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Limitations-Possiblities
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
April 7, 2026, Israel
The sky is the limit. We have endless possibilities. You can be whatever you want to be, as long as you set your mind to it. I think there was a band called "Unlimited", and I recall a song called "No Limits".
And now for a reality check.
We are limited. Sorry. Our lives are short, and limited. There are limits to everything. We have a limited amount of fossil fuels. As I am writing these words, we are in war and our fuel/petrol sources are becoming very limited. If you are a diver, or a high-altitude climber, your oxygen sources are limited, and you must use them correctly or else you will run out and face disaster. All things have their limits, and all living creatures will some day pass from this earth. Life is inherently limited.
And yet we like to believe that life is limitless. There is a beauty to this, and yet even a certain truth, Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, It calls me on and on across the universe. There are certain things that are limitless, but they are in the spiritual realm. And even there, there are limits as God says No man shall see my face and live. but love endures as the Traveler said (H.G. Wells, Time Machine)
We need to find the balance between "I was the Dreamer" and "but now I'm John" (God, by John Lennon, or John Lennon, by God) and life lies somewhere in between. Dream, but keep your find on the ground. Heaven and Earth, the Spirit and the Body. and this is how we approach IKI Krav Maga. We understand this balance.
Yes, I believe everyone can achieve a black belt, but there are shades of black, not only of gray. When I was a karate student I spent many hours on my back spinning kicks. I worked on the Back Straight kick - Ushiro Geri, and the back spin kick, Ushiro Mawashi Geri. I believe I can still do them, but I don't find them very relevant for self-defense for the average person, and the average human being is our target audience. And this brings us to limitations.
As an instructor, and as it was pointed out to me by one of our instructors, I am really a Krav Maga Researcher as well, I must be keenly aware of the limitations of each student, and of all of us in general. There are those who win a tournament, jump on the ropes, pound their muscular chest and declare "I am the champion, I am invincible". I understand this feeling, and I understand the joy, the exuberance and the need to shout it out loud, and yet we must clam down and be realistic. No one lives forever, and very few champions retire undefeated. We must remember what most people can do and what they cannot do, that is where our system lies, in the realm of possibility.
Our system revolves around what the average human being who does not train 23 hours per day and live in the gym, can achieve. Our system is about techniques that are concept based, so that we do not have unrealistic expectations of what you can recall in the moment of extreme stress. We understand our limitations; physical, mental, and time wise. As an instructor I want to see my students on the mat five hours a day, as a realistic human being I know that is impossible for most people. If I can get them twice a week for an hour and a half, I consider myself fortunate. So that must be enough time. The system must adapt to reality. We operate with the tools that we have. I do not expect perfect timing and precision; I don't expect everyone to a photographic memory for details. We operate within our limitations, but then I discovered something. Within our limitations we are essentially limitless. We have a limited number of letters in our various alphabets, but with those we can write any word in our respective languages, we can express nearly any idea. Within the limitations we find our expansiveness.
It is an amazing concept, and gift, when we accept our limitations we discover our Unlimited potential. Within our limited capabilities we can create all the defenses we need, with the letters in our alphabet we can compose whatever defenses we require. The possibilities are limitless; our limitations do not limit our ability to defend ourselves. We simply need to learn how to use the tools we already possess. We have the tools, we have all the power we need, we just need some guidance in how to apply it. We do not require the fitness of an Olympic athlete, the balance of a tightrope walker, the coordination of a juggler or the agility of a cat. Our normal daily activities, our regular physical movements, these are the letters of our Alphabet and they are all we need. Take our letters, combine them correctly, and we have all the words we need.
With IKI Krav Maga we cover all aspects of self-defense, in a bar, in car, when you are near and when you are far, in the air, at the fair. On the ground or wherever you may be found, against a knife, machete, meat cleaver, axe, garden fork, crowbar, handgun, long guns, stick, choke, wrist grab, and impossible holds. Understand the concept, know the solutions.
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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