Krav Maga Blog - Jan 2012

We have a tendency to believe that the best trained, the most sophisticated and those with the greatest understanding are the ones who are most likely survive disasters and high stress situations etc. Bullshit. On December 26^th 2004 a Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean. One group the Jarawa tribe survived. Their greatest and most sophisticated tool/piece of equipment is the “Bow and Arrow”, however their ancient folklore contains advice on what to do, when the ocean retreats i.e. get to high ground. An ocean retreating is a tell-tale sign that a tsunami is about to occur. These primitive people survived...

One of the first questions I’m often asked by beginners and new starters is if I teach private lessons – which I do. Everyone is looking for a fast track to success whilst at the same time wanting to ensure that the techniques they’re practicing are performed correctly etc; all admirable goals and desires. Many instructors will play on this and suggest that a private lesson with them is worth 10 regular public classes. Something which is nothing more than a sales pitch. Don’t get me wrong, private lessons have their place e.g. if people can’t make regular class times, or...

There are some within the martial arts fraternity who see Krav Maga as little more than a weapon disarming system with a few punches and kicks thrown in for good measure. Such individuals obviously think the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) don’t value unarmed hand-to-hand combat. For those who came with me to Israel in December 2010, you were trained by two of the top trainers for the Mossad, one of whom a year previously had beaten the UFC Champion Carlos Newton in an MMA Championship. This is not to say that this is proof that reality based self-defense training can...

This is a very quick post to go over what we covered today with the Kettlebells. I’m a big fan of these for building strength. Not just in the muscles but also the tendons. They also help in developing co-ordination, stability and balance etc. These days they are also relatively inexpensive – unfortunately I had to get my first set custom made by a Blacksmith! – I’m not kidding. They were originally used by Russian “Strong Men” and wrestlers. I was introduced to them in the 90’s when I was a competitive Judoka (Judo player), cross-training in Sambo – a...

There are three components of reality based self-defense: simple technique i.e. what you will actually be able to do in a real life altercation, aggressive mindset (the will to survive) and physical fitness. Nobody wants to be told that their fitness level is important to their survival however this is the truth. In almost all disasters and threats to a person’s existence etc it is the fit who survive. When I first started training in Krav Maga, this was something that was instilled in me: you can know everything you need to know and be able to perform kit perfectly...

I had a great conversation (via email) with one of the higher belts, whom I both respect as an individual as well as valuing  his thoughts and thinking regarding self-defense and self-protection. It concerned the idea around handing over your wallet to a mugger/robber rather than immediately making a physical response, such as a disarm or an immediate “counter assault”. I realized as our conversation developed that there were things I hadn’t necessarily emphasized or things I’d not drawn enough attention to; things I now realize need to be spotlighted in order for us to have a coherent approach to...

The term reality based self-defense (RSBD) is probably one of the most over-used terms in the martial arts world. When it first came into use it was less of a badge of honor and more of a differentiating term that separated what Krav Maga instructors (like myself) were teaching from that of more traditional martial arts, such as Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do etc. It wasn’t used as a critique of these styles and systems or to try and suggest their techniques don’t work but to identify that our approach to handling/solving real world violence was very different to...

In last week’s classes we looked at the process of a reality based fight/assault going to ground; of how a fight that ends up there starts from standing and then goes through a “transition phase”, where one person often remains standing whilst the other ends up on their back. This week we go a step/stage further and look at ground-fighting or as I prefer to term it from a reality perspective “Ground survival” i.e. survive this stage in order to get back up to your feet to continue the fight. The means by which people end up on the ground actually...

Street Fights and real world violence are continually evolving. When I first worked in London (late 90’s), confronting an armed assailant was the exception rather than the norm. Ten years later that situation changed and it seemed that every one under the age of 25 was carrying a knife, and was more than ready to pull it if provoked or “disrespected”. Many security professionals who had been working the door successfully up until this point found that what they’d relied on to work for them in the past was failing to do the job now. If you don’t evolve with...

I want to pick up on something we started to discuss at this morning’s 6AM class. We were looking at the scenario where somebody pushes/throws you to ground and then follows up with some form of attack be it a punch or kick. Often as martial artists we train our ability to transition from standup fighting to ground fighting whilst forgetting that the uneducated, alcohol infused street thug doesn’t view fighting from this clinical or trained perspective. They have one goal , which is to cause us the maximum amount of pain and punishment in the shortest possible time; they...

When you start considering all the variables that are present in a street or reality fight together you have to significantly change your attitude to dojo/studio training. Multiple assailants (this can include passers-by who decide a “free” hit on the guys on the ground would improve their alcohol fuelled evening…), concrete – rather than soft mats - and the potential for the person(s) you are dealing with to be carrying a blade means you have to change your attitude and often techniques considerably. Whilst the UFC may claim it’s as real as it gets, it still can’t replicate many of...

In the martial arts fraternity many myths and/or opinions get accepted with little or no scrutiny e.g. high kicks don’t work on the street – obviously nobody ever told legendary Liverpool bouncer Terry O’Neil that; a doorman who knocked out the majority of the people who challenged him with head kicks (bouncing is a REALLY hard game in the UK, that goes well and beyond checking ID). Perhaps the most common and most oft-repeated myth/opinion that is touted around in today’s self-defense world is that “95% of street fights end up on the ground.” Coming from a background in Psychology...