Many of the survivors I have worked with over the years have asked me: “when will it stop?” When I ask them what they mean, they say, “when do you stop seeing everyone as a threat?” I survived physical abuse as a child; I understand the question. My Krav Maga journey has been the most helpful thing in my life so far in helping me deal with trauma because Krav Maga doesn’t simply offer tools for self-defense – it provides an entirely different mindset that places the power back in the hands of the individual. The more you practice Krav Maga, the more opportunity-minded you become. You stop seeing everyone as a threat, and you start seeing everything as an opportunity.
Krav Maga is by nature innovative and evolutionary. Predators’ objectives, motivation, and tactics change regularly, so we must adapt accordingly. We teach students to see possibility in everything – the cup of coffee you’re holding may be a weapon if needed. The umbrella you carry can protect you. The sand on the ground next to your head can be used against your assailant. When your assailant drags you somewhere by your hair – you use that momentum to close the space and execute the technique as hard and as fast as possible to do as much damage needed to neutralize the threat. What is seen by most people as inescapable becomes an opportunity in Krav Maga.
All Krav Maga lessons begin with a timeline. After all, assailants don’t pop out of the ground like daisies and start to attack. Usually, there are signs we miss, locations we might have avoided, preconceived notions that lead us into a situation. Sometimes we’re focused on the task at hand and want to keep all of our focus on one thing. All of the aforementioned are part of the old mindset, a mindset drilled into us by society and the civilization in which we have all agreed to partake. We all want to believe that people are inherently good, that justice wins out, that evil is a distant shadow in a faraway land that won’t touch us. Society and popular culture teach us that everyday heroes will intervene, that happy endings are the norm, that violence is relegated to a microscopic fragment of society. Unfortunately, these are themes of fiction.
Many survivors I have worked with said, “I had a gut feeling, but I figured I was being paranoid.” The author and security expert Gavin De Becker writes extensively about the “Gift of Fear” and the importance of trusting our gut instincts. These “gut instincts” are arguably the most crucial part of the Krav Maga mindset. American physiologist Walter Cannon coined the term after realizing that an unconscious and automatic series of fast-acting reactions occurred inside the body to help assemble the body’s resources to manage threatening circumstances. The fight or flight response represents the options our ancestors could choose when dealing with dangerous environments and larger predators.
According to Cannon, there are four responses to a threat: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. The “fight” response is activated when we believe we can handle the perceived threat. The “flight” response is activated when we feel we are not able to overpower the threat but are capable of escaping it – and the “freeze” or “fawn” responses are activated when we feel we can do neither. Fawning refers to the tactic of appeasing an assailant until another response is possible. People freeze because they are not prepared mentally or physically for a threat.
The Krav Maga mindset accepts that violence is a natural inclination of any animal and that an excellent defense includes the ability to execute one or more of the three innate responses. Being trained for any situation allows us to choose to fawn (de-escalate), fight or escape (flight) – or choose a mixture of all three. Our lessons on every tactic begin with a timeline and the ABCs of Krav Maga: Avoid, Boundaries, Combat.
Avoiding could mean avoiding a dark alleyway or the side of the subway platform with a disturbed individual. Establishing clear boundaries is necessary when you cannot prevent the situation (usually, the assailant has brought the fight to you), and it is essential to use your voice and body language to deter further violence. Combat is our last resort precisely because when we are forced to combat, we understand we must do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves and our loved ones. When we know all our opportunities, it helps us avoid freezing.
Most predators are like coyotes – they are scavengers looking for easy prey. Predators look for the unprepared, the unaware, the submissive, and the frightened because they feed on fear. Predators know what to look for, but the average individual is blithely unaware of the red flags they need to spot. A recent study found that (contrary to popular belief) women who dressed more modestly and kept their eyes averted were more likely to be targeted by predators. Another study found that criminals actively seek out individuals who are distracted. People on their phones or out of touch with the world because their AirPods block their hearing are a criminal’s dream. Convicts also identified individuals who are intoxicated as ideal targets.
The Krav Maga mindset allows everyday individuals to identify the behavior of a predator and anticipate what they will need to do. The ability to look a predator in the eye and communicate silently that I am aware of their presence has saved me on numerous occasions. This awareness applies to myriad situations. Identifying red flags early has allowed me to avoid shady people in business, my social life, and on the street or in transit. When in doubt – always trust your gut. Even if you decide not to train Krav Maga, your animal instincts are always there to warn you. Be fully present and aware of the opportunities around you at all times. Worst case scenario – someone will think you’re paranoid. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
- The Krav Maga Mindset - March 30, 2022
- 5 Reasons I Choose Krav Maga - February 3, 2022
Another great article I enjoyed reading. Thank you for continuing to teach and share your knowledge and experiences. I too have avoided numerous situations simply by being more alert and aware of strategies I can use to avoid or escape danger. Hopefully we never have to use combat.