Swimming Through Martial Arts
Before the pandemic, I was attending Krav Maga five days a week for a total of twelve and a half hours of training. I was already behind the eight-ball in terms of disabilities, so I would do anything to catch up.
Then my overworking of my body caught up with me. A few months later, while in plank, I felt electricity run down my arm. I fell over, whimpering. After that, I was left in pain so agonizing, I wasn’t able to sleep at night. I had injured my acromioclavicular, or AC joint badly, and the muscles around it were spasming in horror.
I’m fortunate to have found amazing physical therapists who have been helping in my rehabilitation, but they also warning me. Repetitive muscle use day after day without cross-training was going to lead to long-term damage and a lot of pain. The AC joint is instrumental for punching, push-ups, and sprawls, which is the bread and butter of Krav Maga. So I would have to be creative if I wanted to keep up with my training, without destroying myself in the process.
Getting Back Up
Therapists limited me to twice-a-week Krav Maga training. Of course, that didn’t mean I could spend my newly freed time sitting on the couch. So the quest began to find a way to do cross-training.
In order to maintain cardio, friends recommended indoor cycling classes. Sadly, due to my disabilities, the loud music and strobe lights would be unsafe for my health. I also worried that some studies were linking indoor cycling to knee pain, which I really didn’t need on top of my current injury.
One week, when my instructor was on holiday, after googling around, I decided to try Aqua Studio. Given how sensory-friendly it was and the close proximity to my home. I was shocked at how much I loved it, considering how it was the exact opposite of Krav Maga. My Krav Maga studio is aggressive, constantly putting us on high alert. My amazing instructors are former Israeli soldiers who bark orders and have been hardened by boot camp and battle. The classes are male-dominated, and we learn how to survive. We have to imagine being choked and attacked, and deal with high levels of stress.
In sharp contrast, Aqua Studio is a wonderfully peaceful environment. We exercise on stationary bikes in a candle-lit, saltwater pool. People speak softly and the music is instrumental and gentle. There are gloriously scented soaps in the luxurious women’s changing room. Many of the classes are women only, and even the co-ed ones are almost entirely female. No one is under attack. We’re all happily riding our bikes in imaginary beautiful fields and up pretty mountains. We let go of stress and cheer each other on. Even when we are pushed hard, It feels like we’re all friends on an awesome trip, instead of trying to survive a war.
An Adjustment
I admit it took me a bit of time to adjust. When Ryan, one of my favorite Aquacycle instructors told the class to close our eyes and relax, I tensed up. In Krav Maga, closing your eyes is part of a drill where we get attacked. I had to learn how to let my guard down.
Yet, despite, or maybe because it is so opposite, cross-training in the water has been incredible for my martial arts training.
Body awareness
One of the most important parts of Krav Maga is understanding proprioception, where my body is in space. Having the water around me as I train allows me instant feedback. It allows me to feel the full extensions of my leg, the flexing and pointing of my feet, and the need to support my core.
Flexibility
I owe my side-kick to another favorite instructor Stacy, whose Restore class is all about “mild aerobic exercise with deep breathing and stretching.” His training has been instrumental in opening my hips and allowing me to develop better flexibility. His class is focused on stretching out the body, making me more supple. And I admit, practicing sidekicks in a saltwater pool allows me to feel like Bruce Lee.
Cardio
When I did my first Aquacycle Blend Spin class, I was smug. I was sure after doing three classes by Raz Chen back to back, I was ready for anything. Aquacycle may not have the urgency of Krav Maga, but it is definitely not a light workout. I was sore in places I didn’t know existed, as I was forced to use new muscles. I sweated hard and was exhausted.
Lucky Benefits of Swimming Through Martial Arts
Happily, it’s also safe. The buoyancy of the water reduces stress on my joints and muscles. I’m also able to sneak in strength training because the water provides resistance and forces me to work more muscles. This also means increasing my calorie burn because it takes more energy to move my body through water than it does air.
Training in a saltwater pool also boosts my immune system, decompressing the spine, increases blood circulation, and works as a great exfoliator
Most importantly, it’s helping to remind me of what I love about martial arts by making me more balanced. By enjoying my aggressive and competitive Krav Maga world alongside my more gentle and soothing Aqua Therapy world, I’ve found I’m looking forward to expressing both sides of my personality. I even mind myself incorporating my Krav Maga training in the pool, standing in a fight stance during off-bike arm-work, and practicing my punches under the water where using my shoulder is less painful.
By expanding my training, I’ve become a better Krav Maga practitioner and found new teachers to augment my skills, as well as protect my body so I can train for many years in the future.
And if that means doing it in a spa-like environment (strictly for training, of course), so be it.
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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