Different Dans in Krav maga

[lions2011]

Just curious but how does a Black Belt become a Second DAn. Do they have to learn brand new moves or just more proficient on the moves they know. Does each DAn have new moves??

I will never probably get past Green level so I will never know.

I never understood the different degrees of Black

[KevinMack]

only Dan 1 and Dan 2 have techniques in the original curriculum.

[davidkahn]

Hi Everyone,

Perhaps, I can shed some light on this subject as a number of people have contacted me privately regarding the IKMA (Gidon System)'s blackbelt requirements. Some background might help. In 1995, Imi entrusted Grandmaster Haim Gidon with overseeing black belt examinations. The IKMA usually requires a minimum of ten concentrated years of study or more to test for a 1st dan (blackbelt). (Haim Zut's organization probably requires the same learning curve.) All blackbelt exams must be taken in Israel. Three senior blackbelts (3rd dan or higher) must administer the test for 1st dan.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss with Grandmaster Gidon how blackbelt tests have changed since Imi first instituted the belt system. Currently, and, as the system continues to evolve under Grandmaster Gidon, blackbelt examinations involve more material than they did in the 1980's and 1990's. The knowledge base is also probed more intensely. Retzev is also used against retzev -- hand-to-hand combat at the highest levels. Each successive dan (1st-3rd) is usually separated by five years of additional learning/training and, usually, teaching experience. Six to seven years of additional experience is required to test for 4th dan.

To provide an idea of the depth of knowledge and required experience tested, the IKMA's current curriculum for 1st dan is seven (single spaced) pages of techniques including 47 topics. Within these topics, there are 114 techniques and variations. For 2nd dan, the curriculum is nine (single spaced) pages and 52 topics. Within these topics are 217 techniques and variations. I'll note that stick vs. stick, knife vs. knife, stick vs. knife include Imi's original defenses along with additional defenses against professionally trained stick and knife fighters. There also specific cold weapon techniques to defend agains takedown/groundfighting experts. A minimum of three examiners including a 4th dan and at least two 5th dans (or higher) must be present for a 2nd dan examination.

For 3rd dan, the curriculum is another seven (single spaced) pages with 15 topics and 57 techinques and variations. I'll mention just a few 3rd dan topics including lethal force applications (military/security establishment), defenses against military/lethal force applications, advanced law enforcement team work, VIP protection, defending against animal attacks, advanced vehicular confrontation scenarios, and room entry and clearing. For 3rd dan, there must be at least three 5th dan examiners.

For 4th dan, the curriculum focuses on advanced military and security applications such as urban warfare and fighting in and under water. For 5th dan, the highest level specific government/security applications are taught. Grandmaster Gidon grants 4th dan and higher directly overseeing the examination. Teaching development is also emphasized such as running instructor courses and testing 2nd and 3rd blackbelt dans. Notably, 4th and 5th dans in the IKMA (Gidon System) are based on skill, technique, and knowledge -- capabilities within the system -- not "political patronage."

[lions2011]

WOW..

and you know the techniques for black dans are super complex and hard.
Glad I will never get that far because I would never absorb it.

I will be a green belt by September for sure which is my ultimate goal in krav maga.

I will leave the brown and black stuff for the real krav experts which is not me.

[Southofheaven]

@davidkahn: Wooow... that is just an incredible amount of stuff to master for the dan tests! When reading it, I can not help thinking of those that say less is more in this matter; this many techniques are too many to handle and the risk of mind-jam in a real incident and so on... Personally, I am a novis and I do not know. I know all the traditional krav maga schools have similar stuff, so I am not trying to bash any specific style. Just curious. How do you think about these things?

[davidkahn]

Hi,

Indeed, the maxim "less is more" is absolutely true in a self-defense situation, especially, when caught unprepared or in the "negative five" position. In reality, one needs to know just a few core techniques very well along with the the capability to execute these defensive movements instinctively and seamlessly while adapting to the threat.

I am a proponent of doing a few things very well. Israeli krav maga is meant to be simple; instinctive gross motor movements will carry the day. However, my point from the IKMA perspective is that a blackbelt represents the beginning of true mastery of the system starting with a flawless knowledge of the basic combatives/defensive tactics through the expert level. The IKMA higher blackbelt ranks denote many hard-fought/earned years of training. Notably, a decade or more of training and organizational devotion do not by default earn a blackbelt.

