Like a
decent Blu-Ray, Krav Maga has a lot of supplemental material thrown
in. Not only do I now feel more confident physically but I've
recently realised just how much “good” stuff I get thrown in for
free.
For
example...
- Feeling useful
I like to
feel useful. I like to feel I've helped someone. I also like to
reassure those who look like they need it. At inductions this is
entirely possible due to the newbies that turn up. You know the
scene. Non club t-shirt, no groin guard and so queasy they look like
they are about to audition for X Factor. A simple introduction and
handshake seems to be appreciated and I try to partner newbies during
the initial part of the lesson (at inductions with KMM we focus on
the basic strikes for a while). I also attempt to be reassuring.
Something I used to do and I see other people do if they're new, is
to apologise whenever they hit their partner or successfully put them
on the floor.
E.g.
During “try and touch your partner's chest while they try and
prevent it” you can hear a lot of embarrassed “Sorrys” and “You
OK?” when someone gets through the other's guard. Also during
headlock releases you can see the looks of unease on inductionees as
bodies thud to the floor after having their faces grabbed. Again,
being reassuring to those who aren't used to this can work wonders
and put them at ease.
Best way
to some this up would be “Feel free to kick my groin, it's
protected. If you aim for my leg to try and be nice then that's gonna
hurt!”
- Self confidence
This gets
a boost due to the longevity of me doing Krav for 3 years. If you
spar with someone you know is better than you, and even ONCE manage
to land a hard roundhouse or right hook...then you feel great. I've
never been a fighter and being able to face guys much better than me
and, win or lose, walk away after touching gloves with your opponent
it makes you feel much taller. Feeling that the techniques are coming
together into a coherent pattern that you have incorporated into your
muscle memory is cause for jubilation.
This
ripples out to other areas of my life so I am less agitated in social
or even work situations as I feel I can try more things and give them
a good go.
- Paranoia Killer
I've
always been a bit paranoid. Currently take Propranalol (try saying
that drunk) in mild dosages to combat anxiety. It works wonders but a
mixture of the beta blocker and Krav have made me realise that the
world isn't out to try and hurt or upset me and, as Imi Lichtenfeld
once said, “so that one may walk in peace.” Being able to walk
down the main street without feeling anxious, nervous or (at night
when the drunks are out like something from The Walking Dead)
scared...is a great feeling.
- Ego Compacter
Another
thing I've always had is a big ego. Not simply for self promotion but
the desire that if something happened that was unjust or unfair then
I HAD to do something. I joined the police in 2004 because I wanted
to be a hero (and resigned in 2008 after finding out that they wanted
anything BUT heroes in the force). I would see injustice and wade in.
Like Liam Neeson tracking his kidnapped daughter in the movie Taken,
I didn't have a “next step”. I'd simply wade in, with almost no
fighting ability, an average size body and an ego that wanted to
crush all bullies and perpetrators of injustice.
After
doing Krav for over 36 months I can now weigh up a situation and walk
away or try and defuse it verbally...without feeling like a pansy. I
recently had an argument with a friend of mine who had drunk 6
bottles of Greek raki and was telling the girl I was dating that she
“deserved better than Lance.”
Attempts to tell him to back off
were met with the response “you want to get into it with me? Coz it
won't last long!” and due to my obvious anger, my date got upset. I
stayed calm and vowed to speak to my mate when he was sober. Next day
he had no memory of the incident and was embarrassed and apologetic.
Had my older self been there, there would have been at the very least
some pushing and shoving, followed by the two hulking sons of the
Greek owner of the pool bar we were drinking in, breaking it up and asking one or both
of us to leave.
Krav is
about avoiding the confrontation unless necessary. Best comparison
was an incident 10 years ago in Moldova when a local guy insulted the
woman I was with, Helen, and called her a whore for drinking with
foreigners. I was very drunk and followed him into a room (where
about 4 of his mates were waiting for him) and demanded he say sorry
to Helen. Next thing the barman took my gently by the arm and pulled
me away. I felt that honour was satisfied but Helen said to me the
next day “I wasn't bothered by him. He was just some stupid guy.
Moldavian men sometimes carry knives or even guns. You could have got
yourself killed and for what? To prove you are better than him?”
Avoid the
fight, don't let your ego put you in the morgue.
- Fitness
Only after
a month in Crete do I realise just how easy it is to get unfit VERY
quickly. First two days of my 4 week holiday I was drinking and
smoking and not gettng hangovers. Within a week I was sleeping all
day and swearing at daylight ("God's Flashlight" as I call post
drinking summer sun beams). Getting back into Krav afterwards was
hard but now I am back on course and can remember that wonderful
feeling of feeling fit. My day job means I do a LOT of walking but
cardio fitness is another bag entirely. Being fit enough to survive a
P4 grading (see here for that story) is a great feeling and when my
body feels strong, I feel I can achieve almost anything.
