I know that TV has very little to do with reality, but sometimes, stupidity hits a new low. One of my students showed me a clip from an old TV show, “Prodigal Son.”
In one episode, one of the villains was an evil Krav Maga instructor, who beat up students and took sexual pleasure in hurting them. A friend of my student had seen the clip and wanted to be sure she was safe taking classes with me. Happily, the student was able to explain that there was no actual Krav Maga shown in the episode, but still thought I should see it.
I was horrified to see this clip from Prodigal Son. It’s sad to think after watching the show, people might not want to try the real thing, especially those who need it most.
Yes, I know there are bad teachers out there.
Unfortunately, Krav Maga has no trademark, so anyone can call themselves an instructor, including those untrained and unprofessional. This gives my profession a bad reputation, even though many instructors are qualified to teach what should be an empowering self-defense system.
I know I can’t reach millions of people like the show Prodigal Son did, but I want to at least try to debunk the bullshido and talk about authentic Krav Maga, from a certified instructor, who was taught by the students of the Grandmaster himself.
First, and most importantly, the idea of a Krav Maga instructor taking pleasure out of hurting their students is deeply offensive to me.
Yes, my students tease me that I’m “mercifully challenged” because I love seeing people sweat and I am not known for my patience with excuses. Of course, it’s a joke. They know it’s because I love seeing them succeed and want to help them improve. Having served in a war zone, I have seen enough human suffering to last a lifetime and want to spend the rest of my life in positivity.
Even when I must be unpleasant with my students and put them in uncomfortable situations such as mounts and chokes, safety and respect are my priority. Krav Instructors are no different than any other professional whose job involves physical contact. I work with them only for their benefit, and maintain respectful boundaries at all times. I hate the idea that this show makes my profession sound perverted when my job is to teach people how to avoid being victimized by perverts.
Second, the macho and cruel Krav Maga shown is a myth.
You can’t “try to kill a guy using Krav Maga.” Since Krav Maga is about self-defense, attacking someone is just brawling. The line “Israeli martial arts will mess you up,” is stupidity. While I normally love hearing anything Israeli being praised as effective, every martial art will mess you up if used offensively. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong end of a Muay Thai or Karate strike. (Yes, I will mention Krav Maga isn’t a martial art, but I’ll leave that rant for another time)
The motto of Krav Maga is not “defend to the end” but “so that one may walk in peace.” The idea to “inflict so much damage that your opponent can’t hurt you again” has no source in Krav Maga. The goal is to get home safely and disengage from the source of danger.
If you have no choice and are in the contact combat situation, you do use maximum aggression, but the point is not to get there. I teach my students efficient strikes for disengaging, not for punishing others. Besides, your opponent’s friend can always hurt you more if you don’t disengage.
Third, despite what the show says, Krav Maga is created for everyone.
Grandmaster Imi Lichtenfeld developed it to keep Jewish civilians safe from pogroms right before the Holocaust. The idea was that young and old, strong and frail, men, women, and children would have the ability to defend themselves from danger so that they could have a good quality of life.
Even when used in military and law enforcement, it’s for de-escalation and peace-keeping. In my previous work as a combat instructor, I taught 10,000 soldiers, including US Marines. I maintain the same values in all of my classes, to avoid violence and only do what is required to keep the peace.
Fourth, the idea of a proper Krav Maga instructor getting into bar fights is so stupid, that it’s laughable.
My nightmare is going on trial for murder even if I was legitimately defending myself or others. If I land one punch and my attacker’s head hits the floor, they die and my life is in the hands of a jury. Starting a fight and hurting someone would definitely land an instructor in prison for a very long time.
Fifth, nothing on the show would be legal in a Krav Maga class.
No teacher would kick a student from behind, try to break their arm and choke them. Americans love lawsuits. More importantly, that is assault and possibly attempted murder charges.
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I hate seeing something wonderful defamed. One of the greatest parts of my job is seeing people have better lives by learning Krav Maga. My goal is to help them be more confident, healthier, more assertive, more disciplined, and most importantly, able to defend themselves.
I hope people ignore the show and give legitimate Krav Maga a chance. I know it can improve everyone’s life so that they can walk in peace with themselves and the world around them.
Plus, working out is so much better than watching inaccurate television such as Prodigal Son.
Note: What topics would you like me to cover in the future?
- Tehran fails to impress on Krav Maga - September 18, 2023
- The Pursuit of Perfection - August 7, 2023
- Grace Under Pressure - March 17, 2023
As a student of Raz’s for many years, I can attest to everything he says regarding the mindset and style of Krav Maga instruction. For me, one of the most important takeaways that I share with others, is situational awareness. Being aware of your surroundings and knowing how to safely navigate spaces and reposition or remove yourself to avoid potentially harmful situations is half the battle. Raz and other KME instructors also helped me to look and feel stronger with my head held high as I walk in peace with a greater sense of confidence so that I don’t present as an easy target. Should I ever find myself in a situation that I couldn’t prevent, I now have many tools, which I continue to develop in order to defend myself and others if I need to. Thanks Raz!!