There are three components of reality based self-defense: simple technique i.e. what you will actually be able to do in a real life altercation, aggressive mindset (the will to survive) and physical fitness. Nobody wants to be told that their fitness level is important to their survival however this is the truth. In almost all disasters and threats to a person’s existence etc it is the fit who survive. When I first started training in Krav Maga, this was something that was instilled in me: you can know everything you need to know and be able to perform kit perfectly in a controlled environment but when reality bites you better have the gas in the tanks to make what you know happen.

There are weight classes in combat sports (boxing, wrestling, MMA) for a reason: the promoters want the fight to be as even as possible – so it lasts as long as possible. On the street such niceties don’t exist. A 230 lb guy can start (and is most likely to do so) on a 160 lb guy etc. In the real world weight classes don’t exist. Every advantage a person has is an unfairness to the other…

You don’t have to be big to be strong you just have to be strong. Everyone in the school has seen Jose kick and punch. At 130 lb’s Jose certainly can’t argue that it is size that allows him to kick like a mule and/or have a punch like a sledgehammer: that’s down to good technique and strength. If you feel like you’d lose out to the bigger opponent then these are the two areas to concentrate on. Our regular classes develop technique but they’re unable to focus exclusively on strength & power development.

Tomorrow we pick up the Kettlebells and start to address the strength and conditioning component of our training. Repetition is great for technique however we also need to develop the power behind the punch/kick. That’s what the Saturday, Monday, Tuesday classes are about.

These classes will not teach you how to punch and kick (that’s what classes are for)  from a technical perspective, they will however teach you how to do it with power…and that’s what counts.