2) No Holds Bar / Anything goes – i don’t like rules & boundaries (this is what i was looking for) while fighting in particular & in life as well. I like dirty fighting (hitting on the vulnerable parts), cause i m short in height & not have much of muscular strength, so i need something as an equalizer. I have been practicing Krav Maga for the last 3 years, i m confident, that NOW i can handle any guy, of whatever height & strength (cause Krav Maga as mentioned above, has no rules which means, I can do anything & use anything 4 SELF DEFENSE), before doing Krav Maga I didn’t have this confidence.

3) One can learn a lot in small amount of time.

4) Very easy to remember as based on based on natural reflex.

5) Last, but the most imp among all the reason(s) : KRAV MAGA gives meaning to my life / existence, this is what i wanted do to from childhood (Martial Art), parents didn’t allow me, when i was kid, they wanted me to follow the “rat race” an M.B.A / M.Tech / or some officer (which is quite understandable, as every parent wants to see their children, well established in life), but since childhood my interest was more towards Martial Arts than in any other thing, since as now i m not a kid & as i can take my own decision(s), I decided to pursue that thing, which makes me happy, so I left my job & switched to the best form of martial art in the world today “KRAV MAGA”, though a little bit late, at the age of 28, but now i am on track & my search for something which completes me is over , though majority of my friends & relatives are against my profession & few even make fun of it, but i m very happy in my chosen field & love my work, if i wasn’t happy, i wouldn’t have been doing it, will always be thankful to sir who brought this Martial Art form to India, he has made my dream come true, i m living my dream only because of VICKY SIR.

Krav Maga Practitioner Mr. Vivek Anavatti Satya Murthy

I’m so glad I took krav maga classes with you. The training came in handy yesterday

I wanted to punch him on his throat,but I has holding my helmet with my other hand. But anyway I wanted to put that helmet in his face

I also realized that on the street, it is a lot more difficult to use the techniques than in the class

I could’ve stabbed his face with my keys or a pen

Often I have come across this sarcastic query, “Do martial arts really work in a street fight! Is it worth training at all!?”

That may be asking like why maintain a fire brigade since it is idle most of the time. Any physical activity is beneficial in some manner.

It could be games, yoga, swimming, cycling, dance or anything. It could improve some element of total fitness – either cardio-vascular, muscular endurance, flexibility or atleast co-ordination and quick thinking; which help in a crisis. But, if you are in a job prone to confrontations like security, policing, hotel bouncer etc., learning fighting arts is definitely a plus.

Or if your life style makes you vulnerable, like living in a crime prone locality, commuting late or transporting valuables.

But a word of caution, look out for these inherent failures in any fighting art before signing up. These system weaknesses make you victim and at worst a casualty. So choose carefully. Your life depends on it.

What are the signs that a martial art is NOT street-smart -

1) CHOREOGRAPHED MOVEMENTS – That is nice in dance. In the street it can make one look ridiculous. Because the most shocking realization in the street is the ‘unpredictability’. Choose a fighting method like KravMaga, which constantly exposes you to attacks from different directions, angles and timings, which makes one adaptable.

2) NO AGGRESSION TRAINING – Having an obliging partner who holds back his punches politely, stands still till the partner goes through all the movements makes one complacent. Choose a method which teaches you the basic skills, then escalates physical and mental stress. KravMaga classes have some energy sapping aggression training.

3) TRAINING IN A SINGLE METHOD LIKE STANDING STYLE OR GROUND STYLE The reality is, one could be standing, sitting or on the ground when attacked. Or it could be even an attack by more than one. Or it could be in a suffocating crowd. If you are training in a martial art which says punching & kicking will solve all problems, or just grappling will do, start praying in a street fight. Better still, choose KravMaga which trains one in kicking, punching, grappling, restraining with locks / holds. And to face street weapons like sticks and knives too.

4) COMPLICATED AND EXOTIC TECHNIQUES Looks great in movies. Or in a demo to school kids. On the street it’s quick and decisive movements which count. Fancy kicks and locks fail miserably in reality, unless you are facing a still dummy. And they take years of repeated practice to be effective. Leave that to the grey-haired masters.

5) PHILOSOPHICAL MUMBO-JUMBO IN CLASS Philosophical nuggets went along with the movie Karate Kid. A self-defense class is about facing a rapist, a mugger or a bunch of drunken goons. Learn that first before worrying about self-actualization.

Age: 43 years

My professional life started with getting commissioned into the Army & experiencing the hot spots and thereafter continuing my life in the Corporate, as a Security professional.

Being part of the Security profession I understood to a great extent the risks faced by the commoner in their daily life & how it would be foolish to depend on the state machinery to be our shield to mitigate the risks. As a Security Professional, I was always looking out for methods which could be adopted by in house security personnel & also help in safeguarding the women employees. My search ended with Krav Maga.

