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Forever Young - 2026
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
October 6, 2026, Israel
The Beatles still walking the streets of Liverpool, forever young...
Is Your Training Effective for who you are Today!
I recall a street fight between a professional security guard and some street thug. The security guard was 60, but he needed the money, so he still worked the door in a violent area in New York, he did not back down, he died that night on the street. David James, whom I had the privilege of training with years ago in New York expressed the following words of wisdom, what was the problem? The 60-year-old thought he was still a young man; he used young man tactics. He fought a young man's fight, and he paid for it with this life. Prof Dave shouted, "You ain't that guy no more, you ain't the guy you was!"
That is the problem, many people think they will remain forever young, but as Prof. Dave expressed so profoundly You ain't that guy no more. This is reality. And this is what I want to write about today, mixed in with some philosophy and practical tips for self-defense. If your system depends upon strong-man tactics, street wrestling, rolling around and grabbing, using strength to overpower your opponent, you are in for a world of pain, and disappointment.
As a child I became a Beatles fan, I am talking about the period where they were still recording new songs, touring, appearing on TV. As a much older adult I had the opportunity to visit and tour Liverpool twice, while on Krav Maga seminar tours. These days I find that when I play the guitar it is most often Beatles songs, somehow that takes me back to those years, and I am young again.
I am young now, I feel young, when I describe myself as an older person sometimes, I feel I just pretending, playing the part of the wise elder statesman, but in reality, I am still the Karate Kid, learning to play the Beatles on guitar. Do not let the grey beard fool you, there is a young man somewhere inside there.
In Liverpool there is a statute of the Beatles, the four young men, not yet so famous, casualy walking the streets of their hometown, perhaps going to visit their parents soon. They are in mid-step and it feels so real.
I feel them. The years disappear and I too am that age again myself, my whole life ahead of me, a mystery, not quite sure what I will be doing with my life.
Two of the Beatles have left this life, two remain, the young lads are now in their mid 80's, but still full of spirit, still talking about those magical days in Liverpool, where it all started, when they were all so young and full of hope. I walked those streets and heard their music from local musicians. Locals talk about Paul McCartneys'visits and contributions to the city of his youth.
I think of those four statues, the four Beatles, forever young, that moment frozen in time, they will never age. So naturally walking the streets, time stands still, Paul casually turns towards George. What was he saying?
And then I think, reality, that was the mid 1960's, that was long ago, time does not stand still, we move on. When I play their music, I close my eyes, and I am young again, forever young, but then when I get up, I feel the pain in my back, the ache in my knee, and the discomfort in my arthritic fingers and wrist. I cannot deny it. Paul wrote, When I'm 64, well, I passed that milestone. A lifetime of training, of full-contact fighting, of dealing with muscular challengers on the road at seminars. Life takes its toll.
The truth is we age, our hair changes color, falls out, and our bodies become less muscular. That is simply a fact! Look at all the action heroes of the 1980s', now in their older years, some are still fit, but those huge muscles are gone. The wise ones among us take note of that! Pay Attention to what is lasting and what is fleeting.
There is a saying among the wise, when you purchase a home as a young man think of what it will be like when you are older. Think of how many floors you will be able to climb, how many stairs you will be able to handle. My dear mother, may she rest in peace, had a terrible struggle every day to go up to her bedroom on the second floor during the last years of her life. We looked into every possibility. A wise person looks to the future.
When it comes to self-defense the young believe they will never age. Every injury passes quickly, when you are in your 20's. But then, those injuries stay, and become worse. We can muscle our way through the pain, when we are young. We can train without fear of injury, when we are young, but the fortunate ones grow old, and then we have to ask ourselves the following question:
Is Our training Still Relevant?
If your training relies on Speed, Strength, Precision, agility, flexibility, well, that fades with the years. However, there is a kind of training that will stand the test of time, there are older people who can still handle themselves on the street, in the Urban setting.
If your self-defense depends upon simple gross motor moves, that are Easy to Learn, Easy to Apply in Diverse situations and Easy to remember, they will serve you well when you are past your prime.
When you are older you may not have the time to train to keep your skills fresh, you certainly will not have the speed, fitness level or strength of the younger you, therefore you must train in a smart system, not just a brawling system, a system that will stand you in good stead your entire life.
When you are looking to train in a system, look for the following:
Are there older people there?
Are there women there?
Are there less-fit people training there?
Are there people with disablities?
Or are they all super fit young people?
This will give you a good idea of what kind of a place it is, and if it is real self-defense. Real self-defense is for everyone.
They say youth is wasted on the young, perhaps so, with some, wisdom comes with age, others just grow old but never develop wisdom. IKI Krav Maga is a system for all people, for all ages. Simple and effective.
I look at the statues of the four young men, walking the streets of their hometown, they are long since gone from there, but their dreams remain. The image remains, but reality is that two are dead, one shot down in violence in New York City, and the other succumbed to cancer after a lifetime of smoking and two are in their eighties. That is reality.
I pick up my guitar and play, just like yesterday, in my mind I am forever young, but in reality - we must deal with reality!
Moshe Katz, 8th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt Hall of fame, USA and Europe. International speaker and seminar presenter with over 1,000 seminars to his credit.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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