21 september 2011 entry / 

I love teaching Krav Maga and the concept of self-protection. I love teaching a hand-to-hand training system that has practical principles that can be applied in real life situations. I love the history and the origins of Krav Maga and could quite honestly teach it 24-7-365. 

I hate the misrepresentation of Krav Maga in today’s world. I hate that people learn Krav Maga because they think it is ‘cool.’ While I acknowledge the importance of teaching self-protection, I find the reasons for teaching it not to be very cool at all. The horrific violence in our world however, demands it. I never tout what I do as ‘cool’ – only that it carries a weighted importance. And it is an importance that has transcended into a necessary, but welcomed burden. 

I hate that people think Krav Maga is a fitness routine, an endurance challenge, or a free ticket to being able to protect yourself. I hate the belts and ranking system involved in civilian Krav Maga. I hate that people have no clue that there is a distinct difference between civilian Krav Maga and IDF Krav Maga. I hate when instructors knowingly hold off on teaching weapons defenses to their students when they should be teaching them these very important defenses in a more timely manner. I hate that Krav Maga is taught in a dojo environment. And I especially hate that many instructors and school owners are making a fortune from teaching Krav Maga to their students – well, their idea of Krav Maga – certainly not mine.

And lastly, I hate the cockiness that instructors have when they talk about themselves and their knowledge of what they think they know about Krav Maga – as this will undoubtedly put their students in harm’s way. 

For the record, any good Krav Maga instructor can teach you the entire curriculum as taught within the IDF in under 30 hours. That is 1 month’s time – not 4 years time. Krav Maga isn’t about competitions, it isn’t about winning this or losing that, it isn’t about being able to take someone out.

Krav Maga is about understanding your own body and what it is capable of and what its limitations are. Good Krav Maga instructors always ask their student within the first 5 minutes, which body side dominant they are – right or left – and then teach accordingly. How many of you have been asked that question? If not, then your instructor doesn’t even know the most elementary principle of Krav Maga.

There are 35 pressure points taught in the first hour. And no, it is not just a listing of them; but rather a hands-on descriptive session of what they are, how to strike them, what happens within the body when those pressure points are attacked – and you start from the top of the head on down. There is a teaching system even with the pressure points. 

Krav Maga is taught by many who misrepresent the discipline. Many say they learned from the best and that they are the only instructor ever certified by the only reputable person. Most are lies as there are very few real Krav Maga Master Instructors with integrity and honor and loyalty to the pure Krav Maga as developed and introduced into the IDF in 1948 by Imi Lichtenfeld. Everyone seems to have known Imi when in fact, very few have. I myself never met him, but am fortunate to have a Krav Maga Grandmaster who has been taught directly by him. And yet, with Imi’s death came lies, deceit, and selfishness to no end. Figuratively speaking, Imi was taken apart piece by piece by piece for the sole benefit of others in their quest to make money off his name.

Krav Maga was borne out of necessity. It was given life in order to accomplish a goal and very basic liberty – freedom to walk in peace amongst others. A freedom, to this day, that still eludes our world. A freedom that is taken for granted and used to make money from. A freedom too, that has been grossly misrepresented and guided by so-called Kravists. 

Simply stated, a good Krav Maga instructor is humble, quiet, and will never boast his ability – ever. The best Krav Maga instructor will walk among you like a whisper never eluding to any of his capability. Which is another elementary principle of Krav Maga – never showcase what you know because if you do, the element of surprise will no longer be evident.

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