developing KM techniques

 Development of Krav Maga techniques based on authentic attack scenarios

A baby was born today in Bombay.  At the exact moment other babies were born in New York, Tanzania, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Sidney and Alaska. These newborns may differ in appearance but all have something in common. All of them received, via evolution, the priceless gift of natural reflexes. These reflexes are a product of natural selection and the evolutionary process. These reflexes will aid them to survive danger encountered in the future.

In the course of their lives these babies will acquire additional reflexes. The question arising is; what will happen in a situation where the natural reflex is in contrast with the acquired reflex? Allegedly, there is no justification for a contrast, unless you have dedicated yourself to a martial art that taught you contrasting reflexes which you practiced for a long time.

Here is a brief explanation of some basic concepts very much relevant to this article:

Natural Selection:  is a mechanism of evolution, in which hereditary traits of organisms become increasingly common from generation to generation, as they contribute to species reproduction and the survival environment. Charles Darwin and his colleague Alfred Russell conceived the idea of ​​natural selection in 1859.

Each species has a natural selection of traits. Some subjects are better adapted to their surroundings, which enables them to survive and procreate. Subject who obtains harming qualities have difficulties procreating and entail their qualities.

Natural selection rests on four center assumptions:

1.       Subjects from the same species vary from one another.

2.       This variation is passed on to their offspring.

3.       Each new born generation counts a larger percentage of subjects with survival traits.

4.       Procreation is not accidental. Subjects who survive and procreate successfully are those who have the most adaptable qualities.

The above theory brings us back to following terminologies of natural reflex (already discussed in previous articles in comparison with acquired reflexes.

It is important to understand that all living creatures learned to survive danger through adaptation which provided them with an advantage on their surroundings. The acquired trait is passed on and increases survival chances for future generations to come.

For example, a baby is born with a sucking reflex, allowing him to feed. This reflex was passed on from its parents. A baby who is born without this reflex will most likely experience difficulties surviving. Natural reflexes in new born such as sucking, turning their face towards the breast by a stroke on their cheek, griping a finger, closing their eyes when hearing a sudden noise, walking on air when their feet aren't touching the ground etc.

Babies born with such reflexes have one technique, which in Krav Maga terms is identified as B1, meaning they cry every time they want something.

When the baby grows up these reflexes fade away as they never existed and new reflexes awaken. One example is that when you touch their palm the baby will toss its hand backwards instead of grabbing it, A sudden touch to the cheek will make him wince, If you grab his shirt or arm he will try to release himself and will recognize the grab point as the problem. At an older age the child will already recognize the one grabbing him as the source of the problem and will almost instinctively push away whoever grabs him, noticing less the actual grab point.

In his puberty years onward he will instinctively protect his head every time he senses danger, for example during a basketball game when he doesn't know where the ball is, or try to stop a truck coming his direction by reaching out his arms even though he cannot physically block it. Similarly, stab victims are often found with defensive wounds on their hands. These wound allow us to recreate what the victim was doing before he was killed and what his natural reaction was.

Acquired reflexes are born through trial and experimenting and are also a reaction of act and conditioning. Such reflexes aren't necessarily physical and can include what's known as gut instinct, meaning elements that are absorbed through the subconscious and cannot be pointed out clearly.

Hence, it is experimenting and observation that teaches us that a door handle is opened by pushing it down, the same when we notice that a baby won't close his eyes when a hand approaches his face but after being hurt once will quickly learn to shut as response.

Looking into the varied Krav Maga sectors we'll come across many acquired reflexes.

For example, in military Krav Maga we can notice a soldier will automatically drop to the flor when he hears an explosion. Another automatic response is obeying orders.

In Law enforcement Krav Maga the police officer automatically reaches for his gun when he senses danger.

In VIP protection, the body guard will automatically stick to the VIP to protect him each time he recognizes a potential threat.

In civilian Krav Maga there are countless examples of acquired reflexes as result of the natural surroundings.

Most martial arts in fact use conditioned learning where danger is defined as well as the proper solution. This is practiced until it is assimilated.

However, what will happen when an individual assimilated a reflexive response that is against what evolution provided him with? First off, it is clear that this is not healthy as the conflict will delay response to danger. Also, in routine training no doubt that the practiced response will be dominant but not so in an actual life threatening situation.

Countless examples prove the above;

An Israeli PHD of Sociology and anthropology welcomed his students to their first class of a course he was teaching. Among other things he told the students that the door to the lecture room where they were opens by pushing it up instead of down. During the entire semester no student encountered any difficulty leaving the room when class ended.  Around the end of the semester he suddenly alerted the students that there was a fire in the building. The student all rushed to the door, each trying to open the door by pushing it down, as this is the acquired reflex they have known for the majority of their lives. 

One of my favorite stories is when I met martial art masters who have studied and perfected their techniques for years. This means they can perform their techniques on demand and while surprised. However, when I was lecturing about Krav Maga and the master was standing beside me I suddenly attacked him and what automatically came out of him was a 360 defense J

 Last story to prove my point is an example of conflicting reflexes between the herd reflex, making one be part of the herd and do like they do, just as soldiers act when the charge a terrorist when on the other hand each has the natural self preservation reflex, which is the stronger one forcing a soldier to drop to the floor and protect himself.

As soldiers must act upon the herd reflex the natural reflex must be "shut down". This is accomplished by brain wash, shouting etc.

In conclusion primer response must be as close as possible to natural reaction.

If you are interested in additional information on natural reflexes please see this article published a while back. In conclusion, development of new techniques as well as inspection of existing techniques must be based on true reactions from untrained individuals while attacked.

In this footage, you will learn how defense against gun threat was composed:

All IKMF Krav Maga techniques are assembled according to principles mentioned above and are constantly reexamined to assure that they continue to be relevant and applicable in view of endless new threats and danger.

This is exactly what defines Krav Maga by IKMF as the most effective self defense system available nowadays. We are in constant search of new challenges and are sure to provide the most appropriate solutions.

Avi Moyal