Krav Maga has given me the self confidence to protect my self & my near & dear ones in times of crisis coupled with the intense physical workout during the classes, has really become a fulcrum to my reaching new fitness levels, in spite of being now only a Corporate Warrior. My resting pulse rate has reached the early 70s. Additionally for me weight loss – I had never pursued weight reduction as a goal but these workouts have worked wonders in this direction.

This martial arts can easily be learnt by all men & women. The training sessions are all built around realistic daily life situations with solutions to mitigate the risks. I should give a huge credit to the instructors at Mumbai especially Sadashiv who has worked patiently & tirelessly to make me & my other class mates reach their present level of proficiency. I would recommend Krav Maga as a way of life to all.

Age: 22 years.

Participating in a brawl with a few tough only to have myself humbled, lately, did more than enough to motivate me on building up at least some kind skills in self defense. Prior to that incident I had always ignored my physical vulnerability. And so after a detailed search over self defense, I realized that it was the world of modern martial arts, with most martial arts schools having done with all the tedious and time consuming Katas and weird jargon.

Lately many western schools only focus on important aspects of martial arts, with techniques borrowed from a variety of styles, and compiled together to train the pupils with the most effective skills. I learned that ‘Krav Maga’ is a style which has set such standards of effectiveness for martial arts training all over the world.

After reading much debate over its effectualness compared to other styles, I knew there was no way I was going to miss it. I gathered all the information about Krav Maga training in my city and enrolled promptly. And here’s what i think of the training so far…

The Krav Maga approach is very  utilitarian, with pupils being seasoned to attacking and defending right from day 1. Prior to the training, we undergo a series of physical and aerobic exercises which encourage us to push our strength to limits. We are taught to harness as well as deal with many dangerous moves which are illegal in other martial arts styles, but are perfectly valid in real life scenarios (like the gruesome groin kick).

The fellow pupils and instructors are quiet dedicated to the training which makes it fun along with learning.

On a final note… Despite being engaged in Krav Maga just recently, I already feel as if I have a few aces up my sleeve if it ever comes to defending myself again on the streets.

Age: 30 yrs

I first heard about Krav Maga from Ajit sir and Paul Devassy.

I would like to thank them and the Mumbai Krav Maga team to have given me a chance to fulfill my childhood dream of learning some kind of Martial Art form. I had almost forgotten about that for the last 20 years, but have always been fascinated by the thought of techniques to use one’s body as a weapon.

I have always been athletic by nature, but it is during the classes that I understood how much more fitter I could make myself. It’s a huge kick to surpass your own physical abilities.

Also, to learn some basic facts about our body’s natural movements, like all-round and 360 degrees defense, freeing oneself from chokes or executing perfect punches and kicks which can be fatal or atleast can shock the opponent.

I have always been a person who would like to stand my own against wrong doings and unfortunately some of that may lead to fights as well. But just the righteousness is not enough to defend. Now I know that I’ll be able to stand up for my beliefs and fight it out if need be. Conditioning of my body will surely help in self defense or rather a counter attack full of stamina would help me spring a surprise over the attacker.

I had read that Krav Maga was different from other forms of Martial arts. But now I know how effective it is, in it’s quick, minimal and lethal implementation.

Once again a big thanks to dedicated trainers and participants of this team. I see everyone in my class as a teacher and they help me learn something new each week.

Every chance I get, I would suggest my friends and relatives to learn and practice Krav Maga for the benefits that it offers.

14^th May 2009 – Day 1

It was the journey we had awaited for the past several months, after hearing stories from Mr. Vicky Kapoor our beloved teacher (Sensei : Mentor/Teacher in Japanese) about his experiences in the land of the origin of Krav Maga, our curiosity was getting the better of us with every passing minute. It had boiled down to 7 people from a starting count of 25 odd, but words can do little to describe our experiences to the people who missed the trip.

We gathered at the international airport at 0230 hours, the flight was scheduled for 0530 hours. We were travelling on Royal Jordanian airlines so we had a short stop over at Amman, the capital of Jordan.

I don’t think any of us (except Mr. Vicky Kapoor of course) knew what to expect; was it going to be war torn? Would there be air raid shelters every where? Will we be walking through streets with exploding suicide bombers? Will we get swine flu? Will our training kill us? The last question wasn’t relevant because we knew we had been trained by the best instructor in the world, and no matter what they threw at us, we would come out winners.

Five and a half hours later, we landed in Amman, in the midst of desert dunes as far as the eye could see (which actually was 20 miles south of the city of Amman, a rather green metropolitan development) . Was this how Israel was to be? Would we collapse from dehydration every day during training? We consoled ourselves by browsing through the duty free shops, eying things needless and necessary, affordable and unaffordable.

The flight from the Queen Alia International Airport at Amman to Israel was short and kept us brimming with excitement. Our curiosity was laid to rest soon enough. We were left with our mouths gaping as we approached Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel. It was a lush green, modern cosmopolitan city, complete with sky scrapers, and flyovers, and beautifully landscaped roadways and cityscapes. This was just the beginning for us to understand how this small community of people had taken what little they had and made it into what the world envied (or at least a lot of their neighbours did!)

