Krav Maga: why do I do it?

A little over a year ago I began taking Krav Maga classes.  Since then I have embarked on a special odyssey.  I was never really sure where it would take me or why exactly I was doing it.  But from the start I was captivated by the excruciating physical demands of the techniques.  The camaraderie that was quickly built amongst the students enthralled me and I couldn’t get enough of it.

I trained hard and I trained often.  Probably too often as my body has taken its fair share of bumps and bruises along the way.  Most people phase in and out of sports and activities.  But there is something about Krav Maga that creates an adrenaline rush so strong that at times I feel empty without it. 

With all the physical contact and abrasive nature of Krav, some question whether or not it is really the right fit for women.  I have found that it is much more of a struggle for me to reach an acceptable level of aggression, something that comes much more naturally for a man.  But fighting to get to where you want to be is the foundation for Krav Maga.

Yesterday I reached a major personal milestone in Krav.  I took my level 2-3 exam.   There was only one other woman besides me that took the test.  If we pass, we will be the highest ranked female students at our gym.  To me, that’s a huge accomplishment.  As a woman, I felt I had to want it more and fight harder to prove that I deserved to be there.  

I definitely felt a mental shift in me several months ago.  I realized that I wanted more from Krav.  I wanted it to mean more to me than simply a social gathering where I deposited enormous amounts of sweat on the gym mats.  I noticed  there were fewer and fewer women sticking with it and were dropping out.  I wanted that to change.  Krav Maga is really tough both on your body and your mind.  I firmly believe that because of the combative and relentless nature of Krav, it builds character and changes your perspective on life.  You find strength where you thought you had none.  You learn to turn your vulnerability into empowerment.  For me,  it was time to make my mark, learn something valuable and set an example to the other women that attend classes.

I began to take myself more seriously, and I noticed my instructors began to push me harder.  I took that as a sign of respect that they were willing to invest in me and my training.  As I began to focus more on my goals, they too raised their expectations of me and forced me to train harder and not accept average from myself.  I will always be grateful to them for believing enough in me to not let me manipulate my way through the training and for forcing me to fight to make every strike and kick mean something.

The test was a brutal 6 hours of intense drills that focused on technique, endurance and intensity.  Just when we thought we had reached the end, we were instructed to suit up and begin a series of sparring rounds.  It was more than physically exhausting.  I have bruises on top of bruises, swollen muscles and twisted body parts.  But in spite of the physical pain, I have never felt stronger mentally.  At no point during those six hours or the weeks leading up to the test did I feel the urge to quit or give in to the pain.  

There is a sense of empowerment and confidence that comes with training Krav, especially for women.  Krav Maga teaches us so much more than how to defend ourselves.  For me, I have reached a new level of inner confidence and mental strength.  What I thought I could never achieve, I have exceeded.  What I considered impossible, I have overcome.  And what I believed I could never endure, I have surpassed.

There is so much power within me.  My race is not yet finished.  Whether or not I passed - I still think I deserve the title of "Bad Ass Krav Chick"!