@parishd
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Re: Krav question
In addition to specific rank-level classes, our school offers several “all” classes each week that cover more advanced techniques and can be attended by people of any rank.
I see two benefits to these classes beyond allowing people to see what’s coming in the future. First, when I train with someone (far) above my level, I can observe how the techniques I’m currently trying to master look when executed in a relaxed, smooth and natural way. Second, when I train with someone below my level, or simply less experienced than I am, I am forced to slow down and really focus on doing the techniques “correctly”, which turns out to be as helpful to me as it is to my less-experienced partner.
Cheers.
Re: concerns with KM
I never tire of the basics drills. Even after advancing a level, the majority of the classes I attend are for the basics. My goal is to have every technique so completely ingrained that my responses are completely autonomic. It also helps expose me to a larger cross-section of body types, attack mechanics, aggression levels, etc., than I would encounter if I just attended the more advanced classes.
Actually I just started back after about a 18-month lay-off due to an injury and surgery, and once again I’m finding the regimented nature of the basics drills to be very helpful. I’m back to 5 days/week and really enjoying it.
Cheers.
Re: Self defense against dogs
I once got accosted by a very large dog, at least 2/3’s of my body weight. Fortunately for me, s/he (didn’t have time to check :OhMy:) was more interested in dominating the encounter than injuring me. I just kept facing the dog, but averting my eyes and backing away slowly, and it turned out okay. If it had actually been intent on injuring me, I don’t think there is much I could have done to stop it. Very scary!
Re: Recovering for next class
I got bloody knuckles for about the first 3-4 months I was training in KM. For me, it was related to poor punch mechanics. Once I got that under control my knuckles were much happier. I now alternate between using gloves, wraps, and going bare knuckled, and it just hasn’t been an issue anymore.
As to being sore, I’m always sore and debating whether I should cut back on my training a bit. I am getting up there in age (mid-fifties) and may be going at it a bit more than my body can bear. I’ve taken more ibuprofen in the last nine months than I had in the previous ten years. :(:
Re: New old guy
I think Krav Maga would be a good fit for you if you can manage 2-3 hour-long sessions a week. Just start slow and keep you eyes on your long-term goals. I started in my mid-fifties with the long-term goal of being able to defend myself. My only previous martial experience had been training in Aikido for a few years, but I learned more practical defenses in the first three months of KM than I did in all of my Aikido training. I’ve been at it for 9 months now and I’m still going strong.
Of course how long it takes one to develop enough skill to defend themselves is a tricky one. I am clearly much more skilled in self defense than when I started, but whether or not I could defend myself in an actual physical confrontation is anyone’s guess. However, at least I’ll now have something to do while I’m getting my a$$ kicked. :D:
Re: Is Krav Maga loosing its reputation?
quote JamesH:Stevetuna, no there is no death tough thingy, sorry. …<snip>Actually there is, but it’s so super-secret that even the person you kill doesn’t know it. Of course since s/he doesn’t know s/he’s dead they keep right on attacking you, which somewhat compromises its overall utility (in the KM sense)!
Re: I need a plan…
quote Nickolas Cook:Plan? Learn the techniques so that you dream them at night, until you wake up throwing blocks and counters. Bust your ass in every class like your life depends on it. Work until you can barely stand upright. Then, when the fight really does happen, and the controlled chaos ensues, your body will retain all that in muscle memory. All you’ll have to do is step back and let your reflexes, your reptile brain, take over. You do that, and you will win the fight.This much of a plan at least I’ve got covered; I currently spend 10-12 hours a week training and I give it everything I’ve got in every single class. I tested to level 2 about a month a go, but I still go to 3-4 level 1 classes a week exactly because I want all of the techniques to flow smoothly and without my having to think about them.