The Ben Gurion International Airport was an impressive piece of architecture. It has been rated as the best middle-eastern airport for a few years running now. It has an eventful history with two serious terrorist attacks having been carried out on its premises, a feat that was only achieved by the terrorists hijacking external aircraft and force-landing them at Ben Gurion. Israel’s own security provisions are world famous, and has helped bestow the distinction of the world’s safest airline to El Al.

We were introduced to the nearly-invisible but tight security arrangements ubiquitous over the length and breadth of Israel, especially in public areas such as malls, airports, etc. We were firmly questioned by the immigration officers, smart ladies in security uniforms, as to our intentions for the visit, who relaxed when they learnt we had been personally invited by the International Krav Maga Federation to train in Israel. Mr. Vicky Kapoor pointed out a S.W.A.T. canine agent, also know as a dog, and his handler playing in the luggage area, but alert to any illicit substances that may be hidden in people’s luggage.

Since we were being accompanied by Mr. Vicky Kapoor himself, we were honoured to be personally received by Master Avi Moyal, one of the four global directors of IKMF and his brother Mr Shlomi Moyal, among the senior instructors of IKMF, and this was only the beginning. This was the first time that we met our ‘remote control’ student – Ms Reema, who had been a student over the telephone for the past couple of years and had flown down to Israel especially for the T&T with us. We would share many cherished moments in the days to come.

We started off to Avi sir’s house after stuffing ourselves into Avi and Shlomi sir’s cars. Some where among the suitcases were Udit, Ishan and Gaurav, trying to catch glimpses of Israel over the luggage to little success. We were relieved to be out of the cars and were ready to eat a horse for lunch.

We were pleasantly surprised and extremely grateful to be treated to a lavish Israeli luncheon, personally prepared by Avi sir’s wife. We stuffed ourselves silly, and drank amazing mint tea and fruit infusion.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor gave us a short demo on kettle bell exercises and showed us Avi sir’s backyard, where he had spent several days training with Avi sir, perfecting his Krav Maga skills that had brought him to the level of expertise where he stood today.

We then rode to Netanya, the mother land / birth place of Krav Maga, and the adopted home town of the father of Krav Maga – Imi Lichtenfeld. It was down the very streets of this town that about two decades back, people greeted Imi with a warm “servoos”, which Hungarian for “hello”. It was down the streets of this very town that Vicky Mr. Vicky Kapoor had walked and trained with the very best, when he started on his Krav Maga journey five years back. And we would now experience the same journey for ourselves.

We checked into a new hotel this time; one that had not been frequented by Mr. Vicky Kapoor earlier. A sprightly hotel called ‘Galil’ (a Hebrew word meaning ‘hill’ or ‘boundary’) with a yellow and white façade. The hotel was on a small cliff overlooking the beach and a wonderful view of the clear blue ocean. We knew we were in for the time of our lives.

We had the option of taking rooms on a twin sharing basis, but we decided to squeeze into a single room, yes, all four of us! So , Udit , Gaurav, Ishan and Jaipreet were all set to live with each other and fight over who goes to the toilet first in the morning. We ended up in a nice room overlooking the beach (Netanya has over 14 kilometres of beaches and has evolved into a major tourist destination).

Our first evening was spent with Mr. Vicky Kapoor giving us a guided tour of Netanya. We also got the (rare) opportunity to make our first visit to the Dojo of master instructor Gabi Noah: the same dojo where Mr. Vicky Kapoor underwent his training in the years past. That was a great experience. We saw some students training there, under senior instructor Elyah, who we thought were from Israel. Little did we know that they were IKMF students from France who were also there for the T&T program, and we were going to share the next 8 days together in the same bus, travelling around Israel, and learning from the masters.

Later that night we also met other Krav Maga students from around the world: There were students from Portugal (Big Nuno, not-that-big Nuno and Piedro), USA (Paula, Gail and Dante), Spain (Carlos, Rafa, Luis and OTHER DUDE), Italy (Fabrizzio), and Germany (Juergen Wolf). They had travelled to Israel for the Law Enforcement Intensive course spread over ten days, and they were all instructors and accomplished martial artists from their respective countries. It was an honour to meet them all.

15^th May 2009 – Day 2

We spent day two on the road. We started our day on a guided tour bus, driven by a gentleman by the name of Ronny (who we discovered later on, used to drive a bus only as a hobby, he was actually a very gifted engineer), and his sister Yail. Yail was to be our ‘running commentary’ provider for the next several days. She introduced us to the rich cultural, architectural and geographical heritage that lay in the tiny but gifted country of Israel.