Most important, at the highest levels of krav maga one must possess a hand-to-hand combat ability; not just self-defense reactions. Controlled aggression is a prerequisite, but, one needs to be skilled in every aspect of a fight including opening recognition and timing. In short, an advanced krav maga belt, particularly at the blackbelt level, must be able to defend against any kind of attack, especially, against a professionally trained person from another fighting system.

Probably the easiest method to compare/judge for oneself is to examine the different krav organization's rankings/abilities by comparing their respective blackbelts on Youtube. I suggest anyone interested should compare the main frontline organizations IKMA, KMF, KMWE, KMG, Krav Maga Alliance etc., especially, at the 4th dan level and higher. You will see some differences.

Best,

David Kahn

[Mike-Man]

Originally Posted by davidkahn

defending against animal attacks...

My wife has been dying to know exactly how animal attack defense
lessons are taught - with real animals? And if so, how?

Just very, very curious, thanks

Regards,

Mike

[davidkahn]

Trained attack dogs.

[lions2011]

The only chance against an animal like a dog is too hammer fist his nose. A Dog's nose is extremely sensitive.
I guess a basic eye gouge using your thumb in raking motion would work.

You have to go for a dog's nose or eyes if you have any chance.

[SicPuppy]

Originally Posted by lions2011

The only chance against an animal like a dog is too hammer fist his nose. A Dog's nose is extremely sensitive.
I guess a basic eye gouge using your thumb in raking motion would work.

You have to go for a dog's nose or eyes if you have any chance.

Or a good kick to the ribs can be very effective (from experience).

[JewishFitness1976]

I think it is no different than jiu jitsu & judo and karate at the black belt levels as there is a lot to learn, even so more with krav maga because this is a martial art based on medical & scientific knowledge as well the art of krav maga is constantly being tested in real world situations.

To give you an idea of the medical & scientific achievements of the boxing world here in the U.S.A. then you get a glimpse of what being a responsible black belt is all about.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/outd...sports-science

[JewishFitness1976]

This one is from National Geographic, just to give an idea of what goes on through the scientific field of martial arts in achieving a black belt.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...t-science.html

[JewishFitness1976]

This one is from the U.S. Military side of things ...

http://www.fighttimes.com/magazine/m...sp?article=645

I have given three different examples and that should give you guys an idea of how krav maga was delevoped over the course of many years.

The founder of Krav Maga took the best from each fighting art, jiu jitsu & judo and karate and worked in some things from the medical & scientific field into what is now called Krav Maga.

[JewishFitness1976]

I think different branches of Krav Maga studies what they study and reports back to Israel's medical and scientific martial art team at the Wingate Institiute in Netanya, Israel.

http://www.jewishsports.net/wingate_institute.htm

[JewishFitness1976]

Hi Lions, I am trying to be nice & Please stop with the " self-defeating " talk and really get into Krav Maga and enjoy yourself and the company of anothers.

Whatever happened to you in the past is now over & you can learn to have self-confidence as you move up the ranking belts.

People think that once they lose their self-confidence that they cannot regain their confidence back or that it will be too hard for them to accomplish. This is not true. It may take time for you to become self-confidence in your self, but you can regain your confidence again once you overcome your insecurities it’s less likely that you will lose your self-confidence again.

In order to gain self-confidence you need to believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself then you can succeed in anything you put your mind to. You may not succeed the first time you try, but you have to keep trying until you do succeed. Quick success does not exist in our society.

Achievements only come to those who strive hard to get them. You get nowhere in life if you do not push yourself. You need to create a lifestyle that is right for you and nobody else. Do not settle for anyone else's lifestyle or for a lifestyle that is beneath your standards.

To make this happen, you must learn to accept who you are, be proud of the person you are. Only then will you feel your self esteem rise up to the skies’! Now onto the 10 steps to self-confidence.

1. Start with writing a journal.

Ask yourself what is making you feel like you cannot get to the point in life you want to reach. Write any thoughts that come to mine. Also, write down what self-confidence means to you.

2. Remember the past is over; you can only change the future.

Write down 10 positive things about yourself. Go through your journal and look at all the positive things about yourself. Concentrate on your strengths. These are the reasons you should love yourself and have high self-esteem and self-confidence in yourself. Give yourself credit for everything positive you have written about yourself. Remember, you are somebody special.

