Crazy Monkey Self Defense- bringing a balance to martial arts
FAIRLAND – South Africa’s martial arts export, Crazy Monkey, opens new branch at Wolrd Wear Shopping Centre
ZAKIYA MCKENZIE
zakiyam@caxton.co.za
One of the fastest growing self defense methods worldwide has its headquarters here in Johannesburg.
Crazy Monkey Self Defense, founded by Blairgowrie resident Rodney King, now has more than sixty outposts across the globe in fifteen different countries.
“Crazy Monkey is the biggest martial arts export from South Africa; we usually import styles, but Crazy Monkey Self Defense is proudly South African,” he said.
King is well-versed in many other martial arts methods like Karate, Western Boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jujitsu– and in 2000 he launched Crazy Monkey to counter the hyper-competitive nature of modern society he says.
“I was frustrated with where most martial arts schools were going, presenting the typical alpha male experience. Crazy Monkey is an alternative to that. We teach people functional ways to defend themselves but also a true martial art also brings balance between the hard and soft, or the yin and yang.”
King, who is pursuing a PhD in Embodied Leadership at the University of Leicester, explained that historically, it is nothing new for the warrior archetype to also have a softer, intellectual side. The Samurai of Japan learned calligraphy and had meticulous tea ceremonies, old English Knights upheld a strict code of chivalry and the red-ochred Maasai warriors of East Africa weren't expected to keep fighting until death.
“It is as if they say ‘you are a warrior but not yet a man. We give you that warrior experience but at some point we have to balance it out.’ What is available to a young man in the twenty-first century like that,” King asked.
“Also, one of our female trainers in the United States says she loves Crazy Monkey because she didn’t have to give up her femininity to participate.”
Gabriello Gambale and Dwain Kotze are instructors at the newly relocated Crazy Monkey Johannesburg North at World Wear Shopping Centre in Fairland. They offer a class specifically for gay men who want to keep fit and learn to defend themselves but don’t want to feel ostracised in a ‘tough guy, meat-head environment.’
“We promote a socially conscious program,” said King, “we actually care about what the people we train do with the teachings.”
Contact: rodney@crazymonkeydefense.com
