The initial stage KMG training is about learning different skills, technical and tactical in dealing with violent confrontations and mental skills in coping with stress and pressure.
Physically we use complementary training methods to prepare the body to handle high demands and efforts that one needs to recruit for the tasks of prevention or elimination of dangers involved with violent encounters.
After the first stage of learning is completed it is necessary to constantly improve so that the technique or tactic will become an intuitive action when used at time of need. The decision to use a specific solution should be made automatically with minimum involvement of cognitive process or time consuming decision making that we cannot afford when danger arises suddenly. To reach this level one must spend hours of learning, training and repetition.
A certain reference point for one’s level is naturally the grades. However, the patch, belt or diploma never fight for you. It is your body and mind, knowledge and experience that are recruited for the task. Normally, to reach the expert level, you will have to spend 5-10 years in training (if you have no prior knowledge and experience in other fighting arts).
However, years are not the criteria, rather the hours of training, the corrections and feedback you receive under the watchful eye of a certified and experienced instructor.
It is very important to understand about KMG that due to the above reasoning and the way we train people – trainees can reach higher levels of performance and capabilities after a relatively short time of training.
We have seen trainees use the knowledge they received in a VERY successful manner after one lesson or a seminar. There is no definite answer to the common question “how long will it take me until I am able to defend myself?” However, it will be correct to say that when the need arises, many people manage to successfully use the knowledge they have obtained at KMG only after 50-100 hours of training. In this duration of time the KMG practitioner learns to deal with most of the violent problems he or she will encounter on the “street”.
What should we do in training? Should we only follow the basic curriculum and train “by the book”?
Will this bring us to the desired goal of being able to deal with changing situations and violent reality? The simple logic says that this is not enough. It is common sense that only through practice of basic routines (techniques) one will NOT be able to deal with different problems foreign from those dealt with in the past.
We say that gaining experience is like the doctor who arrives after the patient has died; the police officer arriving after the burglary took place, or Krav Maga lessons taken after being mugged and assaulted, or in other words “the beauty of hindsight” .
We need to be able to prepare for the less known.
To acquire the ability to solve a defined problem that we have never seen before. In reality it will always be somehow a new problem; a new conditions; the attacker will be different; the attack will come in an alternate manner from an unexpected angel. How do we prepare for that?
Our method is rather simple and clear, yet sophisticated and smart. We are constantly progressing simultaneously in several different directions. Firstly we teach the basic techniques while parallel to that explain the principles of actions behind them and the foundations that support those techniques. Following this we add different tactics that aim to prevent further confrontation or bring it to a rapid and effective end.
The trainees receive short “lectures” and theoretical explanations adequate to the level of the training. We divide the different techniques to defined classes according to specific categories; we show similarities and correlations, rules and procedures. In this manner the KMG trainee becomes aware of and eventually understands that in-front of him (or her) there is a system, a WAY, a defined path, not just unrelated points along an unknown road.
When the system is reasonably understood (clear to the mind and embedded in the body) we start with relevant training methods and simulations that place higher demands. During this time gradual stress is applied on the trainees, problems become more “real” and seem “life threatening” to the subconscious so stress levels rises; more data starts to “flood the brain” for example – by throwing multiple attackers to the scenario and to the function-games that are so characteristics to the modern ways of KMG; sometimes we reduce vision of the trainee by working with closed eyes or reducing light conditions before a series of attacks or grab hits him.
The result of all the above is that the student is constantly trained to solve new and different problems and changes which occur all the time; practicing decision making under stressful conditions; use of profound knowledge of principles together with accumulated experience during various incidents and under different conditions and most importantly knowing ones responses and way of functioning under violent and stressful conditions.
With this the KMG trainees can reach their goals – to deal with various confrontations in adverse conditions under stress and uncertainly; to control themselves, the opponent and the situation and as a result to offer the best solution to the problems they are facing.
Author: Eyal Yanilov
St George and Sutherland Shire now have a dedicated Krav Maga school.
SGS Krav Maga is officially accredited with the Krav Maga Global (KMG). Krav Maga Global is the most recognised and largest Krav Maga organisation, with established KMG branches worldwide.