September 1, 2021, Clarendon, Arkansas USA
Coming go the end of Krav Maga Fall tour 2021 some thoughts come to mind. I always try and tailor my class to the people who are in attendance. I always come with a game plane, and plenty of notes, but then everything changes when I size up the crowd and learn about their backgrounds, their level of experience and their needs. The training must suit them, their abilities and their needs, otherwise I am wasting their precious time.
Many of the participants have no background in Krav Maga, or in any martial art. And many of those participants will never attend again. I do wish to inspire them to pursue further training, but even if they do not, I want them to leave with something of value. In fact, over the years I have heard many stories from individuals who only attended one seminar and yet were able to use what they learnt to defend themselves in a real life violent encounter.
The first concept I wish to instill in new participants is that no action happens in a complete vacuum. Even a random attack can be predicted to some extent. In most traditional training, the class begins with physical drills, perhaps stretching. The class continues with drills and there is very little talking. Thus while some techniques may have value, they are being taught in a complete vacuum, with no warning, no preparation. Imagine a fighter entering a ring; there are two possibilities: Perhaps he has viewed, studied and analyzed every fight his opponent has ever been in. Second possibility, he has never seen or heard of this fighter before. Which is preferable?