3. Accept yourself and learn to love yourself for whom you are a person.

Everyone has his or her own unique qualities and characteristics. We are all born differently for a reason. Do not compare yourself to others.

4. Understand yourself mentally, physically and spiritually.

Take some time to relax by yourself in a quiet room... Rest on your back with head and neck comfortably supported

Rest hands on upper abdomen, close your eyes and settle in a comfortable position. Breathe slowly, deeply and rhythmically. Inhalation should be slow, unforced and unhurried. Silently count to four, five or six, whatever feels right for you. When inhalation is complete, slowly inhale through the nose. Count this breathing out, as when breathing in. The exhalation should take as long as the inhalation. There should be no sense of strain. If initially, you feel you have breathed your fullest at a count of three, which is all right. Try gradually to slow down the rhythm until a slow count of five or six is possible, with a pause of two or three between in and out breathing.

5. be ready.

Self-confidence comes a lot easier to the person who is sure their ready.

6. Strengthen your inner self.

Write down in your journal what you will be able to do once you acquire the confidence you need.

7. Begin changing what you do not like about yourself.

Confidence comes from within. You need to concentrate on the positive things about yourself.

8. Notice the change in our self-esteem and self-confidence.

Reward yourself each time you do something that makes you feel proud...go out some place or take it easy for the day.

9. Learn how to give and take.

Confidence is being able to find a balance between giving help to people and excepting when we need help.

10. Have a tremendous amount of pride in yourself.

Remember, you are number one!

[JewishFitness1976]

Originally Posted by davidkahn

Most important, at the highest levels of krav maga one must possess a hand-to-hand combat ability; not just self-defense reactions. Controlled aggression is a prerequisite, but, one needs to be skilled in every aspect of a fight including opening recognition and timing. In short, an advanced krav maga belt, particularly at the blackbelt level, must be able to defend against any kind of attack, especially, against a professionally trained person from another fighting system.

Probably the easiest method to compare/judge for oneself is to examine the different krav organization's rankings/abilities by comparing their respective blackbelts on Youtube. I suggest anyone interested should compare the main frontline organizations IKMA, KMF, KMWE, KMG, Krav Maga Alliance etc., especially, at the 4th dan level and higher. You will see some differences.

Best,

David Kahn

Hi David, I have found this to be true with the timing & closing distance. A fight does not start the moment a punch is landed. It starts when someone moves closer within arm length for striking or leg length for kicking. This is where maintaining a level of awareness is so important.

I have always watched what people are doing with their hands at all times & note the distance of where their feet are being placed in relation to my personal space everyday.

Some people do not understand my need for personal space & it is because I almost lost my life once and never again.

Some people call it paranoia but actually it is awareness. I have even tried to have some of my loved ones & my friends watch what is in people's hands all day for one or two days and some " get it " & some don't because of weapons of opportunity is everywhere, including their own hands & feet.

It started with a sucker punch and grew lightening quick & violent from there. These days I have ducked a dozen sucker punches thrown by somebody else. I can not believe the level of un-awareness of some people perhaps because they have never been punched or violently beaten like that in their whole life.

I think some people advancing through various ranking belts may never have a fight in their whole life or maintain that level of awareness and for some, Maintaining a level of awareness is just part of everyday living either because of someone's line of work or having bad experiences have made the person more aware of his surroundings and how people come in or out of a person's space. I can not turn off that instinct and the need to watch what people are doing with their hands and where their feet are.

Some people have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from being violently beaten and not knowing what it was they were looking at was actually lightening quick hand to hand combat. Those who have seen this firsthand will understand what I am talking about. I have noticed that policemen and soldiers & survivors of violent encounters can relate a lot to what I am talking about.

[JewishFitness1976]

Hi Lions, I thought you would respond by now. You have to learn the art of speaking with authority and how to articulate yourself.

Like I said before, I can not stand people with poor social skills and low self esteem skills when I know they can do much better than that.

Setting yourself up for failure, that is something you have to figure out why you are " shooting yourself in the foot " as you speak. Cut out that kind of talk with yourself and another people saying I will get no further than green belt or whatever it is you have going on in your life.

You have to practice at it until you become healthy & strong in the body, mind and the soul. I know you can do much better than that.

Everyone at some point in their lifetime has to start polishing their skills.

