Charlotte is out of breath, leaning against the wall. She has just fought against Martin and those around her are applauding. Now two other people get “into the ring” for a duel or throw themselves onto the soft, blue mats in the small, yellow-painted room of the martial arts school in a backyard in Berlin-Kreuzberg.
“Playfight” is an intense experience, a mixture of fighting and gaming. It’s not about winning, it’s about having fun, fighting like children or animals – and about experiencing and testing your own limits. After trainer Ulf Martin Andresen has explained the rules and done a few warm-up exercises, we get started: