“Expert Chronic Pain Care – 80 + Five-Star Reviews”

  • Main Hub
  • Get in contact
  • All Prices 2026
  • Healing Journeys
    • Soothing Therapy
    • Lymph Wellness
    • Pelvic Care
    • Healing Cupping
    • Fearless Healing
  • Unbroken Spirit
    • Practical Protection
    • Adaptive Fitness
  • Mission Statement
  • Questions & Answers
  • My Blog
  • Meet The Founder
  • Gallery
  • Testimonial 2008 to 2025
  • Community
  • All Policies
  • More
    • Main Hub
    • Get in contact
    • All Prices 2026
    • Healing Journeys
      • Soothing Therapy
      • Lymph Wellness
      • Pelvic Care
      • Healing Cupping
      • Fearless Healing
    • Unbroken Spirit
      • Practical Protection
      • Adaptive Fitness
    • Mission Statement
    • Questions & Answers
    • My Blog
    • Meet The Founder
    • Gallery
    • Testimonial 2008 to 2025
    • Community
    • All Policies
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

  • Bookings
  • My Account
  • Signed in as:

  • filler@godaddy.com


  • Bookings
  • My Account
  • Sign out

Signed in as:

filler@godaddy.com

  • Main Hub
  • Get in contact
  • All Prices 2026
  • Healing Journeys
    • Soothing Therapy
    • Lymph Wellness
    • Pelvic Care
    • Healing Cupping
    • Fearless Healing
  • Unbroken Spirit
    • Practical Protection
    • Adaptive Fitness
  • Mission Statement
  • Questions & Answers
  • My Blog
  • Meet The Founder
  • Gallery
  • Testimonial 2008 to 2025
  • Community
  • All Policies

Account

  • Bookings
  • My Account
  • Sign out

  • Sign In
  • Bookings
  • My Account

Practical Protection

Realistic self-defence techniques for women!

The purpose of learning practical street self-defence is simple: to survive an attack and live to see another day. Ray has been training in martial arts for over 30 years, beginning at the age of 12. Throughout the years, he has studied a variety of styles, all of which he incorporates into his self-defence training to provide a well-rounded, effective approach.


All training is conducted entirely in English, so there’s no need to learn foreign terminology from Chinese, Japanese, or other traditional martial arts styles. Unlike many traditional systems that require memorising complex forms or routines, Ray’s approach focuses on simplicity and effectiveness.


Students learn straightforward, practical techniques designed specifically for real-world situations, with the sole purpose of surviving an attack. Every exercise and drill is aimed at building confidence, situational awareness, and the ability to respond quickly under pressure. This approach makes self-defence accessible to everyone, regardless of age or prior martial arts experience, and ensures that skills learned can be applied immediately if needed.


By stripping away unnecessary rituals and focusing purely on survival, Ray provides a training experience that is both practical and empowering, giving students the tools to protect themselves effectively in real-life scenarios.


Please text for a free booking or more information to 0435-626-343. 

 

Ray has undertaken training in Psychotherapy to increase awareness of various emotional and psychological challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and other behaviours that, if left unaddressed, can contribute to PTSD. (Non-clinical)


He has completed a Diploma in Psychology, gaining a deeper understanding of human behaviour and the workings of the mind. (Non-clinical)


Ray has also earned a Certificate in PTSD, providing specialised knowledge to better support his clients, particularly women who may be dealing with trauma-related experiences.


In addition, he has completed a Certificate in Counselling Skills, enhancing his ability to communicate effectively and provide supportive, empathetic guidance.


Ray’s goal is simple but powerful: to empower women to survive an attack and walk away safely, rather than becoming victims. He is committed to providing practical self-defence training that builds confidence, awareness, and real-world skills that can make a life-saving difference.


Training is not limited to individuals. If you are a parent or caregiver, Ray also offers the opportunity to train alongside your child, or as a couple, in a safe and supportive environment. These sessions are designed to be engaging, practical, and tailored to the needs of participants of all ages and abilities.


For more information or to arrange a session, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Ray is dedicated to helping every student feel stronger, more confident, and better prepared to protect themselves and their loved ones.


Testimonial from a lady who was a DV survivor and has PTSD. 


Ray has been my massage therapist for around 5 years. Recently, he began helping me with exercise and self-defence, and through this, I have gained so much self-confidence, grounding and reduction of fear after experiencing DV. Ray has been a vital part of my ability to overcome PTSD. (Name withheld due to DV survivor)


Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with many women who are living with PTSD as a result of experiences in violent or abusive relationships. I understand the profound impact that trauma can have on both the body and mind, and I approach every client with empathy, respect, and a focus on safety.


My goal is to provide support, guidance, and practical strategies that help women regain a sense of control, rebuild confidence, and gradually reclaim their lives. Through careful, non-judgmental work, I aim to create a safe environment where healing and empowerment can take place at each individual’s pace.


If you are a family man who wants to take an active role in protecting your loved ones, I can help you develop the skills and confidence needed to do so effectively. My training is designed to teach practical, real-world self-defence techniques that can be applied in everyday situations, giving you the ability to respond calmly and decisively under pressure.


Whether your goal is to safeguard your children, partner, or other family members, I provide a supportive and personalised environment where you can build the awareness, strength, and strategies necessary to keep your family safe. For more information or to arrange a session, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Your family’s safety is worth taking that first step.


I have a Working With Vulnerable People Registration

  • Positive Outcome.
  • Expiry date: 15/04/2030


Ray doesn’t believe in teaching unrealistic or outdated techniques, as is often the case in some traditional martial arts. While many of these moves have been passed down through generations, their practicality in modern real-world situations is limited. In today’s world, self-defence requires techniques that are simple, effective, and immediately applicable.


His approach focuses on what actually works in 2025 and beyond, prioritising safety, efficiency, and survival over ritual or tradition. By combining decades of experience across multiple martial arts styles, Ray has carefully curated a system that strips away unnecessary complexity and equips students with realistic, practical skills they can rely on in real-life situations.

 

Over the past five decades, Ray has dedicated his life to studying a wide variety of martial arts systems, and he continues to expand his knowledge and skills to this day. His extensive experience has given him a deep understanding of movement, technique, and strategy across multiple styles, allowing him to identify what works best in real-world situations.


Drawing on this vast experience, Ray has spent decades developing a self-defence system that is not only practical and effective but also deeply rooted in the psychology of human behaviour. By understanding how people react under stress, what motivates aggressors, and how the mind and body respond during an attack, Ray’s system equips students with the tools to stay calm, make quick decisions, and take effective action to protect themselves and others.


This approach goes beyond mere physical techniques, combining practical skills with mental awareness to create a comprehensive, real-world self-defence program that prepares students for the challenges of modern life.


Due to what our bodies go through when attacked, the human body's three stages of fight-or-flight are:

  • The alarm stage: During this stage, the central nervous system is ramped up, preparing your body to fight or flee.
  • The resistance stage: This is the stage in which the body attempts to normalise and recover from the initial elevated fight-or-flight response.
  • The exhaustion stage: If the first two stages occur repeatedly over time, such as when under chronic stress, the body feels exhausted and begins to break down after an attack.


Physical signs that can indicate that your fight-or-flight response has kicked in include:

  • Dilated pupils: In times of danger, the body prepares to become more aware of its surroundings. Dilation of the pupils allows more light into the eyes, resulting in better vision of your surrounding area.
  • Pale or flushed skin: During fight-or-flight, blood flow to the surface areas of the body is reduced while flow to the muscles, brain, legs, and arms is increased. Paleness or alternating between a pale and flushed face as blood rushes to the head and brain is common. The body's blood clotting ability also increases to prevent excess blood loss in the event of injury.
  • Rapid heart rate and breathing: Heartbeat and respiration rate increase to provide the body with the energy and oxygen needed to fuel a rapid response to danger.
  • Trembling: The muscles tense and become primed for action, which can cause trembling or shaking.


One guiding principle Ray teaches is that it must be based on credible threats and realistic scenarios as much as possible, and not unrealistic techniques that are only good for the dojo or movies. Because in the end, it’s real life that tells us what’s needed. If you’re interested in improving your safety, please let Ray know.