We started out on the Road 01 which led from Netanya to Tel Aviv. Netanya is famous for its diamond industry, which is only recently getting a run for its money from India. Netanya is also famous for the Wingate Institute, Israel’s national institute for sports excellence. It has produced several national and international level sports persons and also houses a sports training centre for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

Israel houses 5 universities – 2 ‘Technions’, 2 universities in Tel Aviv, 1 in Haifa (Israel Institute of Technology), and 2 in Be’er Sheva. Israel specializes in agriculture in difficult places and adverse conditions (no doubt, they have converted a virtual desert into a green country!). They have fruit trees such as Pecan nut, olives, pomegranate, figs and barley and cotton plantations. They also have other species such as pine, oak, eucalyptus, cherub (which is the symbol of long life) and mimosa dotting the gentle hilly terrain.

While driving through the Ayalon valley we passed the strategic hilltop of Latrun, which has a history dating back to the biblical period. It was at this place that the Israelites, led by Joshua defeated the Amorites. It was also home to a 12^th century fortress built by the crusaders and later held by the Templars, though little remains of this castle today.

Durng the time that Israel was under Ottoman rule (1517 to 1917), a monastery was established at Latrun by French monks of the Trappist order. The monks established a vineyard and today produce a variety of wines. During World War I, the monks were expelled by the Ottoman Turks and the monastery was destroyed. The monks returned in 1927 and built the current building.

It also featured in the six-day war of 1967 when it was recaptured by the IDF from Jordanian and Arabic possession which permitted the reopening of the road to Jerusalem.

Onwards from Latrun, our first stop was the town of Ein Kerem (Ein – spring, Kerem – Vineyard), the town famous from the Bible for being the birth place of John the Baptist. It is also famous for the Hadassah Hospital and medical university. It is built around a small spring which, as history has it, was the same place where Mary cam to visit Zachariah and Elizabeth. This was then (2000 years ago) known as the town of Judah

From the ancient times water was the prime resource that was valued in this area, so springs were important areas that towns were built around. Unlike India where there was an abundance of water and flora and fauna, Israel like other Middle Eastern countries was mostly covered by desert, so water sources were cherished areas. So whoever was in power exercised it. So when the Muslims came, they built a mosque around the existing church, etc.

We then went on to the Yad Veshem (Yad – memory/memorial, like in Urdu, and Vashem – Name), or the “Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority” is Israel’s official museum to the vicitm’s of the Jewish Holocaust.

Designed by the famous architect Moshe Safdie, it is a beautiful building built in limestone (the stone that most buildings in Israel are either made from, or clad in). He is also the architect for the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex at Anandpur Sahib in the state of Punjab in India.

Located at the foot of Mount Herzl on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is a 45-acre (180,000 m²) complex containing the Holocaust History Museum, memorial sites, such as the Children’s Memorial and the Hall of Remembrance, The Museum of Holocaust Art, sculptures, outdoor commemorative sites such as the Valley of the Communities, a synagogue, archives, a research institute, library, publishing house and an educational centre, The International School for Holocaust Studies.

Non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust, at personal risk, are honoured by Yad Vashem as “Righteous Among the Nations.”[1] This includes the likes of the famous Oskar Schindler whose memorial stone is placed along one of the main entrance paths within the Memorial premises.

After a long walk through the painful history of the holocaust, we ate lunch at the Memorial canteen and proceeded for the city of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has the distinction of being among the oldest cities in the world, with a history dating back to the 4^th millennium B.C. It has been the holiest city for the Jewish people since the 10^th Century B.C.E., an important religious centre for the Christians, and the third holiest city for the Islamic people. In the course of its history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times according to Eric H. Cline’s tally in Jerusalem Besieged.

We first drove up to the Mount of Olives (among the prominent hills that Jerusalem comprises of), which also has many significant buildings and complexes on it. We halted at a terrace vantage point from where one could see a clear view of the entire city including the famous Dome of the Rock.

We learnt all about the history of Jerusalem, the people who had conquered it, won it back in war, only to lose it back and win it again. It was a fascinating history. We then drove past the famous King David hotel in towards the old city of Jerusalem.

Ronny parked the bus outside the old city’s walls and we headed towards one of the eight famous gates of the city of old Jerusalem (the city had eight gates, namely: Damascus Gate, Dung Gate, Golden Gate, Herod’s Gate, Jaffa gate, Lion’s Gate, New Gate and Zion Gate). We stood in front of the Zion Gate. Bullet riddled walls, defaced during the Israeli war of independence in 1948, menacingly stared us down. The gate led us into the city, adjacent to the Armenian and Jewish quarters.

Yael then led us in through past the Armenian Quarter’s souvenir stores and into the Jewish quarter. Our long stay at the Yad Vashem had cost us good time, since the next day was Shabbat; most of the stores were closing down. Yael showed us some important Jewish symbols such as the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, and the Mezuzah, a little box that is installed on every Jewish doorposts and gates, and explained their significance to us.

