The rapid rise of the millionaires and super-rich in China has led to the demand for “strong bodyguards” martial arts, proficient in technology with “huge” salaries.
Practitioners at Genghis School are trained to become professional bodyguards (Image: AFP)
At Genghis Security Academy in Tianjin, China, trainees are trained in a range of skills from martial arts, shooting, driving to technology skills to serve a group of potential customers.
Each year, the institute grants diplomas to nearly 1,000 people. They will become professional bodyguards serving the rich in China with a salary of $70,000 per year, several times higher than the average salary.
A training session of the Genghis bodyguard school (Image: AFP)
However, the Genghis School admits it cannot accommodate the growing number of millionaires in China. A 2019 report estimates the number of millionaires in China is now 4.4 million, more than the US.
The cost for a bodyguard course is 3,000 USD per person. Chen Yongqing, the founder of Genghis School, said that he is a very strict and strict person. Chen said discipline in this school is even stricter than in the military. Chen also revealed that about half of the cadets are ex-soldiers.
Practitioners use fake guns to practice their skills (photo: AFP)
They are trained in a large sports hall to train a series of skills to protect the life of their owners in the future.
In one class, coach Ji Pengfei practiced reflexes for the students. When there is a shout of “danger”, these people must quickly cover and cover the character playing the role of “boss” and quickly pull out a fake gun. Those who do not do well will be punished.
A training session at the bodyguard training furnace in China (Image: AFP)
In addition to protecting the life of the owner, the Chinese bodyguards need to have knowledge and skills to “combat” in the digital environment to help the boss not be tracked or hacked.
Preventing attacks on phones, security systems, detecting eavesdropping devices, deleting data are all new skills that “bodyguards” in China need to update and train thoroughly to be able to. be “watched” by customers.
Bodyguards are trained to react quickly to unexpected situations (Image: AFP)
In addition to basic skills, in order to be recruited by the rich, bodyguard candidates also need other factors. For example, there are customers who only trust bodyguardswho are the right age for them, or are compatriots. Another customer asked her bodyguard to advise her on what books to read. A bodyguard was recruited because of his interest in reading military novels.
In addition to combat skills, current bodyguards need to have the ability to “combat” in the digital environment (Image: AFP)