Ray has over 40 years of experience in the fitness and martial arts industry, as well as teaching Karate and women's and men's self-defence. Ray is a person who thinks outside the box; in other words, he doesn't stick to the traditional moves of some systems as they might have worked in 1800, but this is 2025 with more mental health issues and more violence against women who get beaten or even killed, so don't be a victim.  


Ray does use some techniques that work from Karate, Thai boxing, Wing Chun and Chi Na techniques that work in a realistic attack. These techniques have been tested out in either a real street attack or with a full-force attack in training with one of Ray's high-level students, as he wanted to test what would work and what would not work. Some schools like flashy techniques as they look good and bring in the money, as these techniques are only good for the dojo and to win trophies.  


When defending oneself, strike hard with no mercy, because they will not give you any mercy when attacking you; that way, you get to live another day. Don't be a victim where people come to put flowers on your grave. 


Don't be a victim; learn to fight back! It's free, so it's not coming out of your family's budget. 

I am trying to give back to the community with free women's realistic self-defence training to help women in my community. 


If you want me to come to a women's group, please contact me, as it's free, and I want women to survive an attack.  


Free Women's Self-Defence Available. Send a text to find out more if you are interested. Ray believes in giving back to the community to help women protect themselves with free self-defence training. Limited sessions are available after dropping the kids off at school, Saturday and Sunday morning or after 6 pm. Private sessions to a maximum of 4 women at a time for training, as his studio is not a large one.


So, ladies, come and try. If Ray can help just one woman from being hurt or raped, then his 50-plus years of training have been worth it. This is why he will not change a woman to defend herself and her children. 


Contact Ray for free sessions, as Ray is giving back to the community with free lessons in self-defence training for women. (Conditions: You must be fairly fit due to the cardio, as it's a good workout. Have no injuries and be able to get off the floor quickly. 


Have a question? Please ask!


Ray is also looking for 2 teenagers and 2 mature, sporty women to be trained and be in his self-defence book. If you have what it takes and are happy to have your photo taken and put in his book, you will have your name and photos in the book, and you will also receive a free copy of the book once the book has been published. (If all goes well, Ray wants to donate some of the money to the rape crisis centre in Canberra and also to buy new equipment for his free women's self-defence training that Ray offers)  


Learning real street self-defence techniques can incredibly benefit personal safety and confidence. 


Here are some key benefits:


1. Enhanced Personal Safety

  • Real-world self-defence techniques are designed to address the unpredictable nature of street confrontations. It teaches you how to react effectively and protect yourself against potential threats.

2. Increased Confidence

  • Knowing you have the skills to handle dangerous situations boosts self-assurance. This confidence can deter potential attackers, as they are less likely to target someone who appears self-assured and aware.

3. Improved Situational Awareness

  • Self-defence training emphasises the importance of recognising and avoiding potential threats. You learn to identify warning signs and de-escalate situations before they become physical.

4. Effective Response to Real Scenarios

  • Unlike traditional martial arts, which may focus on forms or rules, street self-defence techniques prioritise practical moves tailored to real-life situations, such as being grabbed, pinned down, or surrounded.

5. Physical Fitness and Strength

  • Regular practice improves strength, agility, reflexes, and endurance, all essential in a self-defence scenario.

6. Stress Management

  • Facing simulated attacks in training helps condition your mind to remain calm and focused under pressure, reducing the likelihood of freezing or panicking in a real-life situation.

7. Empowerment

  • Especially for individuals who may feel vulnerable, self-defence training provides a sense of empowerment and the knowledge that they can protect themselves.

8. Legal Awareness

  • Many self-defence courses include discussing the legal implications of defending yourself and helping you understand what actions are permissible in different situations.

9. Versatility in Various Settings

  • Techniques are often adaptable for confined spaces, crowded areas, or even when dealing with multiple attackers, ensuring you can protect yourself in diverse environments.

10. Increased Discipline and Focus

  • Regular training instils discipline, patience, and the ability to stay focused during high-pressure moments, skills that carry over into other areas of life.


Investing time in learning street self-defence is not just about physical protection; it’s about cultivating a mindset and skillset that prepare you for life’s uncertainties while building resilience and confidence.

Ray Flaherty's Training

A martial artist in a dojo holding a black belt.

