Cape Town – The way you park your car, how you carry your handbag and where you keep your keys can go a very long way in keeping you safe, says radio and TV personality Kia Johnson.
“It’s the small things that could save your life, like which arm you use to hold your bag.
“It’s not really something that one thinks about every day, but it’s important in keeping you safe,” says Johnson, co-presenter on Radio 2000’s breakfast show and now pregnant with her second child.
“It’s the basics, such as checking your surroundings, looking left and right, making sure that your keys are at a place where you can easily get to when you reach your car or home door.
“You also want to make sure that you are not carrying your bag in your strong arm. In case someone attacks you or tries to grab it, you will be able to fight him off with your strong arm,” she says.
We meet the seven-months pregnant Johnson at the Dragon Power Muay Thai, MMA & Fitness Centre in Paarden Eiland where she is filming a series of self-defence videos for pregnant women.
The petite Johnson is dressed in tights and a T-shirt – all in black.
She is carrying small this time compared to her first pregnancy about three years ago, she says.
Johnson and her personal trainer, Quentin “Dragon” Chong, a professional Muay Thai martial artist, are collaborating on the self-defence series.
“Chong and I are passionate about issues around women empowerment… So much has happened in the past couple of years.
“Things such as the recent mall robberies sort of heightened my awareness and made me think of how am I going to protect myself if someone comes at me now that I’m pregnant,” says Johnson.
“Although I have been training with Chong for about a year, it’s so different when you have a pregnant belly because your instinct is to protect it first.
“We are teaching pregnant women out there how they can defend themselves when you have this big belly in front of you, toddlers screaming next to you and your bag in the way,” she says.
Although Johnson hasn’t been robbed or attacked, she knows several people who have been through traumatic incidents.
“Friends of mine have been attacked, more and more in the past years… it’s quite scary. I know that it’s a bit of a harsh topic, but at the end of the day we have to be realistic,” she says.
In the videos, Johnson and Chong act out various scenarios, including how to put on a seat belt so that you can quickly react or get away should you be in danger.
“When you put your seat belt on, everything is exposed and you get so focused in the act that in that moment you make yourself a target,” explains Johnson.
“When you park, always make sure that you leave yourself enough space for your belly, as well as room to escape should you need to flee from an attacker.
“I am lucky because I am carrying small. With my first pregnancy I was very big. It’s not something you think about, and again it’s a basic thing, common sense,” she says.
Another scenario shows Johnson being approached by a “beggar” who asks her for money as she is walking towards her car. This is a ruse and she then shows how to fight him off as he tries to grab her bag.
The key points of the series are that pregnant women need to be aware of their surroundings at all times, use common sense and stay focused.
“When you are a pregnant lady or mother, your first instinct is to protect your young ones, which can leave you vulnerable when doing things such as walking to your car.
“You get so focused on what your children are doing that you don’t notice people around you – and the next thing, your attacker is there,” says Chong.
“Locking your door is part of self-defence. We all have had moments when we second-guess ourselves and think: ‘Did I lock my front or car door?’ Rather go back and double-check – that second could save your life – making sure you don’t pay for it later,” he says.
Episodes of the self-defence series are available on Johnson’s YouTube channel, “Life with KJ”.
“We are keeping them very short and to the point, about a minute-and-a-half per episode. We want to grab people’s attention and for them to focus on what is being done. There are lots of repetitive movements, so that when one has watched an episode they can do the moves afterwards,” says Johnson.
“It’s something women can do whether they are seven months or in the early stages of their pregnancy,” she explains.
“Since I started Muay Thai, a lot has changed within myself. I always thought it was just the training that I needed, but there has been inner growth that needed to happen as well,” adds Johnson.
“I don’t train just to look good, but it’s for that inner peace as well… when I come here I feel like I am having a therapy session
.”
Cape Argus