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If I Can't Do It
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
August 1, 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa
At IKI Krav Maga we are always open to challenges; we are always evolving and always open to new ideas. We are always exploring new situations; there is hardly a seminar without a question that leads to a new technique or a new application. I am currently in South Africa, everyday learning about the culture of crime over here, the nature of violence, the tensions, the circumstances surrounding violence. I am teaching and learning, they go hand and hand. The response here has been amazing, people are understanding what IKI Krav Maga is all about, lessons learned from the streets, from combat, from terrorism, it is real. We incorporate not only the true violence that takes place but the psychological factors, both of the attacker and the defender. We approach violence from every angle; our goal is survival. Today I will meet with instructors from another part of South Africa, more lessons from the real world. Learning never ends.
The other day one of our senior instructors sent me a video from another instructor, not part of our association, an Israeli living abroad for many years. He had a different approach to a knife attack. I never dismiss these differing approaches, personalities are not a factor, being a member of another association is not a factor, if there is value, I will study it. So we took this technique, and analyzed it, it did not make sense, but we did not dismiss it, not just yet.
The group that analyzed consisted of senior instructors but also beginners and also, non-practitioners. This combination is very important, for beginners and non-practitioners are perhaps the most value contributors to such a discussion. None of us saw the logic in this technique, a quick block and strike at the same time, an accurate powerful downward block while at the same time moving forward with an accurate and powerful strike, to the correct precise target. No, this made no sense, to any of us.
But we tried it, nonetheless, all of us, it did feel right at all. As Rob said, let us look at the context, i.e. what are the circumstances, the attack comes as a total surprise, you are not in the dojo wearing your black belt, you are on the street, distracted, and boom! the stab comes and yet you are expected by these "masters" to go downwards and backwards with an accurate powerful block while simultaneously going forward with a powerful and accurate strike to the correct area where you will not break your hand, or your delicate bones on your hand. No, this makes no sense and no this does not work under pressure.
But there is another point I want to make here. Let us say that this "master" who teaches this technique is in fact able to do this under pressure, an idea that I highly doubt, (and that is being generous), but I can't do it. Now, let us say that I am average, that my agilities are average. I have been training for over 40 years, I am an highly acknowledged instructor and I have proven myself all over the world against the best, but I am not able to pull this off, I am not able to learn this technique quickly. So perhaps you will say, - Hey Moshe, it is a good technique, but you need to train a little bit longer in order to master it.
Let us think about that for a moment.
If after 40 years of training, if after all my experience, I am not able to make this technique work in a real life stressful violent situation, then it is not a reflection on me, it is a reflection on the technique. i.e. if it takes a more experience, a more talented practitioner than myself to make this work, then only a very small tiny faction of the population, if that many, would be able to make this technique work.
The techniques that I teach people are able to master after one lesson, they don't need 40 years of training to be able to pull it off. Our techniques are based on instinct, natural movements, gross motor movements, not precision.
Bottom line - If I can’t do it, after all my years of training, I can’t expect others to do it.
We are open minded, even with those whom we disagree. We take their techniques, we test them, instructors, black belts, bystanders, and then we break it down and analyze it. If it is not easy to learn, for the average person, if it cannot be applied under extreme pressure, then we don't care how good the guy makes it look in the comfort of his own dojo.
We leave the comfort zone and test everything real life. Here in South Africa, and all over the world our students have proven that our techniques work, where it counts, on the street, in real life violent encounters.
Stay real. Stay safe.
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
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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