@cinnamongirl
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Re: I can’t kick above the waist!
Hey Magpie – I have the same limitation – due to a lower back issue, I can’t kick high either. I was worried about this going into my L2 test (back in March), but my instructor told me not to worry about kicking high, just work on my technique. A kick to the knee, shin or even ankle can mess a dude up in a fight! I would talk to your instructor about your concern, I’m sure they will tell you the same thing. Good luck in your test!
Re: Can’t get pass the white belt level and now I can’t sleep
Headlock from the side is a funny one for me too. Sometimes, I can get it right on and my attacker is on the ground, and sometimes it doesn’t go as planned. When that happens, we’re told to keep going with the attack – which usually means to keep hitting to the groin until you can get your hand in position to crank the head back. For choke from the rear I found that making sure to step on an angle when I’m turning around helped my feet land in the right spot – not sure if that makes sense – it’s hard to describe without showing you. For those techniques, see if you can have an instructor watch you do it, they should be able to see where you are going wrong and help you out.
Keep working Crash – you’re almost there!
Re: Should I test into the next level or wait?
For what it’s worth, I didn’t think I was ready to test into Level 3, it was my instructors that told me to test. I didn’t have much of a choice..lol!
Our classes are L3/L4 combined- so I am now training with high L3’s (those who will be testing into L4) and new L4’s. It’s intimidating, and very challenging, but I’m loving it. Training with higher level students forces you to step up your game. Plus, we’re doing more weapons defences, which is SO much fun!
I’d say if your instructors tell you that you are ready, go for it!
Good luck – let us know how it goes!!
Re: leg cramps after class most often during sleep
Have a look at your water intake. I find that when I get leg cramps (I get them mostly in my hamstrings and foot/ankle area) it’s on days where I haven’t had much water. Make sure to hydrate well during the day – especially if you’re active.
You may also want to look into a calcium and magnesium supplement – it can be very helpful with muscle cramps. Get some advice on dosage though – men have different requirements than women and too much calcium may be harmful.
Re: Can’t get pass the white belt level and now I can’t sleep
It’s a good idea to take some time off if you have an injury. Better to take some time off now rather than risk it becoming a serious or permanent injury. I would suggest you do some shadow boxing at home – it’s a great way to work on your technique. YouTube has loads of good videos that can help. It also has a ton of crappy ones – so I would stick to KMW ones, and I also really like Kevin Mack’s vids. While they do not replace attending classes in person, they are great reviews for what you’ve learned in class.
Have a look at these by Darren Levine and Eyal Yanilov:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNaGEuDYCDI&list=FLXsD0LOVjOmvJm1L0SaUh3g&index=18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6blxK02E7U&list=FLXsD0LOVjOmvJm1L0SaUh3g&index=16
Good luck!
Re: Can’t get pass the white belt level and now I can’t sleep
Crash, I think you may be overthinking all of this. Some of the things you are concerned about – for example, keeping your elbows down when punching – are things that people work on long past their L1 test. (if it makes you feel better, I’ve seen instructors correct a L3 about his elbows) They are not looking for perfection at this point – just knowledge of the techniques, and more importantly, that you don’t give up during the test. If you make a mistake during a defence, keep going, don’t stop and try to start over, improvise and keep going. Different instructors will give you different feedback – it can be confusing at times, but eventually, everything they said will come together.
Good luck – I hope you get to test soon so you can stop agonizing! Once it’s done, you will realize that it was one of the hardest things you’ve ever done – and one of the best things you’ve ever done!
Re: How the heck does this work?
Congrats on starting your Krav training! One of my favourite things about Krav is that it is designed for anyone to be able to learn. Stick with it and you WILL get better! Don’t worry about asking questions during class – any instructor worth his/her salt love students who are eager to learn. One thing I can never stress enough – communication is the key. If you are not clear on a technique – ask your instructor. Is your partner going a little too hard on you – ask them to hold back a bit until you are more comfortable with the techniques. Have fun and before you know it, you’ll be kicking the crap out of your fellow classmates in no time! 🙂
Re: Groin Kicks is all there is
This is legit KM sparring, IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA5qOXD9dQA[/QUOTE]
I don’t know about you guys – but at my Krav gym – quite a few people spar like this on a regular basis. :):
We don’t go for the KO in Krav, because we all have jobs – jobs that pay our bills (including our Krav gym memberships!) and feed our families. Even with our awesome health-care in Canada, no one can risk extended time off from work due to injury.
If we were an MMA gym that was training professional fighters, that would be a different animal. That being said – while I haven’t been KO’d in class, I have taken quite a few shots to the face during sparring, and while I’m not a fan of being hit in face, I am getting used it. Which is the point of our sparring sessions – I can get hit in the face and not freeze up – which is what I did the first few times.
Krav and MMA are two different animals. One is purely for self-defence and one is a professional sport. Yes the skills of one translate to the other, but let’s not get into a pissing contest over which one is better.