Start learning Krav Maga and allow another people to help you, As you help yourself in all areas of your own life. There are many people here to help you.

p.s. do not forget that almost all martial arts provide some form of character delevopment and Krav Maga has that too as well.

[JewishFitness1976]

Originally Posted by lions2011

WOW..

and you know the techniques for black dans are super complex and hard.
Glad I will never get that far because I would never absorb it.

I will be a green belt by September for sure which is my ultimate goal in krav maga.

I will leave the brown and black stuff for the real krav experts which is not me.

See what I mean when I show you the " mirror " ?

[lions2011]

hi Jewishfitness. It is me " Little Lion of Judah" remember

I tend to be getting along with everybody in the room extremely well these days. I am both open minded and extremely nice now.

CJ's Dad had to track me down and give a good krav beat down to learn my mistakes.

So far it has worked.

How are you and are you practicing krav now.
I am doing Krav about 3 times per week and Muay Thai about 1-2 times per week. I greatly think Krav is a better system for myself but I only do Muay Thai to just change things up. Krav is better for the Street and MT is better for the ring or MMA. My opinion.

[JewishFitness1976]

Yes, I remember and am glad you are doing much better.

Got a new Apple iPad for Christmas gift and have krav magazine app ( the free ones for now and will add the paid ones later )

You are lucky to be at a KM training center & make the most of your krav magazine and I hope one day to read that you are trying out for the black belt test.

[lions2011]

Sorry to be negative but there is no way I will ever get to black belt. I will get to Green belt one day soon. I am already doing some advance classes that involve weapon defense only.

My goal is to learn basic and intermediate Krav plus some basic weapon defense then I will have reached my goals. My other goal is to learn basic Muay Thai. My final goal next year is to learn basic BJJ.

So far I have only done 6 months of MT and 15 months of Krav and I started at a later age of 35 than most people.

One thing for sure I was extremely vulnerable to attacks last year but this year I would be 5 times tougher to take out for sure.

[JewishFitness1976]

Hi Lions, stick with your martial art training and see where Krav Maga takes you.

Most important of all, have fun and learn a lot & before you know it you will be a black belt in Krav Maga.

Remember that in Israel, the soldiers of the IDF do not have the luxury of being a black belt. They must learn immediately on their first day and throughout their career as soldiers.

[JewishFitness1976]

Hi Lions, you might find this interesting about the lion from Ross's training blog.

Persist until you ...

http://rosstraining.com/blog/index.php?s=Lion&sbutt=Go

[JewishFitness1976]

Hi Lions, have you re-considered how to have more self-confidence in yourself and earn a black belt ?

This is another example of research being done in the field of martial arts.

There are at least five references in the Torah specifically about the fifth rib.

http://www.easyrashi.com/oldsite/TEFILLIN/the_5th.htm

I can not detail them all from the Torah but this gives you an idea of what went into making each belt from the white belt to the black belt.

[JewishFitness1976]

Well in any case, since last checking messages. I hope you have regained the necessary self-confidence to move up the belt level ranking requirements. :)

[MDeaneUSCG]

Originally Posted by lions2011

Sorry to be negative but there is no way I will ever get to black belt. I will get to Green belt one day soon. I am already doing some advance classes that involve weapon defense only.

My goal is to learn basic and intermediate Krav plus some basic weapon defense then I will have reached my goals. My other goal is to learn basic Muay Thai. My final goal next year is to learn basic BJJ.

So far I have only done 6 months of MT and 15 months of Krav and I started at a later age of 35 than most people.

One thing for sure I was extremely vulnerable to attacks last year but this year I would be 5 times tougher to take out for sure.

I'm not gonna beat a dead horse but remember this one thing: A belt, regardless of color, is simply a means to hold your pants up. You claiming you will never go past green belt means one thing, that you intend to quit after achieving it. Why would you quit? If you haven't learned this as an orange belt yet, you better figure it out before green. You don't stop, you don't retreat, you attack and fight, and persevere, or else you die. You saying "I'll only achieve green belt" is setting a predetermined limit for yourself. If it is all you can ever achieve, because of your abilities, then so be it, but never voice it, and certainly never stop trying. If you believe you can do something, you may be right or wrong, but if you believe you can't do something, you'll be right every time. People that were 'never supposed to walk again' have run marathons because they didn't set predefined limits for themselves.

