Krav Maga and the no A$$h*le principle
I have been involved in the martial arts industry a long time. Actually a really long time when i think of it ……1971 on.
During that time I have met loads of really great people but, I also noticed the abundance of A$$holes attracted by some martial arts.
Whilst not completely immune from them, Krav Maga has very few Assholes - in fact they are conspicious by their abscence. Students often comment on the atmosphere here and the lack of egos.
Recently I found an article from the CrossFit team and it resonated with me and my experience training with various Krav Maga Instructors and students. One of the most common feedback comments we get is how nice the Krav Maga community is. I work hard to maintain this and occasionally have to have difficult conversations with the odd individual about their future training with us. Whilst I would not say I have kicked people out - I have helped them move on, sometimes very quickly.
This reminded me of a particular individual I trained with as a Karate student in the late 1970’s. I was training at a very good Karate club - a tough ‘old school’ dojo with hard training and no central heating and a fairly tough breed of student. The Sensei was tough but fair, but seemed to have 1 or 2 special students who had different rules to the rest of us.
One favourite worked with the Sensei. The student concerned was an older guy - well mid 20’s (older than me at the time). He rarely listened preferring to do things his own way and always knew better. Other students behaved differently around him. Typically avoiding him or becoming tense, quiet with little eye contact. He frequently corrected, junior grades and was sometimes asked to teach the junior grades. When he did he was often unkind or at least seemed to cause un neccessay pain and hardship.
For reasons I never understood, he was an instructors faviourite- at least they worked together in some way that I cant recall. The Instructor never saw, or chose not to see the interactions between this guy and the rest of the club.
He often avoided the warm up, (arriving just at the end) and was always comfortable pointing out other peoples short falls. When he failed a senior grading there were dark mumblings about how he was being picked on or blamed by the senior instructor, (not our club instructor who I doubt would have failed him).
Eventually he started to collect a group of followers, - people who agreed with his way of thinking and formed a clique. Slowly this great little club started to change. I left as I got to 17 but returned some 2- 3 years later. The club, the ethos, the students had changed.
The club had changed beyond recognition. It had gone from around 30 regulars with a good mix of characters and a good traditional base. Banter was friendly but respectfull of the instructors and generally good humoured. Ever present was Japanses type etiquette.
On my return class numbers had dropped drastically 8 - 10 was a good turn out. Students were typically only lower grades and only those who sucked up to the new Instructor, you guessed it he took over the club when the previous sensei retired.
There was now no basics, loads of sparring and a hyper competitive environment. In short a lot of egos. The club eventually got into the local press after some students got involved in fights in the town centre.
Rumour has it that they had gone to prove their skills. This would make sense in a perverse way due to the type of student the club now attracted. Sometime later the club closed down and I heard further rumours of missing money etc. I went back to Judo then moved away from the town but never forgot the experience.
What did I learn ?
One character can change a whole club. The one bad apple metaphor I guess. Two can destroy the community, and the experience of the whole class.
So in simple terms we have an Asshole quotient. 1 Asshole per club. Less than 1 is good. 1 is tolerable and 2 is bad. In fact very bad. Whats more, Assholes attract Assholes. They multiply rapidly. Exponentially even. Something Like A+A=A squared :-)
In Krav Maga we are lucky. We rarely attract these individuals - they dont like the training, the intensity, the fact that everyone works hard. They prefer the belts, titles, awards and the opportunity to climb a ladder with power above those below them.
Long live Krav Maga and all you wonderful, hard training people. As a group you are inspiring. I see more courage, honesty and humility in these walls some evenings than many see in a lifetime.
Thank you - you make training worth while.