We then walked past excavated ruins of the Roman Empire that lay buried under the several layers of the city of old Jerusalem. This site, known as the Cardo, was a 180-meter long street that ran from north to south. It was the main street that housed the major market places and had the houses of the affluent overlooking it. There is a shaft / well in the Jewish quarter which goes down approximately four metres deep and shows the many layers of the city of Jerusalem. The difference in construction masonry shows the period to which it belongs. The arcade is a nicely shaded walkway with thick walls and has shops to pick up souvenirs from.

We then walked through the Cardo streets and past the many stores that had closed in preparation of Shabbat, until we came upon the imposing plaza at the Western Wall, also known as the Kotel, also known as the Wailing Wall. From here we could also see the Dome of the Rock.

We waited by the side admiring the smart uniforms of the police and army personnel that patrolled the area, ever alert to any irregularities. Mr. Vicky Kapoor pointed out their special flack vests and how they had camel backs integrated into them, as well as a space to store their helmets. Very cool indeed! Ishaan, Jaipreet and Kiddy ma’am went down to the wall to tuck their pieces of paper with their wishes written on them, into the cracks in the walls. Traditionally, it is said that the pieces of paper with your wishes are removed every three months and buried on the Temple mount of Jerusalem, the most sacred site on Earth for the Jewish people, so the wishes come true.

We then proceeded into the Muslim Quarter of the city and started on the “dream walk of every Christian soul” – the Via Dolorosa (the path of sorrow) or the Via Crucis (the way of the cross / crucifix). The very route that Jesus Christ walked on, bearing his cross, to be crucified by order of the then roman ruler Pontius Pilate. Given today’s status quo it was ironic that the walk started in the Muslim quarter and had several stations there before moving on to the next quarter.

1. Jesus is condemned to death
2. Jesus carries the cross
3. Jesus falls for the first time
4. Jesus meets His Blessed Mother
5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7. Jesus falls for the second time
8. Jesus meets the holy women of Jerusalem
9. Jesus falls for the third time
10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
11. The crucifixion
12. Jesus dies on the cross
13. The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross
14. Jesus is laid in the tomb
15. (Additional station) The resurrection.

We also learned about the Ethiopian connection with the bible. The Queen of Sheba had traveled to Israel from Ethiopia to meet King Solomon whose wisdom she had heard of. This connection also led to Christianity being adopted in Ethiopia way earlier than the rest of Africa. There is a church, completely run by Ethiopian clergy in the old city, almost on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We then descended through two halls into the plaza / court in front of the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the very spot where Jesus was crucified, removed from the cross by his disciples who tended to his wounds, and then laid to rest in the Sepulchre, before the resurrection. The Church itself was teeming with tourists of all religions. It had a tremendous energy, with hundreds of visitors everyday, traveling to this spot to pray and seek Christ’s blessings, it was a humbling site.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor, Kiddy ma’am, Jaipreet, all our friends from France, Ishan, etc. stood in queue to seek Christ’s blessings inside the holy sepulcher, while we (Udit, Yael and I) waited outside. Our wait was pleasantly interrupted by the evening prayer ceremony. All the people’s voices sang together in harmony, along with the clergy members, a prayer in the name of the Lord.

We them walked our way back to the tour bus where Ronny awaited. En route we happened to see a whole bunch of young soldiers, in great spirits since the next day was Shabbat or their day off. They sat around on the street sides, eating pastries and laughing, some carrying their guns slung over their shoulders. All were at the age when most children in India are busy bunking classes in college and hanging out at the canteens and making plans to party. It really made us feel a sense of deep respect towards the youth of this tiny great country.

Our hotel’s name was the Jerusalem Gate Hotel, with simple but well-appointed rooms. We spent a short time keeping our luggage in our rooms and freshening up, and thinking of how hungry we all were. Yael and Ronny had a treat in store for us: a special Lebanese meal at one the authentic Lebanese restaurants of Jerusalem. We had a hearty meal with our new friends, Laurent, Laurent, Pierre, Nelly, Stephanie and Thierry and could barely move at the end of it. A few tiny cups of Turkish coffee did the trick and we were back on our feet ready to head back to the hotel, and call it a night.

16^th May 2009 – Day 3

We awoke to another morning that we eagerly awaited. We were to head to the Dead Sea this day and see the ancient desert settlement of Massada, on the banks of the Dead Sea, well, almost. We began our drive to Massada, and on route passed several old Second World War vehicles that lay preserved on the roadsides. Apparently these vehicles carried food rations for the Jewish people during the war. Several had been ambushed by enemy forces and that forced the Jews to adopt a tougher but more round-about route to get the supplies through. These vehicles had then been preserved as a memory to those harsh times, and stood as a symbol of the resolve of the Jewish people in times of strife.

