Self Defence Trainer Profiles

Dougal McKenzie

Founder and chairperson of Christchurch Mixed Martial Arts, (CMMA), Dougal has an extensive background in martial arts spanning 20 years. He has trained in Karate, Eskrima Kali Arnis (A Philippine style of stick, knife & kickboxing), Ju Jitsu (ground fighting), Mixed Martial Arts (cage fighting) and Military Self Defense, as well as a healthy stint as a doorman. He also has a Diploma in Exercise Prescription (distinction) and has extensive sports coaching qualifications.

In addition to women's self defense, Dougal's passion is Thai Boxing (Muay Thai), widely recognised as the worlds hardest full contact ring sport.

He is currently an Instructor at Sitnarong Thai Boxing, where he has been training and teaching for the last 13 years. In that time he has travelled to Thailand and trained under the legendary Master Sken and also at the Sityodtong Camp, widely recognised as the number one Muay Thai school in Thailand. He has also had full contact ring fighting experience.

More importantly though, Dougal has experienced first hand what the sharp end of real self defence is all about, and knows the difference between flowery rubbish, what actually takes place in the street, and what actually works.

Dougal is also the founder and director of Knockout Personal Training, a leading provider of exercise training and coaching services. All of Dougal's customers benefit from his considerable knowledge of health and fitness and ability to motivate, with many of them achieving personal and physical goals far beyond their imagined limits.

For course information and bookings please contact Dougal on 027 241 0426 or email info@flsd.co.nz.

Annette Woermann

As a Mother with a young family, Annette understands and feels the level of personal responsibility required to protect both herself and those close to her. She is passionate about Women’s safety, implementing a self defence course for flight attendants while employed at Qantas.

Currently working as a fully qualified Personal Trainer, Annette has completed several of the courses as a participant and has over 3 year’s Thai Kickboxing experience. She can personally relate to her own improved responses when put in pressure situations and now enjoys passing on her knowledge and skills when teaching courses in First Line Self Defence.

Grace Whitehouse

A 2nd Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do with 12 years experience, Grace was drawn to teaching Women’s self defence when both a close family member and friend were attacked in the space of a year.

She wants all Women to realize how important it is to take the measures needed to raise their level of personal safety. From participating in the courses, Grace knows how different competition sport fighting is compared to realistic Self Defence training, and wants all women to benefit by sharing in the experience.