Ray's Training

 Martial Arts Training

  1. Ray has been training in the martial arts since the age of 12 years in Judo, Wing Chun under different high-level students, Senseis, Sifus or Masters of different styles. 
  2. Ray has trained in Muay Thai,  Arnis, Tai Chi (Yang Style and a session with Master Fu Sheng Yuan in Canberra in 1993 from China), Chi Kung and more.... 
  3. Grandmaster Chan Tze Lung (Chinese family name) from Japan has graded Ray to a higher black belt level and has mastered his training. Ray has trained under Grandmaster Chan and his late wife and his wife, Master Yoko, for over 30 years and still does to this day. This is a multi-style training within the family. This is also where Ray learnt the healing arts over 30 years ago and still does as a closed-door student. (This is not a commercial martial art like Karate and Kung Fu.) So there is no website or classes given, as you have to be picked at a young age. Ray has been training since he was 12 years old and has passed the full senior Master's instructor level on his last Asia trip in 2025.
  4. Women's self-defence instructor for many years.
  5. As a private student, Ray trained under Sensei Mark Greville in the 80s in Shorin Ryu, Shorinkan Okinawan Karate. (Ray fixed Sensia's Marks' 4-wheel drive bodywork for private lessons)
  6. Diploma, Black Belt Shotokan (Graded by 7th Dan Murakami Sensei from Japan, with Yuki Senpai on their trip to Australia in 1992.   
  7. Ray trained under Master Kanazawa, 10th Dan, when he came to Canberra from Japan.
  8. Trained under Sensei Tim Duffy, 3rd Dan North Canberra Shotokan Karate, Ray was hand-picked to run his one-day class in Sensei Tim's dojo in North Canberra. Ray was the assistant instructor for South Canberra Shotokan Club under Kerry Flynn, 3rd Dan, world champion.


Overseas Training &Teaching 2018, 2019, 2024, & 2025
Back from Asia, 3rd of July 2025, with training and a full grading to 6th Dan.


In 2024, I returned from my overseas trip to Asia for a brief break, also for training and meeting with my international police and sports clients. Got back on 16/07/24. 


Back again from Thailand, learning new skills on 6th October 2019 and also massaging overseas clients with my pain management sports massage and stretch therapy. Hong Kong training was cancelled due to the unrest in Hong Kong.


Came back on the 7th of July 2018 from my Asia trip, learning new skills and teaching my pain management to massage therapist friends in Hong Kong, Thailand and his martial arts training in Japan and a grading to 5th Dan. 


Other Training

  1. Psychotherapy to help with awareness of various emotional and psychological challenges, such as anxiety, depression, trauma and more.....
  2. A Diploma of Psychology to develop a deeper understanding of the human mind and behaviour. 
  3. Certificate 4 Allied Health Exercise Programs HLT42507 in Occupational therapy & Physiotherapy assistant units in exercise for recovery.
  4. Assist with the development and maintenance of the client's functional status.
  5. Conduct group sessions for individual client outcomes.
  6. Assist in the rehabilitation of clients.
  7. Assist With Client Movement. 
  8. Support the fitting of assistive devices and more.
  9. Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury.
  10. Introduction to Physiotherapy Diploma.
  11. Provide First Aid HLTAID011. (Updating)
  12. Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation HLTID009. (Updating)
  13. Provide Basic Emergency Life Support HTLID010. (Updating)
  14. Certificate upgraded from TAA to TAE40110 4 Training & Assessment. 
  15. SISFFIT014 Instruct Exercise To Older Clients.
  16. Diploma of PTSD Awareness.
  17. Diploma in Pilates.
  18. Diploma of Mindfulness Instructor. 
  19. Diploma of Mediation Instructor. 
  20. Diploma of Counselling Skill Set. 
  21. Certificate 4 in OHS Safety BSB41407. 

Show More

Copyright © 2025 Athletic Sports Massage Canberra- All Rights Reserved.

Looking after women's health in Canberra

  • Main Hub
  • Get in contact
  • Core Services
  • Fearless Healing
  • Health Conditions
  • Remedial Massage
  • Active Recovery
  • Elite Performance
  • Online Scheduling
  • Community