptop, where I could see the videos in a larger format than on a phone.
There are a number of different self-defence techniques. Judo moves, for instance – which are great for getting out of restraints on the ground – are demonstrated by TikTok user Sofia. But the first video I stumbled across was by Ari, a certified self-defence coach.
Her clips are practical, quick and easy to follow. First, I learned how to lower my centre of gravity and create steady stances with my feet, which alone can stop you from being pushed to the ground. With the help of my housemate, I learned the front choke defence.
In one video Ari teaches vocal self-defence, where you use your voice to protect your boundaries. Being assertive, confident and loud is all a form of self-defence, it turns out. It reminded me of the Māori Haka – a war dance.
I also found duo Dave and Dheana; their approach feels very real, and they give practical tips on things such as how to do a palm-heel punch if you’ve got long nails and can’t ball your fists.
I found @selfdefenseonline one of the easier users to follow, especially their tips on how to rotate your arms and break a grip if someone unexpectedly grabs you by the wrists.
Because TikTok videos are so short, it means you can replay each move again and again until you get it right. It’s also a great way to learn if, like me, you have the attention span of a goldfish. All the unnecessary bits often found in lengthy videos are cut out – you get straight to the point.
While self-defence most definitely isn’t the answer to stopping attacks, learning some of these moves makes me feel safer and a whole lot less anxious about being out alone at night. And while a second lockdown isn’t ideal, especially during the dark days of winter, I’m glad I overcame my earlier resistance to downloading TikTok.
Explore the world of TikTok and discover the joy of learning new things in shorter bursts. What will you #LearnOnTikTok?
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