Grandmaster Imi Lichtenfled, founder of Krav Maga broke some of his ribs while training for the 1935 Maccabiah sports game. He was not able to compete. He promised himself a key part of his training would be to always avoid all injuries if possible. As my first instructor, Alon Dagan taught me, it’s better to train less and not injure yourself, than injure yourself and be taken out of training far longer for recovery.
Having disabilities means I have to be even more careful than others. What is bearable to most people is very dangerous to me. Therefore, I’m constantly aware of balancing the duology of training past my comfort zone and keeping myself safe.
Among my disabilities is extremely poor night vision, due to my pupils not dilating properly. Training in the dark outside is hazardous for me. There are many excellent reasons to train outside and to train in the dark. It is more realistic and it amplifies the level of difficulty of every single drill. That doesn’t make it safe for me. Not only is it mentally stressful for me to see alternating painful flashes of light and unfamiliar shadows, but it’s also a great way to end up getting hurt.
This means having the courage to sit out on an activity. I can’t make that choice for anyone else, but I can and I will stand up for my own safety. One can respect an instructor and still say “I am not going to participate in an activity I know is too dangerous for me.”
Doubting Myself
I could be wrong. I can be overly cautious and not challenge myself when I could be upping my game. Sometimes, I beat myself up because I already feel so behind other students. Do I really need to add another limitation?
When I get into that headspace, I remind myself that I have to be realistic. Martial arts is a hobby. It’s a hobby that I treasure, but I have a whole world beyond it. I have people counting on me, and I have work I need to do. That’s why I would rather not risk a broken ankle or smashed nose because I can’t see where I’m going. I don’t want to lose out on my entire life, because of one part of it.
Whenever I work with new students, I tell them to never let instructors gaslight them into doing something beyond their capabilities or which is dangerous. Martial arts can be a cruel mistress. A few of my friends tore their ACLs during training, because their teachers had chosen to train dangerously. All of them had to undergo major surgery and spend months in recovery. They had to relearn how to walk again. One of them said to me he knew what he was doing was unsafe, and felt in his gut that this was a bad idea, but blindly trusted his coach. “I spent the next year in rehab.” I promised myself that would not be me. I would sit out on an entire lesson before I would put myself through the pain they endured.
Being My Own Advocate
Students with disabilities are especially vulnerable to peer pressure. They so desperately want to fit in and they don’t want to seem like they are lagging behind. They already feel so limited and they want to feel like one of the group. Therefore, they can start doubting themselves and put themselves into bad situations. This can get them badly injured, as well as reinforce bad habits. Martial arts is about trusting your gut and protecting yourself. If your training does neither, you need a different school.
Remember, you are the one in charge. You know your body, you know your limits and your capabilities and you know when your safety threshold has been breached. Being certified as a martial arts instructor doesn’t grant magical powers of sight beyond sight. In the end, they are making educated guesses and you need to make the final choices.
The reason I am happy in Krav Maga is that I constantly remind myself that, in the end, I am the boss. I am not a meek and subservient student, I am someone who is paying for the privilege of being taught, and I only owe my instructor the respect they show to me. If a teacher doesn’t respect me and my safety, I can walk out and find another one.
While it feels sad that I can’t always participate in every training, I’m happy I’m following in the footsteps of Master Imi and putting my physical safety first.
Paradoxically, sitting out of training becomes the purest act of training possible.
Please read the article by one of the best teachers, Ori Cohen! It is an honor to have gotten to know her and this article shows how awesome she really is.
Off the mat, Elke is a real estate attorney and blogger, with degrees in urban planning, law, and history. She has worked in both the non-profit and profit sectors, has been awarded numerous fellowships, including serving as the Biodiversity Fellow at the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection. She’s proud to serve on the Board of Debate for Peace, which she insists counts as verbal sparring practice.
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At 74 years of age, my instructors are very cognitive of my restrictions and encourage my stepping off the mat during intense training sessions. I’m working to improve my endurance, but not much I can do fir.my flexibility issues.