When discussing the nature of violence with my strength coach at a Christmas party in 2017 (as one tends to do at such gatherings), fighting, self-defense and Krav Maga came up. When a retired Marine/emergency physician in downtown Detroit tells you Krav Maga Detroit is the best place to learn how to fight, you do not ask questions. I signed up in January 2018. Every once in a while, a crucial juncture in one’s journey occurs. Mine was being invited to train to become an instructor. A few things were made apparent during this time:
1. The commitment to excellence at KMD
2. An obsession with the basics
3. My love for teaching
The practical layer of Krav Maga is clear – the fact that it is a fantastic self-defense system provides me with confidence and security for me and my loved ones. But it is much more than that. In a more personal sense, I see Krav Maga as a platform to express my physicality, to explore my mental toughness, to chase excellence and to peek into the illusory self that tries to woo with positivity or crush with negativity. That is the layer that pushes me. A technical exploration of the self with an undertone of controlled fury. That is my purpose for training and that is what I hope to offer as an instructor. I hope to guide others into this exploration, walking alongside them. I learn from them, and they learn from me. As iron sharpens iron, one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).
Tests at KMD are interesting. In a sense, things change after a test and in another sense nothing changes at all. You learn things about yourself that may change the way you interact with the world. They reinforce the fact that training is a constant pursuit, and it is business as usual the next morning onwards. On the inside I view them as a scheduled, intense exploration of myself. On the outside, it is an opportunity to showcase the art of Krav Maga and to prove to my fellow practitioners that I walk the talk. The prestige and tradition associated with the Black Belt Test increases the weight of the event.
Finally, the culture of excellence fostered at KMD by the giants who train there only elevates this to a surreal level. To be evaluated by them is truly an honor. I am humbled to have been invited to this test and given this opportunity. I look forward to it with gratitude and excitement.
Subash Sriram