Krav Dojo Newsletter

"ברוך ה צורי המלמד ידי לקרב אצבעותי למלחמה"

Blessed be God my rock who teaches my hands to do battle, my fingers for war." (King David)

AUGUST 2008

Head Instructor: Moshe D. Katz, 4th dan black belt; kickboxing, krav maga, jujitsu (5th dan)

Black Belts: Nadav Alon, Eitan Susman, Yisrael Kaplan, Avi Baldasare, Esther Cohen

Certified by:

Sensei Itay Gil, 6th dan, former trainer of the Israeli Counter Terror Force, trainer of elite IDF units

Wingate Institute of Sports, Martial Arts Dept. Roni Kluger, 8th dan

ISC Control Points, Professor Arthur Cohen, 6th dan

World Martial Arts Masters Academy of Black Belts, Dr. Jerry Beasley 9th dan

World Black Belt Bureau, Master Kang Rhee, 9th dan

Dojo Address: 50/3 Mitzpe Nevo, Maaleh Adumim, 98410 Israel

Telephone: 054 589 0357, 02 535 7265

International phone 972 2 535 7265

Keep Trying

Sometimes pearl of wisdom can be gained from the most light hearted sources.

When I was a child there was a popular TV show called "The Partridge Family", yes, I admit I watched it. It was a family that was also a musical act. The oldest child was teenage heart throb David Cassidy.

In one episode he meets an attractive young lady who plays classical music and does not care much for his pop music. He tries to gain an appreciation of her style of music and even tries his hand at composing a piece of classical music.

He takes his new composition to a man who has the ability to judge and evaluate such things. I saw this episode many decades ago but I remember this part word for word (I think), there was a message here that would stay with me over all these many years.

The older man listens to the music carefully and then asks the young man a question.

"If I told you the composition was only mediocre, that you had no real talent for this style of music, what would you do?"

The young composer answers, "I would give it up".

"In that case" the older man says, "I would suggest that you give it up."

Now you can interpret that two ways.

The first is; the music was no good so forget about it. This is the wrong interpretation. He never specifically said the music was on good.

The correct interpretation is; If you are willing to give up so quickly, just because one person told that you are no good at something, if you are willing to give up at the first obstacle – then you are clearly never going to succeed with this. If you truly believed in what you were doing, if you were truly passionate about this, if you truly wanted to succeed – than nothing would stand in your way, certainly not a poor initial evaluation.

The reason he was telling the young man to quit had nothing to do with his talent and everything to do with his lack of 'stick-to-it-ness'.

Failure and set backs are just tests. Abraham Lincoln failed at countless things before he became president. The Rolling Stones once had less people in the audience than they had in the band! The Beatles were rejected and told, "Guitar music is on the way out". Early automobile manufactures (called horseless carriages at the time) were told the car would never replace the bicycle as a means of transportation. When the first tape recorder was demonstrated in Japan the audience said, "Great device for party tricks but it has no real practical value, it will never succeed". When my cousin asked for my advice about introducing macaroni and cheese to Israel I said, "Why would anyone buy it! All they have to do is buy pasta and cut up some cheese themselves."

And yet, all these people kept trying, and they all eventually succeeded.

So if you don't feel like a black belt after your first few months in Karate, so if you don't win your first fight, so if you feel like the most awkward person this side of Tibet; know that you are not alone. Know that your talent will not carry you but your motivation will.

And as a great martial arts instructor once wrote: "When the final chapter on your life is written, have them quote your wins and loses but for heavens sake, don’t have them say you never tried. How do you know if you can achieve anything in life, if you never try? And just because you try it and it doesn’t work the first time, try again. Try it harder, try it faster, use a different angle, use a different team, but don’t give up. A true warrior knows that failure is testing, and that now you know another way that doesn’t work and it is positive feedback to use to find the right way."

