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Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
FYI, I used Krav Maga as an example, and wasn’t picking on any organization, that happens in any MA school. Now that MMA is the new craze, there are so many opening up, that it has to be watered down in terms of content. So what I see is what I said earlier, lots of punching kicking and very little technique!
I’ve been wanting to open up a school for the last couple of years, but in my area, if you were able to draw a rectangle, that is 2 miles wide, by 3 miles long, there are at least 15 schools(Karate, JKD, MMA, etc….no Krav Maga) that I can count of the top of my head, without going up and down every single street. That’s just on the main drag.
I’ve stopped in a couple and notice a couple of things: Way too much cardio and classes are very large, so you aren’t getting much hands on instruction, the only way to keep the masses happy is to make them sweat, feel like they did something!
I’d say about 10 minutes per 1 hour class of warmup, then depending on what you are teaching, drilling, there is a workout aspect to that as well.
If you want crossfit, go do crossfit!
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
I agree with Plantmans first comment. I think the whole fitness/extreme fatigue aspect came with the creation of KMWWs licensee program to fill in some of the gaps. I like it sometimes but you shouldnt always be put in a state of extreme fatigue before you start to learn.
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
I agree. If I’m teaching something new, different, or slightly more complex, I like to have my students physically fresh and clear minded (ditto if/when I’m the student too). I can always add conditioning to the end of the workout or during dynamic drills. I don’t want my students so worn out that they can’t execute the techniques properly or too tired to focus mentally during the learning phase…
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
quote Don:I agree. If I’m teaching something new, different, or slightly more complex, I like to have my students physically fresh and clear minded (ditto if/when I’m the student too). I can always add conditioning to the end of the workout or during dynamic drills. I don’t want my students so worn out that they can’t execute the techniques properly or too tired to focus mentally during the learning phase…I cannot agree more… If we are too tired from the extreme workout, we will not be able to perform the movement as well, we will not be able to focus as much, and our attention span is lessened.
Our instructor had a meltdown the other day because he did not feel the “energy” he wanted from us. During class he was pissed so he made us do more cardio stuff, which only made things worse. Plus, in addition to the cardio, we were doing fallbreaks and ground fighting. Naturally, that is a much more exhausting class. After class he bitched us all out big time saying of we didn’t want to do it, don’t come back.
Like I said earlier, this is literally the only krav school around, so I cannot simply go to another school, nor is there another school for me to look at to see if this is normal for krav schools.
I believe I am almost ready to test as I have been training in Krav for 7 months now and I feel I know all the movements pretty well. But, the testing process is absolutely exhausting. I was at the last testing (I was not testing) and it was a solid two hours of very heavy cardio and intense Krav before they had the first 30 second break to even hydrate. There were no resting breaks at all the whole night and testing went on for a total of 4 hrs 45 min. While I am technically able to perform all the defenses and combatives, I am not at the fitness level to perform at that high a level for that long of a time. Given my age, I might not ever reach that level of fitness he requires.
Is this level of fitness and extreme intensity for level 1 testing considered normal for other Krav schools?
Mind you, I am not whining or bitching. I am only trying to figure if this is normal for Krav or is it our extremely fit and muscular instructor expecting us to be at his level of fitness?
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
I have several students over 60 that are progressing nicely, including one who just got his brown belt. If your instructor is making it nearly impossible to get through class unless you’re a PT stud, then he’s probably trying to cover up the fact that he’s not very technically sound. Krav Maga should be presented the way it was intended, for everybody, not just special forces soldiers and ninja assassins.
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
quote ghostvet:Our instructor had a meltdown the other day because he did not feel the “energy” he wanted from us. During class he was pissed so he made us do more cardio stuff, which only made things worse. Plus, in addition to the cardio, we were doing fallbreaks and ground fighting. Naturally, that is a much more exhausting class. After class he bitched us all out big time saying of we didn’t want to do it, don’t come back.Wow GV, that is just wow. Sounds like he needs some remedial training on being an instructor and running a business… :thunbsdown:
Ditto to what Jeremy said!
