Thursday, April 11, 2013

Krav Maga, 4 months in

I've mentioned in passing that I started Krav Maga classes and a few of you have asked about it. If there's anything I didn't address, feel free to ask in the comments and I'll reply. I'm not an expert by any stretch but I'm enthusiastic.

gloves
{gloves}

Krav Maga is fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine, which is to secretly be capable of serious ass kicking. I'm not sure where this originated because I've never been beat up by anyone other than my sister (we had some pretty good sister-style fights growing up) but I think it has to do with a disconnect between my mental and physical confidence. I won't hesitate to speak up in any situation but I've always been keenly aware that I'm pretty timid physically and if push came to shove I'm not sure I could hold my own.

I'd read about Krav, which is basically street fighting based on the Israeli Defense Forces training, and then a Groupon popped up and it was meant to be. After our Groupon was up we got a good deal on a year long membership and called it our Christmas gift to each other.

I've been going 5 - 8 hours a week since early December and I didn't start to turn a corner until a full two months had passed. I should have guessed this would be the case because my athletic coordination ranks just above that of a sea slug. I've spent most of my life trying to get out of any and all group sports, occasionally by hiding in a bathroom stall with a book (summer daycamp grades 4 - 6, I'm looking at you). I will run and swim and ride but please don't ever ask me to participate in any game involving aim. Krav isn't really choreographed but it does involve simple sequences of movements that I find incredibly challenging.

hate being bad at things so it was hard to willingly subject myself to several hours a week of being the worst. I sometimes dreaded going. If I had a particularly rough class I'd feel bummed out when I got home. There's a lot of pressure because you partner up and working with someone below your skill set can really ruin a class. I'm keenly aware that I'm not the best partner yet and I feel guilty about it, even though everyone else presumably was bad at some point as well.

But, as I said, I started to feel a change around two months. I am getting better. When I have a good class, I feel amazing. I know from past experience (a few years of ballroom dance classes that were highly humiliating at first) that once I get the muscle memory built up I'll start progressing faster. I'm not going to let myself be limited by my comfort zone.

Obviously, Krav is very physical. It's focused largely on self defense but we learn offensive moves as well, so that we can hold up in a fight if we're in a situation where bailing out isn't possible. There's also a mental aspect to it. The instructors stress the importance of getting used to the physicality of being hit so that if you're ever in a situation where you do get hit, you have some frame of reference and you don't freeze up. I take this to heart because even in the safe environment in class my mind will blank out the second someone starts choking me, even though I know it's coming. And yes, people do choke you in class, but it isn't as creepy as it sounds.

We spend time punching (with boxing gloves and strike pads), kicking and doing drills. It isn't cardio most of the time, so I still need to supplement with a bit of running. I don't think I've lost any weight, but I am developing new muscle.

I also take immense pride in the gnarly bruises I often get. Not everyone appreciates them, so that could be a pro or a con depending on your point of view.

If you're thinking about taking a class, go for it. Wear exercise clothes you'll be comfortable moving around in. Don't get discouraged if you feel like you're behind. If you're naturally timid, try to break away from that - one of the most annoying things for an experienced person is partnering with someone who is afraid to touch you. Above all, SHOWER. I'm a generally clean person but I'm now obsessively clean. Knowing you're likely to end up in a headlock or clamping your thighs around a stranger's neck will make you more aware of that. You don't want to be wondering if your breath is okay when you're supposed to be focused on learning.

17 comments:

  1. I have been wanting to try Krav Maga for a while now. Now I just need to find a groupon deal!

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  2. I am so glad you like it! And I agree on the showering thing!!! I have been doing Krav for about a year now, maybe a bit more. I also do a kickboxing class (mostly all of my classes are a bit more MMA with kickboxing, Krav and some jiu jitsu)For me one of the biggest obstacles is learning to grab someone or hit someone. I am better at them grabbing me and me getting out of it than I am at playing the attacker. I didn't grow up wrestling with brothers or anything like that, so this is all way outside my comfort zone.

