Great new Krav Maga club location is launched from waterloo - come and have alook
A real classic - the fight quest teaem do Krav Maga - well worth watching - if you have a spare few minutes
The first 7 days of phase 1 of Krav Maga Instructor training - what was it like ?
Come and have a look
Article by Mark Edwards - Instructor at Krav Maga Tasunton and Krav Maga Bridgwater. Mark has spent 24 years in the Marines as a Commando and Instructor. Hear what he has to say about Krav Maga training
Krav Maga Bristol runs CrossFit Sessions on a regular basis
Human weapon does krav maga - see how it goes
British Krav Maga Association run an intense 18 day Krav Maga Instructor Course. Cant be that hard can it. Have a look…
Recently (2009) I trained a young man with a mild physical deformity to one leg. It did not cause pain but it was an issue for movement in some techniques. Instead of accepting his limitations and training around them he became fixated around his limitations. Training was not about what he could do. His training was entirely focused around what he could not do. He constantly went from one reason to another for reasons why he could not perform techniques given his physical problem. Every technique - every punch, every movement was about his limitation.
The problem was not his ankle but his head. His attitude, his beliefs, his excuses.
To my relief he left. I challenged his attitude - but he felt I did not understand. He felt I did not realise what it was like for him to have a limitation. Having been a qualified nurse for 20+ years I did understand - I had seen brave people overcome impossible odds to live a ‘normal’ life in extraordinary circumstances - such a ‘living with’ enduring or serious mental illness.
So my challenge to you is simple. What ever your age, your shape or your gender. Embrace your limitations, understand them and work around them. Physical limitations may prevent you from doing some of the things the way you want, but they dont define who you are. Its your responce to your limitations, your actions when you meet a challenged that really define who you.
Paul Grey
Paul is a professional Krav Maga Instructor who teaches ordinary people of all abilities the Israeli system called Krav Maga. If you are based in weston or Bristol come and try us out. www.realitybasedtraining.co.uk
LOOK OUT!!! Youre being invaded by Krav Maga.
The British Krav Maga Association has some great new Instructors opening up in Plymouth, Cornwall, Cumbria, London and Bristol - come and have a look as there could well be a class near you very soon. Come and find us at www.learnkravmaga.com
One of the biggest challenges I have as a Professional Krav Maga Instructor is teaching new students the difference between martial arts and self defence training. And believe me the gulf is enormous…..
Many new students come with pre conceptions based on films or unrealistic expectations at their own abilities. Others confuse what they were told was a practical ‘self defence’ in their martial arts class with something that will work . As always, tough training and pressure testing against a non compliant partner should be your guide. Not just what some martial arts instructor, (or even a Krav Maga Instructor) tells you. It should feel earthy, simple and aggressive.
Now before I go any further I would point out that I am a life long martial artist. I hold Black Belts in traditional systems and thoroughly enjoy every aspect of martial arts training. I value the huge diversity of training, the people, the experience and the health benefits of regular training. One look at my own age peers shows me how beneficial this type of training is. But, put simply – it isn’t is realistic self defence training.
Martial arts training overlaps with self defence to a degree. But as time progresses they are increasingly distant from one another. By far the majority of Martial Arts techniques and training methods have evolved so far from fighting off an attacker, they bear little more than a passing resemblance to the original systems. Martial arts training as commonly found in the UK is a leisure activity closely aligned to the leisure and fitness industry. There is an enormous gap between the martial arts industry and the fight industry which is grittier, tougher and more realistic..
To get some understand of the size of this gap between fighting to protect yourself and martial arts look at the training provided to competitive fighters. Whilst technically the considerations for sport are different to self defence, the required intensity is the same. Boxers, Thai boxers, mixed martial artists training competively have much in common with good Krav Maga. Training is tough, no nonsense and hard work. Its requires fitness, mental toughness and commitment to training.
Its tough, snotty, sweaty and real – it even has the smell of reality, (that’s not a good thing – trust me on that ;-)
Not everyone wants to fight – I understand and applaud that. But if you want realistic self protection, it requires an investment from you. A little ‘sweat equity’ so to speak. The real payment for realistic skills is tough training, hard work and a non compliant partner. This is usually a far cry from the cosseted world of high grades, belts and inflated claims of the Martial Arts Masters teaching self defence.
If you are UK based and fancy some realistic training in real Krav Maga with a professional Instructor come and visit the British Krav Maga Association at www.realitybasedtraining.co.uk and grab your first lesson for free.
Paul Grey