"Make sure you stick to it long enough to reap the reward. Farmers plant in the spring, work the crop all year and then get their harvest in the fall. It is amazing, so many leave before the harvest. As a true warrior you must learn to stay the course." (T. Bryan)

So take this message and move on, move on!

New Year

מתחילים הרשמה לשנה הבאה2300 ש"ח לשנה

אישה כבת 42 הגיעה לכומר לוידוי ואמרה לו: "אדוני הכומר, הבית שלי מתפרק, הוא ישן ובלוי ולי ולבעלי אין כסף להחליף אותו,הילדים שלנו מתרוצצים כל היום בחוץ ולא מקדישים מספיק זמןלשיעורי הבית שלהם. הרכב שלנו התקלקל ובעלי הביא לי ליום ההולדת כרטיס ברכה וספר..כל כך לא רומנטי..

הכל פשוט כל כך רע... אני לא יודעת מה לעשות..."

הכומר יצא מתא הוידויים וסימן לאישה להתקרב אליו, הוציא נייר קטן וסימן עליו נקודה שחורה במרכזו,

"מה את רואה כאן?" שאל,

- "אני רואה נקודה שחורה" אמרה האישה.

מה עוד?" שאל הכומר,

- "כלום". ענתה.

"שכחת דבר חשוב", אמר הכומר, "את רואה גם את הנייר?"

האישה חייכה. היא נזכרה שאומנם הבית שלה ישן אבל יש לה בית,

היא חשבה על הילדים שמתרוצצים בחוץ כי הם בריאים ומלאי אנרגיה,הרכב התקלקל אבל יש לה רכב שלא כמו לכולם, היא חייכה כשחשבהשבעלה אולי לא בחר את המתנה האידיאלית אבל אכן חשב עליה... והיא בעצם יודעת שהוא מאד אוהב אותה, היא הבינה שלפעמים אנחנומתמקדים בנקודה השחורה ולא רואים את הנייר עצמו...

אז מתי אתה רואה רק את הנקודה השחורה?

מתי אתה מתמקד במה שאין?

תפוס את עצמך במהלך היום כשאתה מתמקד "בנקודה השחורה",עצור לרגע ונסה לראות את "הנייר".

כל דבר שנתמקד בו – יגדל. לכן עלינו להתמקד בדברים הנכונים בצורה מעצימה.

Personal Responsiblity

How many times did you say you would make a phone call for a friend who is looking for a job, and then you forgot all about it? How many times did other, more important, things come up when you had promised to help a friend?

Fact is most of us are not terribly responsible.

But that is not what I am writing about.

I am writing about taking responsibility for your own life, your own success. Fact is most people walk around blaming everyone but themselves for their lack of success. "My parents did not provide me with a good enough education.", "My parents were not encouraging nor loving enough when I grew up." "Life circumstances prevented me from pursuing the career of my choice."

The bottom line is always the same – I did not succeed and it is not my fault.

News Flash – it is.

We need to take full responsibility for our lives; our financial success, our health, our social well being. No one is responsible but us. The sooner we realize this the better off we will be.

The same is true of course of your martial arts and fitness training; I see 'em come and I see 'em go. What differentiates those who succeed from those who don't? Personal responsibility.

Looking at the Long Term

We spend our lives in the "Short term parking lot" when in fact; the real benefits are to be found in the "Long term parking lot."

Looking back at college I can now see how it changed my life. At the time I could not see. Looking back over a career of teaching martial arts to children, I can now see how it changed people's lives, that is, for those who invested the time.

"A black belt is a white belt that never quit." (unknown)

Long term; I can see strong young people, confident, successful, empowered, goal-oriented. You look at time and at once you are impressed with their obvious physical fitness and posture. After a short conversation you see a polite young person, someone with values, almost a throw back to another generation where young people were trained to think beyond themselves. You see someone who can take a challenge and see it through; a 'can –do' sort of person. Is there anything better you can do for your child?

Skipping Class?