Yael pointed out several tents on the outskirts of Jerusalem. These belonged to the nomadic Bedouin people; a tribe that still lived the nomadic life with camels and all. Some tents had old, beat-up cars parked outside them, showing signs that they too were slowly getting seduced by the consumerist ways. Yael pointed out that the Dead sea lay approximately 400 meters (422 meters / 1385 feet) below sea level and is apparently the lowest lying area on earth. Jaipreet decided to test her out by turning on the Altimeter on his wrist watch. The watch confirmed the fact. It was meant for climbing (mountaineering) and not descending (diving) so it gave us a steady declining reading till 1200 feet, and then started complaining; apparently that’s the minimum reading it could give!

We drove past several orange and banana plantations. Eli sir pointed out how in his life time, the waters of the sea had receded by almost half a kilometer, and how the dead sea shoreline was receding further with every passing year.

We stopped at the Masada National Park tourist center. Mr. Vicky Kapoor had told us several days ago that part of the real Masada experience was to climb (read: run) up the hill to the ruins of Masada via the ‘Snake Path’ which was on the eastern side of the hill. It was a 400 meter climb and stretched 2 kilometres in length. It had about 700 steps as a part of the path up and took anywhere between 30 – 45 minutes to climb. It was a challenge that all of us rose up to.

We received our instructions from Eli sir outside the centre: we were to wear caps / sun shades, we were to finish at least one litre of water by the time we reached the top, and we were to run up at our own risk!

We started hiking up the hill side only to be shortly overtaken by the entire French team. We discovered only later that four out of the six members of that team were fire marshals, and underwent intense physical training on a daily basis. Some of our team also joined in the run with them, and some actually made it up to the top along with the fittest two members of the French team, Pierre and Thierry. The time taken by the first bunch was 23 minutes.

The highlight of the climb was Udit, who was in unquestionable physical form, and had to carry Reema piggy back half way up the path. Ishan and Udit took responsibility of ensuring that no one from the Indian team got left back, and they did a great job.

Once we reached the top, we were given a detailed tour of the Palace of the genius but eccentric King Herod. The entire palace premises was designed with extensive granaries, bath houses, sauna and steam bath halls, and gymnasia for the inhabitants. It had an ingeniously designed water supply systems that channeled water to 12 humongous cisterns that could hold a combined volume of 40,000 cubic meters of flood water that flowed through the wadi (valley) of Masada in the rainy season.

The king’s palace was an architectural wonder. It was built on the northern face of the mountain and almost dangled off the rock face. It was constructed on two large stone slabs that almost stuck out of the rock face. The royal Jacuzzi was also overlooking the northern face. We admired the view from the royal Jacuzzi and envied the king for such comfort.

Masada was a natural fortress by virtue of its location. There was no way that it could be conquered. The Romans finally brought it down by storming it from the western face. They built a ramp made of earth, all the way to the top of the hill. The ramp stands as is till date; quite a feat of human effort, and considering that they built it in three months!

After the excursion, we go a taste of the ‘training’ part of the tour and train. Eli sir took a wonderful class on Gun threats from all directions, and showed us in great detail how the techniques worked. It was a double honour for our team, since we were learning from Eli sir, had Mr. Vicky Kapoor with us, as also Pierre, the chief instructor of IKMF in Marseille, France. It definitely was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We descended the hill in 15 minutes flat!

Our next stop was the Dead Sea. Another experience that we could never forget.

Mr. Vicky Kapoor had told us that the Dead Sea was one of the saltiest seas in the world (its apparently called a ‘Hyper-saline’ lake). And that the human body simply floats in the waters without swimming. Now, that’s a little difficult to imagine. But when we got to the Dead Sea, it was a sight to see. The entire water front had tourists just floating. As if they were lying down and relaxing on a bed. They just floated! Now, Eli sir and Mr. Vicky Kapoor had warned us that the waters are so salty that even the tiniest bit going into our mouths or our eyes could land is in a lot of trouble, so we had to be extra cautious.

We quickly changed into our swimming trunks, and headed into the water. It was surprisingly cold for the time, especially since the day had been extremely hot. And as soon as we entered, Mr Ishan, among the youngest Krav Maga instructors of the world, got sea water into his eyes and mouth! It was a hilarious sight and we all laughed as he quickly swam out to the showers and stood there for a while to wash out the salt, then joined us again.

We spent a long time enjoying the waters, and then also tried some cosmetic treatment – the hot sulfur springs on the shores of the Dead Sea, had hot mud that was supposedly good for the skin. So we went to the hot mud pools and like a bunch of happy ladies, applied the mud all over ourselves. Then dried off a bit before going into the sea to wash it all off. We didn’t really see what the big deal was all about!

We wound up fairly late and then changed and proceeded back to the bus. To our delight we also ran into two other Indians from Mumbai who were working in Masada. It was great running into them and chatting with them for a couple of minutes, since that was a rare sight.

I have been doing Krav Maga in Mumbai for a year now. I train under Sensei Sadashiv Mogaveera who is a legend according to me.

I got to know about Krav Maga when I was surfing the net and trying for some new physical activity to be taken up. I & my twin brother have always been doing some physical activity be it body building gym or swimming. A year back we heard about Krav Maga and decided to give it a try. We have no martial arts or self defense background and to be honest we never were interested in martial arts & self defense from childhood because we thought that it was all about hoo–haa voices been made by some martial artists.

