Chin on mission to protect nation’s women

Chin, who has 50 years experience teaching martial arts in TT, Canada, Guyana and Barbados, said it gives him pleasure in teaching others self defence. Chin said, “It is just a joy, I just love to help people. I like the idea of teaching people to be able to defend themselves.” Chin, who teaches his students at the Himalaya Club in Barataria and at the Fitness Planet Gym in Aranguez, said the main reason for the class is to protect women from acts of violence such as domestic violence.

“The main aim of the class is really to provide self defence classes for people, because of what is taking place throughout the world today.

“It’s geared more for ladies because, according to my girls (in the class), they said it’s nice for us ladies to fall in love but then again, we don’t know who we are falling in love with.

I have had students that told me that because of my training I have saved their lives. They have been under gun, knife and cutlass attack and they did save themselves.” Chin’s work in martial arts has also helped the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, as he has trained a number of officers.

“I have trained close to 1,000 police, and I have gotten reports from my students that they have handled men on the street empty- handed as well as with a baton.

“About 200 or 300 of them told me that they don’t feel like going to work with guns, but we know that guns are necessary now. The sort of confidence they have they feel like they don’t need guns.” One of Chin’s students that has benefitted from martial arts training is Jimmy Mohammed, who was able to defend himself against a gun/knife attack from a house intruder. Mohammed said when the bandit held him against his will, he got voices in his head to protect himself.

He recalled the incident saying, “A voice just tell me ‘well son you have to make your chance you know’. With my hands tied, and my pregnant wife inside and my little son inside, he (the bandit) told me to go to my door to open it.” After freeing his hands Mohammed utilised his training in kata to escape from the bandit.

“That was one of my most defining moments in my life. My kata is what I had to use.” Interested persons can contact Chin at 718-1915 or visit the Fitness Planet Gym (opposite Aranguez Savannah) in Aranguez.