KMSD Common Questions
Q) Can I just come down?
A) Yes, if you’re over 18 come down anytime. If you’re 16+ you’ll have to get a parent or guardian to sign off on the enrolment form. If your younger than 16 then I’m afraid we cant train you with the adults but send us an e-mail and we’ll let you know when we start a young adult class. Everybody gets their first class free and you can watch as many times as you like.
Q) What clothes should I wear or what equipment should I bring?
A) The only restriction we have is with regards to footwear. Outdoor trainers and/or Cross trainers with a “chunky” or high grip sole are not permitted on our mats and as such you should remember this if your coming to train. Low grip aerobic style trainers are allowed and alternatively you can train in your socks or bare feet. Regarding clothing, standard sports clothing is fine and you shouldn’t need any equipment for your first few classes until you settle in and decide you like it.
Q) Do I have to attend the Induction Course before attending the weekly classes?
A) No, The induction course is not a prerequisite meaning you can attend the weekly classes at any time with or with out attending the induction.
Q) Why would I want to attend the Induction/Basic Self Defence Course?
A) For potential students; The induction course will give you a good grounding and better starting point from which to lean Krav Maga, without doubt you’ll be more prepared and better able to grasp the weekly classes.
For someone who only requires a one-off Self Defence training course the Induction will teach you the basic principles of Krav Maga. Once you have taken these principles on board then you’ll be better able to weight up any future situation which may require a Self Defence action from you and as such you’ll be fully aware and ready to apply the defences and counter strikes with the sole goal of being able to survive and overcome any potential action.
Q) Are their any requirements or prerequisite before attending the seminars?
A) In most cases some previous experience will be required to allow you to gain the most benefit from the seminars. If you’re an absolute beginner then you should at least attend the induction course. If you’re from a traditional martial arts back ground then you’ll most probably need to adjust your mind set for the day and if you’re from an aggressive fighting system then you should fit right in.
Q) How long before I get good and am able to defend myself?
A) We would expect a new student to understand and be able to apply the basic principles and techniques used in Krav Maga to ANY self defence situation which may arise after approximately 10 classes (15 hours) of training. Most people think self defence systems take a substantial amount of time to learn. Krav Maga is not so. Indeed most Israeli soldiers will only ever under go 4 to 8 hours of Krav Maga training.
Q) What weapons training do you cover?
A) We train with all weapon groups, including knife, sticks, small arms and long arms
Q) What’s the difference between the Civilian, Law Enforcement and Military Krav Maga systems?
A) Firstly it’s all one system. The techniques we teach to a civilian, law enforcement officer or military personal are all the same but with some slight variations to fit their job requirements, roles and tasking. A typical example is that no civilian will probably ever need to learn how to handcuff and lead away someone.
Q) How fit do I have to be to train?
A) This is like asking how long a piece of string is?! We cater and train all levels of fitness for all ages and for all body sizes.
Q) Will I get fitter?
A) Most definitely but not in a way you would maybe notice. The emphasis in Krav Maga is teaching Self Defence not getting student fits. While some martial arts systems will have you doing squats and sit-ups for hours we will not, every exercise we have will have some application or association to self defence. Student’s come to us to learn Krav Maga not for a fitness class. If this is what you’re after try your local gym.
Q) Will I get hurt or injured?
A) We consider ourselves to be a semi-contact club whose emphasis is on teaching realistic self defence. This means you will be training hands on with partners of all sizes and all strengths. All our classes are structured and supervised. The level at which you train will be most likely determined by you and your partners according to a level of intensity set by the instructor. Like most physical sports the risk of injury does exist but our most common complaints are bruising to the arms and legs when carrying out blocking techniques. The simplest way to avoid these is to buy forearms guards etc.
Q) How physical does it get?
A) KMSD teaches Krav Maga as a realistic self defence system and as such, on occasion, high intensity techniques and stress conditioning drills must also be taught to prepare the student for a real life confrontation. These techniques require a higher degree of physical effort so as to incur both mental and physical stress. Generally speaking the more you put into these scenarios the more you will get from them.