ERROR RG P4 25.8.1993 The man in the aikido self-defence photographs featured in the Taste section last Friday was Mr. Michael Robinson, not Mr. Collins Smith, as stated.

If there's one thing a woman fears more than anything else it's an assault against her person.

Quite apart from any physical damage inflicted, the mental damage is incalculable.

The effects of such a trauma can be long-lasting, and even permanent.

Unfortunately, the days when women could go about their business confident that harm would never befall them have gone -- along with the knowledge that at least in their own homes they were safe.

Violence against women is rising, while the number who are physically able to defend themselves effectively is very much in the minority.

Self-defence is not in-born, and most women lack the strength and skill necessary to protect themselves. Unlike males, who are taught or acquire at least some self-defence skills growing up, females receive no such general training.

Consequently, when faced with a violent threat against their person, they are almost certain to lose the struggle. Fighting off the strength of an average man is difficult enough, let alone one high on drink, drugs, or a combination of both.

So they feel vulnerable, walk in fear, and just pray nothing will happen to them -- hardly a practical solution to the reality of today's dangers.

Which is why aikido chief instructor Mr. Collins Smith will be offering special self-defence classes for women beginning in September.

A third degree black belt in this form of Japanese martial art, Mr. Smith promises that women of any age and physical ability will benefit from the three-month course.

"I will be dealing with the mental aspect of self-defence, and also techniques which will work for women,'' he promised. "They won't require any strength or have to be young. Even some disabled people can practise aikido.'' Unlike karate, which involves kicking and punching, aikido -- another Japanese martial art -- relies on technique.

Founded by Morihei Ueshiba in the 1960s, aikido uses an attacker's energy against them, which is why it is good for women.

"The principle of aikido comes from body movement -- lower, not upper body strength,'' Mr. Smith noted. "It is how well you move your body to redirect the attacker's energy in your favour.

"Ueshiba wanted to destroy the ego in the martial arts so he studied various jujitsu martial arts and took the arrogance out by making the techniques more fluent.'' A student of the martial arts for 24 years, 11 of them in karate, Mr. Smith became fascinated by aikido while living in the United States.

"I visited a class and noticed they seemed to be very relaxed and enjoying themselves,'' he related. "The self-defence techniques they were using seemed to fill a gap in my martial arts experience. It piqued my interest and I started practising.

"Then I noticed a lot of women were involved and having a lot of fun. It was very effective and we always enjoyed working with them because they had nice flexible and fluent movement, which is necessary to understand aikido.'' In the decade Mr. Smith has been teaching aikido in Bermuda he has noticed that women don't stick to its traditional practices, so he plans to teach an abridged version of the normally long study of this martial art in order to give them vital self-defence skills.

"I will be offering a three-month course as opposed to the indefinite study,'' he explained. "We will be dealing with the mental aspect of self-defence, and also techniques that will work for women.

"It won't be like a regular aikido session. There will be some things they won't be doing, but it will realistically prepare women to defend themselves in these modern times -- both mentally and physically.'' Mr. Smith will begin by teaching the women how to move away from an attacker rather than getting into conflict with them, and they will also learn how to hold someone in a variety of locks, holds and twists without using a lot of physical strength.

"My teaching is very detailed. I go step by step, and make it easy for people to grasp exactly what they are doing because everything connects from the beginning of class right through to the end,'' the instructor said.

"Because we practise in class I am confident the women will know what they are doing without getting hurt or pushed around.'' Turning to the mental aspect of aikido, Mr. Smith said this would come naturally to the women as part of the training.

"We will be talking about what happens if somebody has you around the neck, choking you, demanding your money, whatever ...'' he said. "With aikido you learn how to hold somebody down with one hand -- that's called ikkyo -- as well as other painful, mostly hold-down positions. They are very controlled holds -- in fact, everything is very controlled in practice.'' Because aikido techniques followed "the actual flow of body construction'', Mr. Smith explained that in the process of learning techniques, the women's bodies would become flexible.

Noting that this martial art always involved working with a partner, the soon-to-be black belt fourth degree senior instructor (shindoin) said that through his system students would acquire a good understanding of how the body functioned, and what it could and could not do.

Mr. Smith quickly dismissed any fears women might have about inadequate personal strength, or being physically overtaxed.

"There won't be any physical workouts which leave them with their tongues hanging out. They will feel quite comfortable, with lots of energy left,'' the expert promised.

For further information on the classes telephone Mr. Smith at 234-7747 (mobile) or 236-2367 evenings.

GETTING A GRIP -- Miss Brenda Lister demonstrates with chief instructor Mr.

Collins Smith an aikido hold which will floor an assailant. In an age of rising violence against women, self-defence skills are invaluable.

And now women will have a chance to learn the many techniques in a special course to be taught by Mr. Smith.

GOTCHA! -- Once floored, Miss Brenda Lister keeps her "assailant'' (Mr.

Collins Smith) down with this hold -- one of the techniques to be taught during the aikido course.