If a man does his best, what else is there?

[JewishFitness1976]

Good to see I am not the only one saying this ... How about it Lion of Judah ?

[wiccaman]

"A belt only covers two inches of your ass; the rest you have to cover yourself"

Think I might be quoting a Gracie there.

I'm all for continual development. I've been doing Krav for around a decade now and I still find new things to learn. I deliberately expose myself to as much RSBD material and different techniques as I can. Having said that I only do so in order that I can incorporate new approaches as a better way of doing something I can already do. in other words it's as a replacement (generally, there's always scope for covering different situations). I adopt the new technique and abandon the old one (a core philosophy in KM I believe).

In other words my overall number of 'weapons' in my tool-kit doesn't change that much. The tool-kit itself is pretty small but allows me to deal with most conceivable situations. I know a lot of ways of getting out of a choke but I concentrate on 2 or 3 of them for instance. I'd rather train one move ten times rather than 10 moves once if you get my drift.

Don't get me wrong; I have the utmost admiration for the practitioners at the top of the game belt wise. I understand the dedication that takes. But for me learning a lot of extra moves, whilst interesting, wouldn't be something I would keep up. In fact, because of Hick's Law I deliberately 'unlearn' moves I no longer use. I don't want my long term memory popping up with helpful suggestions when I'm trying to operate on auto-pilot.

Anyway, just my $0.02

Stay safe

Al

[bear34]

I may be wrong, but I don't think there are any IKMF black belts(Expert Level) and damn few IKM black belts in the USA. In the IKMF testing for E-Level is only performed in Israel. Makes it hard for most people to reach that level.

[JewishFitness1976]

Looks like Lion wants this to be an old thread not worth resurrecting.

Lions, I do not think you have truly seen a black belt with a high degree of physical fitness hopscotch all over the blowing leaves on the ground moving in & out and you are mesmerized by his hand to hand combat movements being lightening phantom quick on his agile feet.

I have witnessed this firsthand and it is truly exhilirating and scary at the same time. A black belt is more like a gymanstic martial artist and frightening to watch at a safe distance.

You will never know what it is like to truly be attacked like that in real life. That stuff will give you nightmares & PTSD.

I wish you would stop with this negative back-talk & negative self-talk and go after the black belt ranking requirements& keep yourself in supreme physical fitness at all times.

[JewishFitness1976]

I think these quotes by famous Israeli generals will help you understand pyschologically what Krav Maga is all about.

http://www.idfblog.com/2012/04/29/greatest-quotes/

And four Israeli soldiers ....

http://www.idfblog.com/2012/01/12/4-...eatest-heroes/

[wiccaman]

Thanks for that. I've stolen the "the enemy is also having a hard time" quote for our Krav class.

Actually this articulates a thought I always try to have whenever I am about to go into what seems a difficult situation. I imagine how hard it would be from the other side if I was in that position.

I also do it when I think aircraft windows don't look strong enough. I imagine having to kick through one!

[JewishFitness1976]

Originally Posted by wiccaman

Thanks for that. I've stolen the "the enemy is also having a hard time" quote for our Krav class.

Actually this articulates a thought I always try to have whenever I am about to go into what seems a difficult situation. I imagine how hard it would be from the other side if I was in that position.

I also do it when I think aircraft windows don't look strong enough. I imagine having to kick through one!

You are welcome. Glad you found the quotes motivating from the real world to apply to your class & your own life.

[JewishFitness1976]

Lion, you may find this blog motivating.

http://kravmagamama.blogspot.com/201...rms-lives.html

[JewishFitness1976]

Martial Arts and The Bible

As a Christian and a martial arts student, I have often wrestled with the idea of self-defense. Does God expect me to defend my family and myself when physically attacked or am I to "turn the other cheek" and endure it in the name of Jesus? As I considered the many comments I encountered on this topic, I became even more confused. Some advocates for "religion" have gone as far as to say that anyone who practices any form of martial arts is without a doubt bound for hell. It wasn't until I committed myself to a more thorough study of the scriptures that I discovered the truth for myself. The Bible gives more than a few examples of the practice of self-defense and the idea of martial arts. I would like to share some of what I have learned in this study of the Bible - Old Testament and New. The Bible is, in fact, the very word of God (II Timothy 3:16-17).

