3 easy ways to improve your self-defense skills.

Self-defense classes at Krav Maga Worldwide certified training centers are designed and taught in a way that makes them accessible for everyone. Our founder, Imi Lichtenfeld, had the idea of making the world a safer place by teaching self-defense to as many people as possible. 

That’s how we got started. Imi Lichtenfeld himself tasked his student Darren Levine, who our Chief Instructor, to spread Krav Maga around the world. That’s why Krav Maga Worldwide’s mission is to empower every person with real skills to be safer and stronger. 

The way Imi described it was that he wanted every person to be able to “walk in peace”. The idea being that if a person trains in self-defense they are better able to protect themselves and will live a more peaceful life. 

It’s a little deeper than that, though. A person who is trained in self-defense understands a great deal about the violence inherent in hand-to-hand combat. That sort of understanding and knowledge are a byproduct of being involved self-defense training. That person has experience with how to punch, kick, defend against chokes, defend against armed attacker’s, etc. 

Self-defense smarts.

The truth is that violence and hand-to-hand combat are ugly, intimidating, things. Considering this, someone who knows how to handle themselves, and how to use violence against someone else, is really less likely to want to get involved in it. There’s a desire to not want to fight that comes with self-defense training. Ultimately that makes someone more peaceful. 

The desire to not want to fight or to be involved in violence or hand-to-hand combat might be the very reason that someone decides to start taking self-defense classes. However a person who isn’t capable of defending themselves is more harmless than actually peaceful. They have no choice because they have no self-defense skills. 

Learning and developing self-defense skills is a process that takes time. Like any new skill. Further, just like any new skill some people develop certain skills faster for certain reasons. There’s nothing wrong with developing a long a bit of a slower timeline than others. Ultimately self-defense training is not a race. You aren’t competing with anyone. You are taking steps to improve your quality of life. 

Developing self-defense skills.

There are things that students of all levels and of all capacities can do to make sure that they are giving themselves the best chance to learn and develop. Whatever their pace may be. The first step is that you have to be involved in a regular schedule of training in self-defense classes. 

Self-defense classes at Krav Maga Worldwide certified training centers are the absolute best classes you can be taking. However if you are training somewhere else, these methods can also still apply.

Have a goal.

This is absolutely essential. You have to have an idea of what it is that you actually want out of each class and your training program overall. 

It doesn’t have to be something lofty like, “I want to earn my Krav Maga black belt.” It can be as simple as telling yourself, “I want to take three classes a week for the next two months.” Goal setting keeps things in focus and makes every step and every repetition meaningful. 

At the end of the day, you are the one who benefits from your training. Nobody else is in the gym, on the mats, doing the class for you. So, you should take a second and figure out exactly why you are there. Give your training a purpose and you empower yourself by laying out a path toward achieving that purpose. 

Have a plan. Every time.

It’s a given that if you are going to a self-defense class as a student, you aren’t going to be teaching. However you should have a plan for class and be prepared. Your learning and your performance in class both start with your preparation for class. 

One of the absolute most simple things you and do is pack your gym bag the night before class. Make sure you have your gear, a change of clothes, a towel, water bottle, and any special items you may need like knee or elbow braces or tape. 

Some self-defense schools require students to wear a uniform. That could be something as simple as a t-shirt with the school’s logo on it, or a gi, etc. If you are required to wear a uniform make sure that you have that uniform ready to go, and make sure it’s clean. 

Puncutality will make your plan work.

Other little things you can do are simple and pragmatic steps to set yourself up for success. Things like planning on where to park. Making sure you have change for parking meters if street parking is required. Knowing what route to take and what traffic will be like on the way to the training center. 

Little things like this will ensure that you are on time to class. It may cause eyerolls and people may be tired of hearing it, but punctuality counts. It counts in just about every aspect of life, personally and professionally. If you really want to reach the goal you have in mind for self-defense training you will be on time. Every time. 

Getting in the rhythm of creating a plan for each and every class creates a practice…or a habit. You will default toward being prepared. It will become second nature to you to be on time for class and to have everything you need. This ultimately eliminates distractions and helps you focus on what you are actually in self-defense class to do. 

Have a coachable attitude.

Whether you are a higher level Black Belt student or you are just starting out there is always something to learn and to improve on in self-defense class. Being corrected in class and being shown how to improve is a part of training.

There’s nothing wrong with asking questions. It’s actually something that is encouraged at Krav Maga Worldwide certified training centers. Asking questions is a way of getting clarity about things. What makes perfect sense to you might not be resonating the same way with someone else. So, ask away. 

It's not you vs. The instructor.

There is a big difference however between asking a question and challenging the validity of what is being taught. Nobody in any variety of self-defense class is going to appreciate someone who is just intent on arguing with an instructor over this detail or that detail. 

Consider that an instructor is there to help you and to guide you, not to demonstrate that they are better than you simply because they are leading the class. It’s not a contest between yourself and the instructor. If you learned a particular technique or move a certain way, and the class is drilling it in a different way, try it. You might learn something that you didn’t know before. 

When it comes to skill building overall there’s really nothing better than having a coachable attitude. If you have high quality self-defense instructors, like Krav Maga Worldwide instructors, they will recognize your talents and abilities and help you apply them to your training. 

Consistency.

Having a goal for your self-defense training, a plan for every class, and a coachable attitude will lead you to success. 

The ability to train in self-defense classes consistently, for a long period of time, is why people earn high level belts. Remember though, it’s the consistency and the length of time that matter the most. The belts and accolades are only recognition of the work that has gone in. They are symbols. 

Eventually, one of your goals should really be that you are all to continue self-defense training throughout your life. Think in the long term. If you are training consistently for ten or even twenty years, you will be constantly growing, learning, and developing your skills. Your self-defense skills will always be sharp because you’ll always be putting them to use in training. 

Krav Maga Worldwide certified training centers.

If you’re looking to start training in self-defense, or you’re interested in “Krav Maga near me” check out this link to find a searchable map of all of our certified training centers. 

Krav Maga Worldwide self-defense classes at our certified training centers are taught by expert instructors who dedicate years of their lives to learning Krav Maga self-defense and learning how to teach it to others. 

We have an amazing community of students to train with. Our instructors and our community create a fun and cooperative environment where you can push yourself and your development and feel supported as you work toward your goals.