I regret the foolish notion that I had about martial arts and Self defense and really feel that I should have taken this up long back.

Krav-Maga initially looks like a dirty street fight but there is more to it. You can hold your own on the street using Krav Maga. Krav Maga has no hard & fast rules. It focuses on training us for real life scenarios. It has attack and defence maneuvers to neutralize the bad guy/s and safely escape.

Various vulnerable points like groin, eyes etc are the key targets.The very basic approach of this martial art appealed to me.

I, now walk the streets with confidence and I’m always alert to any threats. I have given key points to my wife too about how to neutralize an attacker. I was the dummy attacker for her training and I know how painful it can be.

I have suggested this martial arts (self defense) to some of my friends and relatives and hope they come too and learn this beautiful art so that “one may walk in peace”.. — Imi Lichtenfeld’s greatest quote!!

Kida, Thanks you, Sensei Sadashiv Mogaveera & our Chief Instructor Vicky Kapoor

Can a smaller, shorter, weaker person defeat a relatively larger, taller, stronger opponent ?

YES*

Does size really matter in a fight?

NO*

*Particularly if you practice KRAV MAGA.

Conventional and traditional forms of fighting – Wrestling, Boxing, Sumo – are competitive contact sports where one’s size and weight matter seriously. The same holds true with the traditional Martial Arts of Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Judo. . . where divisions based on weight classifications are a requisite in tournaments and competitions.

KRAV MAGA is NOT a sport – it was never meant to be. The tactics and techniques of KRAV MAGA are practical and extremely effective for and oriented to combat. There are no divisions between male and female fighters.

On The Discovery Channel, IKMF Chief Instructor for France, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy, Philippe Kaddouch said “KRAV MAGA is based on principles like Physics, Mathematics, Bio-Mechanics. . . much more scientific approach. . .”

Closer home, our very own Bengaluru Instructor , demonstrates new, seemingly simple techniques that utilize the human body’s natural levers, pivots and fulcrums – the shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hips, legs, knees and ankles – to disable, disarm and dislodge far larger adversaries than one would believe to be practically possible.

While most Bengaluru KRAV MAGA students initially signup as raw recruits, there are a handful holding different degrees of experience in Kick Boxing, Kung-Fu, Karate, Muay-Thai and Boxing – but the amazement on everyone’s faces at the end of ’s demonstrations is equal.

People on the outside looking into KRAV MAGA often fail to notice that you do not fight with only your fists and feet – you also fight with your mind. KRAV MAGA’s mental conditioning sharpens your wits, transforming you from prey to predator in split seconds. It also exercises your common sense – sometimes you just can’t beat common sense !

KRAV MAGA is no-nonsense, straightforward self-defence. Soldiers rely on KRAV MAGA during hand-to-hand combat encounters on the battlefield. Police officers rely on KRAV MAGA when apprehending suspects swiftly, safely and securely. KRAV MAGA is what you would rely on when confronted by an intruder in your own home.

Perhaps this explains how and why Israeli lady soldiers are on par with their male counterparts in physical combat. To those contemplating a one-on-one rumble with a well trained Israeli lady soldier, a word of advice – don’t ! After a humiliating hammering, you may wish you’d picked on Chuck Norris instead.

KRAV MAGA gets you focused, fearless, fast and fit – make that fighting fit ! It trains your brains, harnesses your natural reflexes and instincts in coordination with your body’s built-in levers and fulcrums to create what I’d like to call – The Fulcrum Fighter.

MYCATQUOTE

Pepper spray or OC (Oleoresin Capsicum), is a chemical compound that aggravates the sensitive membranes of the nose, throat and the eyes – where it could result in temporary blindness.

Pepper Spray is widely used by security personnel for riot / crowd control and by individuals for personal protection. Pepper Spray has also seen success as a mode of defense against attacking dogs and wild bears.

In “An Appraisal of Technologies of Political Control” published by The European Parliament Scientific and Technological Options Assessment, it is said that : “The effects of pepper spray are far more severe, including temporary blindness which last from 15-30 minutes, a burning sensation of the skin which last from 45 to 60 minutes, upper body spasms which force a person to bend forward and uncontrollable coughing making it difficult to breathe or speak for between 3 to 15 minutes.”

For people with an history of respiratory ailments, asthma, or those on prescribed medication, there exists a real risk of death.

Since 1990, The Los Angeles Times has reported over sixty fatalities associated with the LAPD’s use of pepper spray.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also acknowledged 27 deaths in custody of people sprayed with Pepper Spray – this is in the State of California alone.

So far Pepper Spray comes across as a very potent deterrent when dealing with danger.

How would KRAV MAGA rate against this seemingly simpler alternative of self-defense ?