God and Warfare

The first example of a physical struggle in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 4. It is here that Cain kills his brother Abel. This is an act of violence condemned by God for two reasons. First, the violence was out of anger and jealousy because his brother's actions were better than his own (Genesis 4:4-7). Secondly, the violence was pre-meditated. God confronted Cain before this violence occurred. He told Cain that he would need to figure out how to master the sin of anger and jealousy that was trying to overtake him. What this scripture teaches is that God does not want us to initiate violence but he wants us to train ourselves to master our emotions when tempted with feelings of anger, jealousy and rage. He wants us to prepare our hearts to respond humbly. I believe the study of martial arts can provide this kind of training. I have seen it in my son's martial arts class. His sensei (teacher) may spend up to half of the one-hour class teaching the children humility, manners, concern for others and peace-making. They are taught to avoid violence and stay calm in situations of conflict. This kind of character training is right in line with the example of God's training of Cain.

The next biblical example of a conflict involving a physical struggle is found in Genesis chapter 14. In this chapter, kings are at war and Abram's nephew, Lot, and Lot's family are taken captive. In response to hearing the news about his relatives, Abram sends men to rescue them. In Genesis 14:14-16, Abram sent out "the 318 trained men born in his household". It seems that even though Abram was not at war, he had a training program for his family and household. It was obviously a training program for warfare of some kind - and a good one, at that, since they were victorious in returning Lot, his family and all of their possessions from the hands of warring kings. After Abram's successful rescue, he is honored by God and reminded that God had made him successful against his adversary. God later renames Abram, "Abraham" and he becomes the founding father of faith for the Jewish people (and later Christians as well).

To clarify the meaning of the term "martial arts", Webster's defines the word martial as "warfare" or "warrior", and arts as "a skill acquired by study". In the story of Abram rescuing Lot, the Bible gives us an example of warrior training. Not everyone in Abram's household was a part of the 318 trained men, but the ones that were had excellent martial arts training. And God helped them to be victorious as they executed their warfare skills.

Here are a few other brief examples of warfare, from the Old Testament, that could be studied further:

Genesis 32 - Jacob avoids war with his brother, Esau. He prepares for battle but orchestrates a peaceful resolution.
Deuteronomy 20 - God goes with the warriors to fight against their enemies.
II Samuel 23:8-39 - the Bible describes David and his mighty men of battle.
Nehemiah 4 - the builders of Jerusalem's city wall carry weapons to defend themselves during the rebuilding.
There are many more examples in the Old Testament, with a wide variety of scenarios and many unique resolutions. The subject of warfare is very complex and each situation needs to be considered carefully. Therefore, when faced with adversity, wisdom needs to be applied.

An Eye For An Eye

Even with the Old Testament of the Bible showing support for martial arts training, some might argue that the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament - that God's position on warfare changed when Jesus came on the scene. It might be said that the God of the Old Testament was about war and the God of the New Testament is about peace.

The Bible, however, does not support this. James 1:17 says that God does not change, and Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ [God] is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. As we continue to study this topic, we will see that the New Testament also discusses self-defense and the idea of martial arts.

Matthew 5:38-42, in which Jesus talks about "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth", has been used to condemn martial arts. It reads, "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." At first glance this passage seems to be advocating a reversal of the Old Testament laws. I was swayed by this argument myself, and was torn in my own convictions for some time. But when I finally decided to dig deeper into the Bible, I was amazed and encouraged to find some answers.

Many people who want to obey the Bible simply gloss over this scripture, like I did, because they are torn between what they think the Bible says and their consciences telling them to prepare for warfare and to protect.

The truth is that Jesus never intended to abolish the Old Testament laws. He only intended to clarify them, to reinforce them, fulfill them, and reveal God's heart behind them. This is what Jesus says just moments earlier in Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the [Old Testament] Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." When Jesus speaks about "turning the other cheek", in Matthew 5, he is referring to the Old Testament Mosaic laws found in Exodus 21, 22 and 23. These chapters in Exodus contain the laws God gave to his people, which reinforce and further detail the famous "ten commandments". Jesus is specifically referring to Exodus 21:22 where God explains what punishment should be given if men are fighting and an innocent by-stander is harmed (in this instance, a pregnant woman). This is not a scripture about self-defense but about restitution and punishment for a crime. Jesus referred to this scripture because the people, in religious self-righteousness, were using this particular scripture to justify retaliation and vengeance.