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    1. Yes, I have a terrible time being the attacker! At first I thought I would never be able to adjust to it, but I've noticed that I'm gradually getting better. I felt really self conscious and ridiculous at first (it seems similar to acting, which I hate and am terrible at) but as I get to know more moves I'm feeling less weird about it. I still prefer classes where we do a lot of work with pads over classes where we do lots of attack technique, but at least I don't dread it anymore!

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  3. Very cool! Would you mind sharing what brand of gloves those are?

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    1. I'm pretty sure they are Everlast! Sorry - I keep forgetting to check when I have them on!

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  4. i have pretty much the same secret goal and same reservations you do (although i was a decent archer back in the day, i don't really count that as a sport). i...kind of want to try krav now.

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    1. I think you would have a similar experience (a few months of mortification followed by intense devotion). I think of it as honing up on my apocalypse skills. Your archery will surely come in handy on our team.

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  5. This post could be me verbatim, except sub "Krav Maga" for Rugby. I just started playing and right now it's often times more stress and anxiety than it is fun because I'm brand new, playing on a great team with people who have played for 10 years and I suck. I know it will turn around if I stick with it, but it's hard. So it's nice to hear that it really can! And I am also weirdly proud of all my bruises and scrapes- it makes me feel like such a bad ass.

    Congrats on doing something scar, just cause you've always wanted to, and sticking with it.

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    1. Nice! It's so hard to move out of our comfort zones but I'm glad you've found something that pushes you! It's so worth it.

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  6. Oh my goodness... I just stumbled upon your blog, and the first post I see is on Krav Maga! Serendipity. I actually just tried it myself (and wrote about it on my blog!) and as intimidated as I was going in, I am so looking forward to learning. I've always felt that self-defense is important to me, and while I always went to whatever self-defense classes that were offered, I really needed something that was regular so that I could practice and commit the movements and responses to muscle memory.

    I am feeling encouraged to hear from someone who's somewhat new but four months in! The instructor actually just told me a story about a young woman who was able to protect herself from a 6ft tall 200lb assailant intending to kidnap her... and she was also about 4-5 months in.

    I'm looking forward to hearing more about your experiences!

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    1. Yay! Keep at it! You'll definitely find yourself turning a corner, possibly much faster than I did.

      I feel much safer now. I run home from work some days (along a pretty safe route) and I'm very alert during the portion where I'm somewhat isolated. I'm totally ready to throw an elbow if I need to!

      That said, I'm also highly aware of how terrifying it can be if someone much larger than you gets a hold of you so I'm hoping it never comes to that. My instructor is a large man, so I've gotten used to being picked up, choked and generally manhandled. The helplessness is terrifying, but I'm glad I've experienced a tiny taste of it because I have a much better sense of what I'd be up against if I ever have to defend myself!

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    2. Hey,

      This was awesome to read! I started just under 2 months ago cause I really enjoyed boxing but wanted to do more fighting sort of stuff.

      I am currently covered in bruises - I totally agree with what you said - I wear mine as accomplishment. Its such a great feeling going there learning self defense, even with all the bruises afterwood and conditioning I never leave a class regretting going.

      Yeah I think getting he instructors stress the importance of getting used to someones hands on your neck and kicking, hitting you has been very beneficial for me - I would freeze as well. With that though I always find it easier when they are harder on me - easier to pretend its real and get out of it. Its hard when you partner with someone that isn't experienced or is just doing the techniques really loosely - I find it hard sometimes to be as hard as I want them to be though, so scared of hurting them.

      Krav Maga is awesome and very beneficial - I would def advise people to give it a go (at least a couple of sessions to give it a chance).

      :)

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    3. Yay, Bec! So glad that you're enjoying it, bruises and all! And yes, so much better when everyone is encouraged to be more physical. Some of the moves don't even work if the other person isn't really putting up resistance!

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  7. It's awesome to see more and more women discovering Krav and finding that the training truly develops both physical and mental self-defense capabilities.

    As a Krav instructor, I'm really excited to hear the stories of other women who've taken on the challenge of learning to protect themselves and others.

    So glad I discovered this post!

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