Not only do you slip backwards physically when you skip even one scheduled workout, perhaps more devastating is the effect on your mind and character. Every time you successfully complete a scheduled workout plan, you build your discipline and self esteem. When your self esteem increases, it makes you feel good and that stimulates a positive self-reinforcing cycle of even more discipline, confidence and action. Everything you do helps or hurts. Every workout counts. Treat your word as law. When you say you’re going to work out... WORK OUT!

"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them." (Malcolm Forbes)

Learn about some of the top martial arts instructors Martial Arts Leaders . These are all people I have met and trained with.

What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? Read on

What came first, the attack or the defense? Seems logical to say the attack came first. However if you were to visit dozens of martial arts academies, as I have, you would reach the opposite conclusion. First the students learn the defense. Next they learn the 'correct' way to attack, which, incidentally, fits in perfectly with the defenses that they have perfected. They can defend themselves perfectly, as long as they are attacked by members of their style of martial arts.

Sometimes an embarrassing situation occurs; a new student comes in and messes everyone up with his 'wrong' attacks. I did that once. I was new in Israel and tried out a karate class at the community center. They were unfamiliar with my style and did not know how to deal with it. The instructor told the students that the problem was with me, not them. My attack was 'all wrong', I fought like a "street fighter". I did not stay at that school very long, just long enough to learn what not to do.

Reality check, took me years to get this, the attack is never wrong. The attack comes before the defense. You must first learn the nature of attacks, all attacks, under all conditions. Only then can you begin to understand how to defend.

I have the good fortune of meeting some of the greats. Professor Cohen said to me, "I have a friend in the coast guard, so what if your fancy Taekwondo kick does not work when you are on a small boat fighting a guy with a knife?" Or what if you in Alaska and your jujitsu does not work on a guy wearing a heavy winter coat, or what if your knife defense slides off a New York City gang member because he smeared Vaseline on his arms?! What do you do when the attack does not match what you learned in your Aikido class?

What happens then?

The answer is simple; it is all over, for you.

You must understand the nature of attacks, the possibilities, the 'determined attacker', the gang member, the psycho path; know them or die.

This is why we train in mix martial arts, in reality self defense; this is why our training has evolved tremendously over the years. A student who trained with us back in the mid 90's would not recognize 80% of what we now do. This is the survival of the fittest, the survival of he who adapts and changes."Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, cultivate what is truly your own." (Sifu Bruce Lee)

Now get on the mat and sweat.

Self Defense, Self Preservation or Martial Art?

What should your training include? Kicking, yes, punching? Yes. What about take-downs, arm locks, escapes from impossible holds? Yes, yes, and yes. What about fitness? Yup. How about the psychology of fighting? You got it, yes. How about verbal diffusion, walking away, avoiding a fight? Yes.How about guns, knives, sticks, ropes, rocks? You guessed it, yes, yes and yes.

In real life self defense how important is it to be able to do a back spinning jump kick? Not very. What if you want to be a Hollywood actor or stunt man? Then it becomes more important.Choose your goals then choose your training.

Good Training Advice

1) To be consistent

2) To focus on improving every day

3) To follow professionally designed program & advice

4) To fuel the body with the right foods

5) To accept that things won't change overnight, but that with timeand persistence, you will succeed.

Boxing Gloves - Sale

July/ August Attendance - Top 20!

Yedidya Even Chen 33

Yonatan Even Chen 31

Doris Strauss 29,

Elisha Klejman 25

Yaakov Agranat 25

Yosef Wolgel, 25

Menachem Keller 24,

Yehuda Klein, 22,

Reena Mackler 22,

Shilo Wohl 20

Nehorai Cohen 18,

Tzvi Polinsky 18

Mazal Or Keller 17,

Yedidya Liker 14,

Yehuda Gross 14

Baruch Mackler 12

Lazar Roskind 12

Yaakov Gross 13

Avaid Shtelchelberg 12

Chaya Tov 10

Chen Bar Nissim 10

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