LAST NIGHT @ KRAV MAGA EDINBURGH

We had a cracking class night which warmed up with kettlebells and barbells. Then it was into the meat of the subject. I spent a lot of time discussing with the guys the finer points of Krav Maga and how it was taught to me and how this really doesn't reflect the way you see it on you tube and how some other clubs seem to train it when you inherit their students. We looked at the chokes last night. A static choke which in all honesty isnt that likely an attack for a guy to receive. However, when someone is really adrenalised they often go for the throat but standing the middle of a room getting chocked is unlikely. So the training has to match reality. It needs to be crowded, there has to be a distraction that allows someone to get their hands on you. You have had lots of weapon failures in the lead up to this. Legs, arms, elbows, knees, parrying the straight attack for example. So we looked at the principle for getting out of the situation once they had their hands on us and the teaching points to remember. We also looked at prevention of this which is using an inside sweeping action. You could use the hand like a boxers parry, or the inside forearm like a more traditional block. I said the value of working prevention is that you get used to working against all straight attacks. The principle is to move whatever is coming at you off line with some body defence. That is, if we don't intercept it first with a strike. So if you look at KM it does't matter if it is a punch, a kick, a gun being drawn on you, a knife threat or a straight stab. The motion is the same. You just fine tune it depending on the attack itself. The essence of KM is to learn quickly, so what you are shown here is a principle for a straight attack then they imprison you saying but you need to learn the next bit if its a gun or a knife, a kick etc. You have already learned to deal with it by taking it off line so you do your homework and look at the framework they provide but ultimately you should be training and developing this stuff yourself. At speed and if you have poor enviromental control you want know if its a punch, a firearm being drawn or a screwdriver thrusting at you. Be honest with yourself. Go with the principles. Techniques are merely something to keep the student interested and keep them coming to class. The real value is the concept of movement against an angle of attack. Keep this in mind and you will do well. If you only train for a month or so and then rely on the TECHNIQUES you have been taught then you are missing the essentials of self defence. The other main point in relation to the chokes is to break the choke and look to flee or scoop up loved ones and exit. You have been choked so you have been taken by surprise, chances are you are on the back foot, you don't know where the exit is or if there is more than one attacker. Don't spend your time striking the attacker with a huge barrage, look to break the choke, counter as necessary and display the tactics that you should have learned.