My biggest problems right now are in our weekly fight class, which is what prompted me to post. Today for example was a very rough day. I took four poorly or un-blocked jabs to my nose and I received a bruise on my forehead the size of someone’s hammerfist (my wife is going to kill me when she sees it; I already wasn’t very pretty and this ain’t helping!). I was lucky that the jabs to my nose were from someone who was being at least a bit charitable.
I guess the good side is that I did manage to protect my nose from a lot of other shots, including the hammerfist that wound up hitting my forehead. I was also able to follow your advice CarpeCanis and land forward on a couple of kicks, thus enabling a couple of additional strikes, although unfortunately I still took hits each time.
I must say though, I leave each fight class more frustrated than the last!
Re: I need a plan…
Unfortunately, because I’m still learning how to range effectively, I’m having this problem with opponents that are taller or shorter than me.
The idea of bursting in on a kick is a good one, which I’ve heard before, but I think your point of landing forward on your kicking foot to better close the range is what I’ve been missing. I tend to land back in my fighting stance and then need to close the distance, which is much too slow.
Sounds like I just need to keep practicing until I learn to read my attackers better and respond appropriately. Right now my response time is so slow that the only way I’ve been able to get a single strike in is to go on the attack with specific combo in mind and get out.
Thanks for the response, it’s definitely given me some good ideas.
Re: Headgear & Shin Guards
I bought Title leather headgear with a chin guard. I sweat a lot and I’ve taken some pretty good hits in it, but when it is fastened snugly I don’t have a problem with it sliding around.
For shin guards I bought the kind that are foam padding inside ballistic nylon. A lot of the others have hard plastic shin guards with foam on the inside. The problem, if you want to call it that, is that my guards seem to provide equal protection to the kicker and kickee, while the hard plastic guards protect the kicker much more than the kickee. If I were to buy them again, I’d probably go for the hard plastic.
Re: Who is the opponent/enemy?
quote Relli Kant:Ha! That’s just like my guy with the cartwheels! Unfortunately, I was very inexperienced at the time and didn’t do the obvious to him, as this fighter did! Well, next time… rofl2I just got caught off guard by a cartwheel-like maneuver today from someone who, interestingly enough, formerly trained in Capoera. I thought he was backing off, and he was from the waist up, so I closed only to have his upper body disappear and his foot come out of nowhere to hit me right in the side of the head. I know I’m inexperienced, but I swear that foot wasn’t even attached to his body. :confused:
Re: Couple Defends home
One could debate the wisdom of grabbing the shotgun, but once she did, together they didn’t quit until they were safe. Now that’s the Krav Maga mindset.
Re: Question about Drying Compression Garments
It really depends on the material, but I always line dry mine. Sometimes when I’m pressed for time I’ll roll them tightly and compress them in a towel a couple of times. Doesn’t necessarily “dry” them, but they’re dry enough at that point to wear; much drier than they are 15 mins into class anyway.
Re: I feel like a Shrek Sometimes
I too like training with bigger people, but for the most part they’re not the ones who knock me around the worst. The people who do the most damage to me on punching drills are usually around my height (6′) and about 20-25 lbs heavier than me (at ~172.5). One guy in particular consistently bruises my chest through the pad!
…And he says his punches feel weak to him :(:; I wish I had his technique/power!bow1
Re: Heart Rate Monitor Suggestions?
I’ve trained for ~15 years (primarily indoor rowing) using a heart rate monitor and I find it very useful for keeping tabs on my fitness/endurance level. I use a Polar HRM with a chest strap, which is really the only reasonable option with vigorous exercises. I’ve actually never tried it for KM because I don’t think wearing a watch is safe and I was worried about getting the chest strap embedded into my chest during the striking drills. :D: Now that I’m primarily doing KM, I assess my fitness level indirectly using the HRM on set rowing pieces.
I sprung for a model that recorded splits, time below/in/above adjustable target zones, etc., which I think is very useful, but it does add to the cost. If I were to replace mine today, I’d likely get another Polar. I like the functionality of the Suunto’s, and the bundled software is nice, but the watches are simply too unwieldy.
