Slow Down to Speed Up Your Krav Maga Progress.
I’m in the process of on-boarding a new class of Advanced Programming students, and the experience again reminds me of the need for students to slow down in their training to allow self-awareness to guide their actions (thus allowing them to better understand and execute the defenses as they move back to full speed).
I often refer to the process of slowing down as “check listing” – that is, moving in a slow and continual flow without pauses which afford the students the necessary time to process each movement and confirm that the proper actions are being taken to complete the defense, drill, or exercise. This assumes, of course, that the student understands the relevant issues in completing an effective defense and is actively being mindful of those issues during the movements that make-up the defense.
This process often requires each student to make honest assessments of their movement and progress and exposes deficiencies in the defenses being made. This can be mentally and emotionally deflating, and as such, requires each student to embrace the process with an open and clear mind about the benefits of the procedure.
Check listing can be very powerful in making quantum leaps in performance if the student is willing to check his/her pride at the door, is clear about the process, and is willing to immerse him or herself for a period of weeks or months depending upon the complexity of the series of defenses being trained.
While this concept works incredibly well, it is likely not effective without a knowledgeable coach and the appropriate time to work through the issues that will inevitably arise from the process. In short, this works well in a private or specialized class format. Give it a try, and you’ll reap the benefits!
