I recently did an interview with Eyal Yanilov. Although it didn’t make the article, one of my favorite moments in his discussion of training was talking about him as a teenager when he studying under Grandmaster Imi. During that time, Eyal had been taught sentry removal training. For those who don’t know, this is extremely dangerous techniques like garroting, which are not taught in any adult current civilian Krav Maga curriculum I am familiar with. I myself was only taught these techniques in Advanced Military Krav Maga training.
Of course, Imi isn’t beyond question. In Krav Maga, respectful challenging of our instructors is encouraged, as long as it is in the common goal of learning. So, if I felt he was wrong, I would openly say so.
Having said that, I honestly don’t condemn Imi for teaching these techniques in training to Eyal and his classmates.
I think it reveals one of the most important parts of Krav Maga, shaping the class to the student.
As young as they were, Eyal and his classmates were months away from being conscripted into military service. They were being taught high level techniques in hopes of possibly saving their lives or the lives of others. Eyal understood the responsibility that was about to be placed on his young shoulders and treated the training accordingly.
So, should we learn these high level techniques in class?
I’m not opposed to teaching techniques simply due to danger. All Krav Maga is dangerous in some way. After all, simple striking can lead to massive injury and even death, especially if hit to a weak point as I train students to do.
I am opposed to teaching impractical techniques at the time cost of far more basic and practical techniques. Yes, they can look amazing, but the whole point of Krav Maga is to be practical. A civilian student will statistically need the 360 defense far more than defense against being garroted.
So if you only have a limited amount of time for training, is it really the best use of your time? What are the chances you will actually use it?
I talk about this a lot with my students, when we do weapons defense. What is the most important aspect of the defense?
Most think it’s the disarming. They are so excited to learn how to take a knife from someone, and how to disarm a gun. Most students want to learn them because those techniques are interesting.
It’s my job to make them understand that it is the striking and the footwork that will save their lives.
Being able to disarm a weapon is extremely difficult, especially for a blade or a fire-arm. The attacker does not want to lose their leverage, and will fight hard to maintain control. By being close enough to disarm, the defender is also close enough to be harmed. In fact, disarming a knife without getting cut is nearly impossible, and one nick to an artery can be fatal.
Let’s say you do manage to perform the disarm. Now what? If you know how to disarm, but strike ineffectively, your attacker can overpower you and end you.
If you don’t know how to disarm a knife, but you manage to hurt the attacker enough to get away, you are likely the victor.
Even if you are willing to put in the extra training, it is even more important to focus on the foundation skills.
Therefore, you need basic skills even more, to build yourself up to the level that you can even do these techniques.
This was the approach used in the army.
In the first week, soldiers learned how to operate our weapons. We were taught how to assemble the various parts, and made to understand the ballistics and technical details.
After that period of training, we are taught how to become proficient in shooting, as well as how to deal with weapon malfunctions like jams.
Once we mastered our weapons well, we learned more complex shooting maneuvers and how to use our guns alongside our Krav Maga, as well as adding stress and aggression drills.
Only after four months of intense training, did we learn how to do the advanced curriculum that I was discussing, the weapons disarms and kidnap prevention scenarios like the sentry removal techniques.
We had to earn the right to learn the more advanced techniques by mastering the foundational basics. It may not have been as flashy as the movies, but the skills of not falling while fighting and having effective and accurate strikes and mastery over our gun was fundamental ingredients to do the higher level techniques that would protect us in battle.
So does that mean you don’t teach many advanced techniques?
Of course I do. I train advanced techniques to law enforcement, military, and security training.
I even teach these techniques to civilians (including teens) when appropriate and when time allows for it.
I would be happy to open up an advanced teens class for students who are enlisting for military service, and wish to try out for special forces. As long as they show the maturity to learn dangerous skills safely and maintain an excellent grasp of foundational Krav Maga skills, I will be happy to teach them techniques found in the expert rank of the curriculum.
However, “I saw it in a movie and it looked cool” isn’t practical self defense, especially at the expense of foundational training. I’d be more likely to suggest we add timed sprints to class. After all, running away is the most advanced form of self-defense. Not as “cool” but far more useful.
That’s why it’s so vital for self-defense teachers to focus in practical skills that are relevant to the students, and make sure those techniques are drilled into muscle memory. Focusing on the most complicated techniques and not the basics creates students with great theoretical knowledge but little ability to defend themselves.
And that helps no one.
Note: I spoke about my uncle and my big brother in previous articles. Here is a podcast I did with my cousin Jessica. Jessica is a yoga teacher and writer, who specializes in writing and self-healing movements She just published her first collection of poetry and is working on her next book.
As you can see, I come from an extraordinary family. That’s why I’m so grateful to be spending the summer with them in Israel.
- Tehran fails to impress on Krav Maga - September 18, 2023
- The Pursuit of Perfection - August 7, 2023
- Grace Under Pressure - March 17, 2023
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