Re: Can’t get pass the white belt level and now I can’t sleep
I’m not an instructor – I’ve been doing Krav for about two years now – but I’m getting some red flags from your instructors’ responses to your questions/concerns.
You are going to class three times a week – and they are comparing you to people who go every day? That does not sound right to me at all. Two to three times a week is the recommended attendance for the KMWW curriculum. Not sure what your club or membership is like, but could they be pushing you to go to more classes so they can make more $$ from you?
Don’t forget that rest is an important part of training – don’t push yourself too much or you will risk injury and burnout. I can attest to this from personal experience.
You’ve been going to class three times a week for six months, and you’ve only done 360 defence three times in class? Again – does not sound right to me.
I’m hoping some of the instructors on the forum see this thread and can chime in.
Paging Kevin Mack and CJ’s Dad!Maybe send one or both of them a private message and get their advice.
Keep us updated!
Re: Can’t get pass the white belt level and now I can’t sleep
Like everything in life, you can’t compare yourself to others. You have to learn at your own pace. Don’t forget, six months is only a guideline – not a hard and fast rule.
Talk to your instructors (I find I say this a lot, mostly because I’m very lucky to have awesome instructors who are passionate about Krav and love to teach people who are willing to learn) They are your best resource – talk to one or two that you’ve trained with the most and ask them for advice.
If you are questioning your technique during class, call the instructor over and ask how you are doing – not only will you have assistance, you are also establishing a relationship with your instructors. The more they get to know you, the better they can help you learn.
Don’t give up Crash – once you pass your Level 1 test, you will feel an amazing sense of accomplishment! :woohoo:
Go back into that room and KICK ASS!!
Re: Level 2: Gloves or no gloves?
That’s interesting. I have not seen anyone wear MMA gloves in class – the most I’ve seen anyone wear is hand-wraps. For L2 classes, we all have our boxing gloves with us in case our instructor has us working on sparring, or with mitts. A few people will wear bag gloves or MMA gloves for a bag class, but that’s about it.
Re: Welcome -cmon Introduce Yourself
quote Crash20:Hey everyone,
I’m a 54 year old gay man married for almost 20 years. I have next to no experience in sports or martial arts of any kind. This summer there have been a rash of gay bashings; one ending in the death of a young man I believe in front of his partner or husband. These attacks took place in areas that were know as safe for gay people. I became somewhat disturbed and afraid for myself my husband and my friends. So I decided I needed to do something about it. About 2 months ago I took my first Krav Maga class and right away I felt like it was the right thing to do. I feel a little more confidante and feel at least I’m doing everything I can do to be prepared in the event something should happen. This has been hard for me as I’m a guy who ran from all of my bullies it is even hard to stand in front of a class partner and put my hands up, but I feel that I must do this. Things come up in class all the time, my lack of balance, my lack of aggression and I’m doing my best to live up to these new challenges. Any advice on how to get a handle on these new skills would be appreciated. ThanksWelcome Crash20 – respect to you for taking steps to protect yourself and your loved ones! I also had no experience in martial arts, or anything athletic before starting Krav. At first, it was uncomfortable for me to show aggression during training – it took help from my training partners and instructors to get that out of me. It didn’t take long..lol! Sometimes, you need someone to really get you angry in order to get the energy to fight back. Then you develop the skills to control it. My best advice is to keep at it, the more you train, the better you will be. Also, talk to your instructors – the better they get to know you, the better they can help you. Good luck and Krav on!
Re: A Little Disappointed…
If it helps at all, I have trouble with the buck and roll as well. I’m by no means a small woman, in fact, I find I have as much trouble bucking some of the smaller guys (and gals) in my class, as I do the big guys. It’s not about strength, it’s about technique. Some people just grasp the technique faster than others. As for sparring – we do quite a bit of it in L2 at my club. I think that’s because our owner/head instructor is a big believer in it. Krav is the only thing I’ve ever done, so this is all new to me too, so I can relate to how you feel. After my L1 test, the first couple of months in L2 were incredibly hard for me – I was seriously doubting my skills. After speaking to the owner/head instructor, I found out this this feeling was actually pretty common. I’m feeling much more confident now. There is no shortcut, hard work and perseverance will pay off. As for Krav lacking in ground-fighting skills – KMW has recognized this and has developed a new curriculum for ground fighting. I believe they are in the process of training the instructors and it should be coming out soon!
Re: Krav Maga modifications
I would NEVER use this technique! First of all, I don’t this he’s right when he says that the attack is compromised when you block and strike at the same time. It takes a bit of practice, sure, but one you have it down, I think it would be pretty effective. Second, when moves his hand down to grab the wrist holding the knife, he directs the knife to point directly to his side. It wouldn’t take much for the attacker to re-direct and stab in the stomach.
That being said, I am far from an expert, I’d love to hear what any of the instructors on this forum would have to say about this! (I pretty sure I know what my instructors would say. I’d repeat it, but I don’t think I can use that kind of language!)
