Krav Maga – A Lesson in Spiritual Warfare
Embarking on any course of self-improvement or self-development takes a lot of hard work, honesty, self-reflection and a great deal of introspection. Krav Maga is no different.
Sure, you can learn all of the strikes and self-defense moves available and be relatively well equipped to handle yourself in a physical altercation. Or maybe not. There are no guarantees with learning Krav Maga.
That’s why it’s important to train every part of you - not just the physical. You need to also train your spirit. And awaken that warrior within you. Warriors are not born. They’re made. As Sun Tzu put it, “being unconquerable lies with yourself.”
Unfortunately, there is no concrete lesson plan or curriculum for that like there is for learning self-defense. It’s a path you must forge yourself. Before you can do that though, there are certain things you must do first.
There is a sign up in our hallway that says “All of your excuses are lies.” Becoming a warrior means recognizing and embracing that fact. It means learning to strip away all of the bullshit we tell ourselves about why we can’t do certain things or why we aren’t good enough or deserving enough. There is a sweet irony to training your warrior spirit through Krav. In learning self-defense, you also learn how to cut through all of the defense mechanisms we use when we tell ourselves all of those lies. We learn not only how to defend ourselves from an attacker but also how to defend ourselves from our greatest weaknesses and insecurities. We learn to face that inner battle that unites us as humans. That inner battle that happens when we come face to face with the fabric of our lives. Of our mind. Of our spirit.
I can’t tell you the exact steps you must take in order to train your mind and spirit; and even if I could, I wouldn’t because that’s a road you must walk yourself. I would never want to rob you of that experience. After all, haven’t we heard time and again that the journey is sweeter than the destination? I will, however, tell you that the best way to discover your own personal crusade is to continue training as much and as often as you can. We are who we pretend to be. And the best way to become that warrior you aim to be is to train like a warrior. Thankfully, KMD classes offer you the means to do that.
“ Spiritualize your warfare. Every day you face battles--that is the reality for all creatures in their struggle to survive. But the greatest battle of all is with yourself--your weaknesses, your emotions, your lack of resolution in seeing things through to the end. You must declare unceasing war on yourself. As a warrior in life, you welcome combat and conflict as ways to prove yourself, to better your skills, to gain courage, confidence, and experience. Instead of repressing your doubts and fears, you must face them down, do battle with them. You want more challenges, and you invite more war. You are forging the warrior's spirit, and only constant practice will lead you there.”
• Robert Greene “The 33 Strategies of War