Krav Maga changed Dominique Olfsen’s life

For Dominique Olfsen (40) it is all about self-defence and being able to protect not only yourself but your loved ones if needed. Olfsen found her love for Krav Maga when she was searching for something to do for herself.

“I am a business owner, wife and a mother. Most of the time I did not even focus on myself. I just made sure everyone else was looked after and has everything they need.  “Then one day I woke up and decided to look for something which I would enjoy. And Krav Maga just fell into my lap,” she said.

Today, she is a highly motivated Krav Maga instructor with the Elite Defence Academy (EDA) and she is loving every minute of it.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is an effective, modern and dynamic self-defence and fighting system. It is designed to be practical and intuitive for people of any age, shape or size. 

The techniques expand on your natural instincts to develop skills quickly and effectively while enabling you to address attacks under any scenario. 

You will learn how to defend yourself and your loved ones while gaining increased awareness and instinctive reflexes.

Feeling strong about young girls and women

Dominique’s focus and passion lie with women and girls as she feels that they are the most vulnerable. 

“I am not meek, mild nor ‘the weaker sex’. I refuse to accept those labels. I don’t accept them for myself, my impressionable daughters who are watching my every move, and I don’t accept it for any other female out there.
“We are enough. We are strong.

We are capable! As a woman, I may never be stronger than the average man, but I don’t need to be – I don’t rely on strength or size to take the biggest, worst guy down that touches me or any of my loved ones. I rely on a set of skills, techniques and principles that I’ve acquired from Krav Maga, to save my life.”

Crime out of control

“Past experience has become the driving force behind my passion,” said Dominique.

According to her, Krav Maga offers women a valuable set of skills that can be lifesaving but most of all, empowering.

“It is my absolute mission to get as many people as I possibly can into classes across the country and urge them to take back their power.

“I live in a country where crime is out of control and while I have already been a ‘statistic’ multiple times, I choose to equip myself with skills and techniques that enable me to defend myself instead of screaming about the state of the nation from behind my keyboard,” she added.

It is extremely important for her to protect her daughters in any kind of situation.

“I do not want to ever find myself in a situation where I can’t protect them.”

Be prepared

The best part of her job as an instructor is to teach women how to defend themselves.

“I like to show them how strong and able they really are,” said Dominique.

A challenge she faces daily is not having enough hours in a day.

“I have a busy schedule that often leaves me feeling like a one-woman circus.”

According to her, the difference between the sessions with children and sessions with adults is that she uses different teaching styles and techniques.

“We teach children simple, easy to remember techniques, like instead of yelling for ‘help’ rather scream ‘fire’ as statistically, that attracts more attention. “We teach them to get out of the situation and go look for help. There is a lot to be taught in the way of confidence and self-awareness, before needing to resort to anything physical. However, in the event that they need to rely on physical techniques, they’re well prepared.”

On a personal note 

Dominique was born and raised in Alberton.

After she matriculated from Hoërskool Marais Viljoen, she completed her degree in integrated marketing communication.

She lived in Alberton for 23 years before moving to Cape Town, but two years later she moved back. She now stays in Bedfordview and runs her own digital agency. Dominique met her husband, Sean, when she was 19 and they have been married for 14 years.

The couple has two daughters.

They love to spend quality time together, so they go cycling, walk their dogs or watch a movie at the cinema.
Her biggest inspiration in life is her 11-year-old daughter, Mika.

“If her mind is set on something she will hold on to it until she succeeds. She has so much fire, energy and self-discipline and I sometimes wish she could see herself through my eyes. She motivates me to do better.” Dominique said.