Let’s consider the following situational examples :

The Parking Lot :

A woman, about to enter her car in a semi-deserted parking lot, is suddenly attacked.

There is NO TIME and NO CHANCE for her to unzip her hand-bag, rummage through its contents (purse, Driver’s License, money, make-up, Pepper-Spray. . .). She is repeatedly kicked, punched and finally pushed to the ground. Her assailant grabs her car keys – drives away with her car and her belongings including her bag with the Pepper Spray inside – unused.

She is fortunate. The assault could easily have escalated to carjacking / abduction, sexual assault and ultimately homicide. The total time duration for the assault ? About as long as it took you to read this !

As KRAV MAGA practitioner, the lady would have had multiple choices of counter-strikes available to her. She could have also used her bag as a weapon and if it had a long enough shoulder-strap, utilized the same as an effective form of restraint around the assailant’s throat or wrists.

The Side Walk :

A man walking home after a long day’s work, is oblivious of a threat in the shadows.

His assailant springs out, hooks his elbow around the back of the man’s neck – a perfect head lock – and wrests him to the ground. The man is kicked, punched and knifed. The attacker frisks his victim’s pockets. Among the articles he finds Pepper Spray. He hoses the man down with a full 7 second blast emptying its contents on its owner and scoots with the loot – into the shadows.

The victim, barely alive is left bruised, battered, bloodied – his senses of smell, sight and taste are ablaze.

The total time for this attack ? About as long as it took you to read this.

Beginners at KRAV MAGA classes are taught effective defend and destroy tactics for precisely such an attack.

Let’s consider instances where the alleged victim has enough time to spray an intended target.

The Night Club :

At a Bengaluru night club recently, there was the instance of a woman having to deal with the unwanted attention of a local lout.

She Pepper Sprayed him good. However, the spray, picked up by the interior air-conditioning was circulated to a different part of the place resulting in several innocent patrons screaming their way out nursing burning eyes, noses and throats.

At The Movies:

In the midst of an interesting film, you are suddenly acutely aware of a groping hand.

In this instance you have more than enough time to inconspicuously slip your Pepper Spray out, aim and fire !

However, considering the close proximity of seats in cinemas, you run the risk of Pepper Spray dissipating rapidly to other innocent viewers around you – including you! There is nothing worse than being shot by your own bullet – figuratively speaking.

As the opening lines of this article read, Pepper Spray can be lethal. There is therefore a high possibility that your intended target, by virtue of being too close, could be in for a deadly dose of Pepper Spray. Did you want to warn him or waste him ?

Sometimes all it takes is a discreet, well executed wrist-lock to stall any groper in his tracks, and KRAV MAGA will teach you plenty.

In An Airplane :

We’re not even talking 9/11 style misadventurism here.

In view of the strict security measures at airports across the planet today, the chances are you’re going to find yourself seated next to a drunk and disorderly fellow passenger instead.

First of all, airport security standards and flight safety regulations prohibit the carrying onboard of certain liquids and aerosols – your Pepper Spray would never make the flight with you as carry-on cabin baggage.

Dealing with an intoxicated and unruly passenger in the seat next to yours, on a long-haul flight can be nothing short of hell. Calling for the assistance of an attractive flight-attendant could sometimes aggravate the situation with the intoxicated individual now spoilt for choice.

Once again, a discreet, simple yet excruciatingly painful wrist-lock can prove to be an superb sobering agent.

Unlike Pepper Spray, your KRAV MAGA hand-to-hand combat skills cannot be taken away from you by airport security.

When walking down a street, a stranger asks you for

• The time,
• Directions,
• Loose change.

In the seconds that you are initially distracted, he or an accomplice strikes. There is almost always NO TIME to reach into a bag or pocket to remove and effectively aim and use Pepper Spray (or another defensive weapon) against your assailant(s).

Remember, your Pepper Spray works best against your attacker’s eyes, nose and throat. But his knife or gun will be put to equally effective use against any part of your body.

• What if he is wearing a mask and protective eyewear ?
• What if you do pull out the Pepper Spray, but in the heat of the moment, spray in the wrong direction – possibly at yourself ?
• What if the attacker knocks your can of Pepper Spray out of your hand ?
• What if your can of Pepper Spray does not work ?

These are far too many “what ifs” for anyone’s comfort.

All our lives we have depended on our limbs – our legs and arms, hands and feet to walk, climb, carry, grip, hold. . . KRAV MAGA enables us to sharpen these basic skills to accurately and effectively punch, kick, jab, grapple, grip, throw . . .

Krav Maga is a simple, efficient self defense system which underlines one’s natural movements and practical skills under realistic exercise situations. This is why KRAV MAGA is the choice of 25 international armed forces and multiple security agencies across the globe.

When confronted with the business end of an attacker’s knife or gun, when faced with the true threat of a blade between the ribs or a bullet in the brain, will you depend on a little can of spray to save your life and see you home safe ?

KRAV MAGA will give you that chance – that fighting chance !

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