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
Let me guess Ghost vet, this instructor was not doing the workout with you guys as much as standing in class directing the workout. Ive witnessed that first hand in various disciplines where the instructor doesn’t really appreciate how hard the workout is primarily becasue he isnt in the ranks doing it.
I always respect those more that get in line and match you strike for strike, push up for push up, etc.
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
I agree with Don and Stafford, but I don’t think an instructor should be training while running a class.
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
quote Don:Wow GV, that is just wow. Sounds like he needs some remedial training on being an instructor and running a business… :thunbsdown:Ditto to what Jeremy said!
X3
Your instructor sounds like a jerk to me GV….just sayin.:dunno:
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
quote Jeremy Stafford:I have several students over 60 that are progressing nicely, including one who just got his brown belt. If your instructor is making it nearly impossible to get through class unless you’re a PT stud, then he’s probably trying to cover up the fact that he’s not very technically sound. Krav Maga should be presented the way it was intended, for everybody, not just special forces soldiers and ninja assassins.Ya know, that really hits a spot for me…
I am very detailed oriented, and I really focus and concentrate when the instructor is demonstrating. I study all his body mechanics when he does something, and I mimic it while he is demonstrating so I get my mechanics down. I watch his feet, his hands, his head, etc very closely to see where mine should go.
On many, many occasions he does the movement wrong. I know this because when I do the exact same thing he did, he corrects me. I am not talking about a minor adjustment or refinement, but something completely off. For instance, he was demonstrating a front kick, vertical target. Each time he demonstrated it, he kept his upper body completely straight, perpendicular to the floor. When I was doing that, he said I need to get my head and body back so I can kick properly. But I just watched him do it a bunch of times with his upper body straight up! This is only one example, but it is a regular occurence. I study his movements intently and try to emulate them, only to be told I am doing it wrong. Oftentimes, he will demonstrate a movement, doing it differently each of the times he demonstrates it.
He says he is a senior brown belt in Krav, and I think he has belts in others such as Muay Thai.
He puts on some advanced weapons classes every now and again- which are great. But I saw him getting instructed in and getting the movement down only a week or two before on the very same movements he is teaching only a week later.
Like I said, no bitching, I am new to Krav and I just do not know if this is normal or not.
As for his fitness level, he is a virtual machine! I envy that much… Lol. He is also a nutritional counselor (or something like that) and was/is a physical therapist (or something like that). No, he does not do the fitness cardio stuff with us, but not for lack of ability. He participates in iron man type events all the time, and swims out far enough from shore and into the boating channels to have been picked up by the USCG. Not a rescue, they just didn’t think it was so safe to be swimming by himself that far out… Lol
So, how are other classes run? And, I really want to know how level 1 testing is done elsewhere.
I was at the last testing session to take notes and get video so I know what to expect. I am pretty well convinced I cannot perform at that level of fitness for 4 to 5 hours. This is not insecurity talking, I am confident of my abilities, but I also know well my limitations!
I absolutely love Krav, but I do not know how much longer I will pay for classes for my family and me (me, wifey, son, 2 daughters) if there is little hope of advancing. And I am getting pretty bored of doing the same fundamentals over and over because we get new students in class. Ok, that part was bitching… Lol
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
A slight qualification to my above statement…
Indeed I think the instructor should be instructing while running the class. However, when running the warm-ups, IMO he should try to be doing the warm-up. As i said , its easy for instructors to get into the lets just push a lil harder mindset when the class is already pushing a lil harder. 🙂
Re: What is the workout/fitness part called?
If an instructor is performing the warm up with the class, then they can’t pay attention to the students. An instructor should always be making corrections and providing encouragement, even during warm up. If a student is injured due to poor form, then the instructor is probably negligent and should have been paying better attention to the class. As far as pushing too hard, that comes from knowing your students and “reading” the class, hallmarks of a good instructor.
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