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We Work with our Heads Not with our Hands
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
July 15, 2025, Israel
Knife used in Terror Attack
I was told that cashews are very good against tooth decay, and with some recent rather expensive dental work I figured it is good to invest in cashews. In addition, dates and figs are a regular part of the local diet, common among the Beduin nomads and often mentioned in the Bible and Talmud. Thus, I am a regular at what my mother, may she rest in peace, used to call "The Nut Factory".
As I was shopping, I saw a dear friend, a slim Yemenite guy whom I know from the synagogue. I went over to say hello and again express my appreciation for his insight. I cannot mention his name, he is a top counter-terror expert, always on call, always ready.
I said, with all my experience and with all my international "fame", I turn to you for advice and feedback. He smiled. I said, Let us revisit the idea of the aggressive forward motion for knife defense that is advocated by so many Krav Maga instructors, we discussed this before. I can't seem to convince some people of our approach, the idea that the attack comes to you. The "cool", Bad Ass, method is to charge forward.
This is a tactic which is very dangerous, for as long as the "wheel is still in motion" (Bob Dylan), as long as the attacker has not fully committed himself to the attack, he can still change and redirect his attack. This is better demonstrated than put into words, I have demonstrated this in person many times, and on video. But yet the "cool" method is still the most common in the world. Of course, in class, where everyone knows their part, and what they are expected to do, all these defenses work just like the movies. But real life is not a movie.
That is an issue that we have difficulty with, most of us cannot imagine anything other than our current existence, most of us cannot see what is not there in front of us, that is why we are not prepared. If we are comfortable in our lives, it is difficult to imagine discomfort, if we are living without fear, then fear is difficult to imagine.
Most parents send their kids to school and then carry on with their day. When the child comes home distressed, they are often ignored, whatever the child is experiencing is nothing compared to the parent. The father had a bad day at work, he lost a client, sales are down, so we don't notice the stress in a child, in particular since the child is reluctant to share this pain. So, we ignore it.
In life we learn to look the other way, to ignore things. The result of such a lifestyle is October 7, 2023, the result of ignoring the writing on the wall is a Holocaust, it is being dragged out of your house in terror. And the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tennement halls (Simon and Garfunkel, The Sound of Silence).
In Krav Maga we learn to open our eyes, to be aware, to be alert and attentive to our surroundings. And yes, I am getting back to the issue of knife attacks and my friend at the Nut Factory. Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see (The Beatles, John Lennon). But we need to open our eyes and understand.
Cross the street at the right time, and you arrive successfully, rush in without looking and you get hit by oncoming traffic. Timing, paying attention.
So my friend, I teach all over the world and people keep getting this technique wrong, they think I am teaching them to be passive, to "wait" for the attack, they prefer to be tough and aggressive.
He smiles.
He said, "We (counter terror units) work with our heads, not with our hands".
What I see with other styles is exactly that, a reluctance to think, to analyze, to see another approach. It seems to all be a matter of "Let's get physical" (Pop song, not the same category as the artists quoted earlier in this blog). With war we know that the first reaction must anything but physical. The first reaction must be a meeting, analysis, strategy, game-plan. The physical attack is the result of careful examination of the facts, not a blind aggressive attack. War has proven that such a strategy is doomed to failure. Take your time, think a lot, think of everything you've got, (Cat Stevens).
We train our tools; we respond correctly at the correct time. we work with our heads, not only with our hands. Think about it.
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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