"An eye for an eye" had become an excuse to be intolerant and merciless toward one another. A closer look at the "act of aggression" that Jesus refers to as a strike on the cheek, will reveal that he is talking about an insult rather than a fighting fist. The word "strike" is translated from the Greek word "rhapizo" which is used interchangeably with the word "slap". In the Jewish culture (as in many other cultures), a slap in the face was a form of humiliation or rebuke. It was not necessarily a physical attack and was not meant to result in physical harm. Even Exodus 21:21 (regarding "an eye for an eye") says that if, as a result of a conflict, a pregnant by-stander is forced to give birth pre-maturely but there is no serious injury to the woman or the baby, "an eye for an eye" should not be applied as a punishment. Jesus is confirming that this Old Testament law regarding punishment is not to be used as an excuse for retaliation when inconvenienced or insulted. Jesus is exposing the heart of man and is further clarifying the Old Testament Law. God's desire is that we don't retaliate but rather that we restrain our emotions in the heat of conflict and maintain righteousness and mercifulness. We are not to pounce on our adversary at the first sign that we have been offended. The ultimate goal of God is to win over the offender, help him to see God's mercy and institute a change of heart in the offender (see 2 Peter 3:9-15 and Luke 9:51-56 for further study).

Guidelines For Martial Arts

The Bible provides some guidelines for practicing self-defense and martial arts as it aims to clarify what is and is not acceptable in the face of conflict. II Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture [the Bible] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." I Corinthians 13:7 says, "[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres". Using the Bible as a guide, a person can become thoroughly equipped to be a protector.

Permanent injury or death can occur as a result of practicing martial arts. This does not make martial arts unacceptable to God but God clarifies what is and is not acceptable in regard to deadly force in various situations. For example, Exodus 21:12-14 says that if a person is killed unintentionally, the killer is not guilty of murder. If it is intentional, the killer is to be sentenced to death. Exodus 21:18-19 says that if men are quarreling and one strikes the other and injures him seriously but not permanently (even with a weapon), he is responsible only to compensate the injured man for loss of time and medical expenses. I point out these scriptures to show that God is concerned with the attacker's and the defender's intentions as well as the outcome of the conflict. We cannot simply say that anyone who harms or kills another man is guilty and has committed a sin. It depends on his intentions. Also, we see that using extreme force, or even a weapon may be acceptable if it is used in a way as to not intentionally inflict permanent damage.

The Bible refers to another situation in which self-defense may be used during a robbery, in Exodus 22:2-3. If a man is being robbed, he is entitled to protect his property, his family and himself. If the attempted robbery takes place at night and the actions of self-defense result in the death of the robber, the defender is not guilty. If the attempted robbery takes place in the daytime and the robber is killed, the defender is guilty of sin. The difference may be that in the daytime, the defender should have more control of his actions and should be able to subdue the robber without killing him. Self-defense is warranted but control must be applied. At night, in the dark, maximum force would be acceptable since it is more difficult to assess the threat that the robber poses. It would be more difficult to tell if the attacker had a weapon, or to assess his physical strength.

God expects us to constantly make decisions about the situations we are in. In regard to martial arts and self-defense, it seems that God is concerned with our intentions. Guilt and innocence, to him, are a matter of the heart. God expects us to be directed by the heart of the scriptures in the Bible. We must be directed in our actions by scriptures such as Deuteronomy 5:17, which says, "You shall not murder" as well as I Corinthians 13:7 which says, "[Love] always protects". As the Bible states in II Timothy 3:16-17, all Bible scripture is relevant and useful. During one of my martial arts classes, one of my fellow students asked our sensei, "What attack should I make now?" He had just finished practicing a series of intense self-defense tactics on his partner, rendering him harmless. Sensei replied, "Run". No final "kill-move"? No, it is time to make another decision about the threat the attacker poses. If the attacker has been successfully rendered harmless then you shouldn't stick around to inflict more damage or further risk your own safety. The Bible gives us specific guidelines for martial arts but God also communicates his heart about how he wants us to treat one another. He wants us to treat one another with love - even in conflict.

