Over the past 13 years, I have seen many Krav Maga students and instructors progress at various levels. The ones who become the most proficient have the following traits:
- Consistency. Three, two, even one session a week consistently over a long period of time seems to lead to the best results. Some students come in, “gung ho” to get their next level, train 3 or more times a week then disappear for a time until the next test date. Their progress is relatively slower than the student who trains consistently week to week.
- Attention to Detail. There are no shortcuts. A flashy gun technique entertains the untrained eye but a well-trained expert will see the flaws that could be fatal in real life. Attend to the details that can determine the outcome of a self-defence situation.
- Fundamentals. Students who work on the fundamentals- footwork, body defences, striking, etc- progress and are better able protect themselves. They also revisit the basics, continuously developing and refining. Again, no shortcuts.
- An Open Mind vs Memorization: Assaults are unpredictable so memorizing techniques severely limits your capacity to adapt. The best practitioners learn to adapt to unpredictable/surprises by understanding Krav Maga principles.
- Open to Correction/Feedback. Most students want to know how to get better. Others(happily this is rare), don’t welcome criticism and don’t progress.
- Fitness. You don’t have to be an Olympian to train in Krav Maga but developing a decent fitness level allows you to train consistently and helps to prevent injury.
- Stress Training. Stress training reveals, among other things, how well you know how to protect yourself. It highlights your strengths and your weaknesses, giving you an opportunity to focus your training and improve.
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