Chris Land

Real life
When I was at Uni – around green belt stage, I think – I used Jitsu to to extricate myself from a random drunk who'd grabbed hold of me. No fuss, didn't have to hit him; I just knew which way his joints wouldn't bend, used that to get him off me and walked away. He seemed very puzzled as to how I'd done it.

Falling
I've had some huge wipe-outs while skiing and snowboarding, and jitsu experience definitely helped me fall safely and come away with minor bruises rather than broken bones.

And then there's the time I was running down a stationary escalator at Angel tube station, picked up too much speed, slipped and ended up doing about three rapid forward rolls before slamming into the wall at the bottom. A combination of dumb luck, Jitsu and a few beers enabled me to walk away unscathed, and I didn't even rip my new suit.

Fitness
I had to play a game of football recently (full-size pitch, 90 mins, very competitive) and was pleasantly surprised by my fitness levels — Jitsu helps get you in shape without you realising it. Stealth exercise.

New skills
The assistant instructor and instructor courses, plus teaching during sessions, have definitely helped my presentation skills and confidence — comes in handy at work.

Greater awareness
Am I more aware of my surroundings and potential risks? Yes. Do I walk in a more confident manner? Probably. Has all this reduced my chances of getting mugged? Maybe.