Weapons

I have also wrestled with the question of whether or not it was right for weapons to be used as a means of defense. Should I own a fighting knife, a sword or a gun? Isaiah 2:4 says, "?They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." If this scripture were taken out of context with the rest of the Bible, to use a weapon would be a sin. But this scripture has to be balanced with others. In the context, this scripture is describing the contrast between the nations of that time and the type of nation Jesus would establish in the future. The nation that Jesus would establish would have no military and there would be no physical walls to defend. It would be a spiritual nation, not a physical one.

The New Testament clearly confirms the right to bear arms. Romans 13:4 says, "For [the governing authority] is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." Even Jesus directs his disciples to acquire weapons as the time of his crucifixion approached. Luke 22:36 says, "He said to them, 'But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'" And in Luke 22:38, "The disciples said, 'See Lord, here are two swords.' 'That is enough,' he replied." Peter soon after uses the sword to protect Jesus and Jesus rebukes him for it. This was not to say that it is wrong to use a weapon to protect someone. Peter had earlier been rebuked by Jesus for trying to keep him from fulfilling his mission of dying for the sins of the world (see Matthew 16:21-28). Jesus was re-stating that Peter was not to protect Jesus from going to his death. This was not the correct time to use the sword. Jesus had his disciples arm themselves because Jesus was not going to be with them, physically, any longer. They would need to protect themselves and each other and Jesus gave them the right to bear arms in order to do so.

Martial Arts Is Not Religion

It is important to note that martial arts is not religion in that it is not an institute of service and worship of God. It is only a tool to accomplish a necessary training. There will be flaws in all martial arts training and even things taught that are contradictory to the Bible. This will happen even when the martial arts style or system is advocating biblical-based training. Romans 3:4 says, "?Let God be true and every man a liar." My son was recently taught by an instructor during class to avoid talking about politics and religion in order to avoid conflict. Though I appreciate the effort made to train the kids to keep the peace, the concept is biblically flawed. I spent the next week teaching Bible scriptures to my son such as Acts 4, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey [man] rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." It is each person's responsibility as a Christian to know what the Bible teaches. Even in Acts 17:10-11, when the apostle Paul taught the people of Berea, the Bereans were honored by God for having a noble character because, "they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Each of us has the same responsibility to examine the scriptures to see if what we are being taught is true, whether it be a teaching from our martial arts instructor, school teacher, neighbor, or religious leader.

Conclusion

Martial arts training has its place. It can help people learn to deal with the inevitable conflicts in life. There is no escaping battle in life. God wants people to be prepared to handle these battles, whether it is to turn the other cheek to an insult, find a peaceful resolution, or physically defend themselves or others. Martial arts and self-defense are not sinful or inherently wrong, but without the guidance of God and the Bible, martial arts could be misapplied. Without proper biblical training we are left to our own sinful nature, which tends toward retaliation, haste, fear, hatred, pacifism, and intolerance. Martial arts is a biblical concept, but even more attention should be given to biblical training. The Bible should be used in conjunction with martial arts training. In conclusion, I Timothy 4:7-8, which says, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

About The Author

Tom Katch, Christian and martial artist. CEO of Kataaro -

http://www.boxingscene.com/martial-arts/28438.php

[JewishFitness1976]

If you wanna go Biblical, man ... Try driving over to the construction warehouse and buy solid steel poles, not the steel pipes with holes in them. Start with the thin circular sizes and bend them until you can break them on a regular basis then move up to the next steel circular size. A quick tip: Wear eye protection. Comes in handy if you are with the U.S. Army or U.S. Marines for MACP or MCMAP.

The Israeli special force soldiers do this on a regular basis and are very frightening and lightening quick in hand to hand combat.

Psalm 18:34
King James Version (KJV)
He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

[JewishFitness1976]

Little Lion of Judah, hoping I have lit a fire within you to start hardcore training to become a Big Lion of Judah.

This is a famous bodybuilder Greg Plitt on what he had to say that I think sums it up the best ...

[JewishFitness1976]

This another photo also sums it up best too.

[JewishFitness1976]

They really make weightlifting equipment based on the Bible. How much more hardcore do you want to get bigger faster and stronger ?

http://www.samsonequipment.com/index.html

[JewishFitness1976]

If nothing else motivates you then perhaps a last ditch motivator will lit a fire for you to start training hard and turn the ladie's heads everywhere as you go on your morning run getting more physically fit everyday.

You are bound to get one of these ladie's telephone numbers as she notices you are getting physically fit.