"Stop, hands off!" comes a shout from the gymnasium of the Theodor-Schäfer vocational education trust (TSBW), where wheelchair users and other adolescents with various physical impediments are learning to fend off attackers. "You can do it louder than that", Sifu Stefan Schmaltz tells his students. Then he sits in a wheelchair and shows that even in this unfavourable position, it is possible to free oneself from a headlock or choke.
Self-assertion and a self-confident demeanour are important topics for the physically handicapped. A discussion about the day-to-day lives of a group of TSBW students showed that these young people have a great need to appear more self-assured in public. As a result of a newspaper article, two members of the teaching staff, Sonja Christiansen-Klein and Angelika Stadel, became aware of WingTsun teacher Stefan Schmaltz and organised an introductory course.
Schmaltz, who also has a severe physical impediment owing to a serious car accident, has been able to improve his motor responses a great deal thanks to WingTsun, and has also earned himself a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Now he is attempting to impart some basic WT knowledge to his students at TSBW.
In addition to muscle exercises, especially for the lower arms, the aim is to improve movements and relax the muscles. After exercises on self-assertive expressions and gestures, various attack situations are then simulated and Sifu Schmaltz explains how best to defend oneself with little strength and limited mobility.
The enthusiastic students copy their WingTsun teacher and practice the correct reactions if things get serious. With a few small movements a female wheelchair user counters a chokehold and throws the attacker to the floor. The "standing" participants also practice self-defence moves. "I hope nothing like this ever happens, but it is good to know what to do", says Melanie Bierfreund before turning back to the kick-pad held by her partner to practice chain-punches.
Even though the TSBW students have only gained a small insight into the art of WingTsun, they have definitely become a little more self-confident and have the advantage of knowing what to do if they come under serious attack.