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Make the Part your Own
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
November 2, 2026, Emskirchen, Germany
I am not an actor; I had two very minor roles, one in first grade and another in sixth grade. I am, however, an observer of human behavior.
It may surprise some to learn that even veteran actors, even very successful ones, get nervous, and often must cope with serious self-doubt, and lack of confidence. Michael Richards, Kramer of Seinfeld, never truly believed in himself, despite being a huge international success. And Jerry Stiller, as Frank Costanza in Seinfeld, also has some serious issues. Apparently, he was so nervous during the auditions that he could not get his lines out properly. He was supposed to play a meek, mild, hen-pecked husband, but he could not get the lines out and suddenly shouted. The entire crew burst out in laughter, and the new role of Frank Costanza was created, totally different than originally planned.
Sometimes a director has a very specific idea of how a character should be played, but sometimes there is room for interpretation. Sometimes the actor creates the character in a way totally different from the original idea. We are told that the wonderful Patricia Heaton, created Debra Barone of Everybody Loves Raymond, in her own personal way.
Sometimes the actor makes the part their own. And this is what I believe should be the goal of every Krav Maga practitioner, make the part your own.
You walk into a seminar; you don't know what to expect. You do not know what kind of people will be there. If you are organized, you have a plan. You begin with some ideas, and then, you watch, you observe, you see the people, you SEE the people. and then you try and guide them to adapt the techniques to their own bodies, their own abilities, and their own needs.
I see too many people spending their entire lives trying to fit circles into squares, trying to be something they are not, and can never be. We must get to know ourselves. We must learn to accept ourselves and work within our abilities. This is not a limitation, we strive for the sky, we believe in no limits and yet we work with what we have. We each have our unique physical and psychological attributes, that is what we must work with. There are styles knowns as Tiger Kung Fu, where they say Be the Tiger, or Monkey Kung Fu. We are Human Krav Maga. Be the human that you are.
Jerry Stiller took the part of Frank, and he made it his own. He owned the part and he became an unforgettable character. That is exactly what we must do with Krav Maga, with our own self-defense and survival. We can never be someone else, not our instructor, not Jean Claude Van Damme, not Rocky, but only us.
We need to take the techniques, learn them, understand the principles, and then use them in a way that suites our body best. We must explore, ask questions, test ourselves and the techniques, and apply them in the way that is best suited to our individual personality and body.
No two people play the part the same way. Had someone else played Frank Costanza, the role would have looked completely different. We take the role, we study it, and we make it our own. That is the key to survival.
Moshe Katz, 8th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt Hall of fame, USA and Europe. International public speaker on self-defense and survival. Over 1,000 international seminars.
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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