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AI Krav Maga
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
November 25, 2024, Israel
A true teacher can never be replaced by AI
AI - Artificial Intelligence, and Krav Maga
I first heard the term Artificial Intelligence a few years back from a friend who worked in computers. I did not fully understand it then, today I have just a idea. I have no interest in this topic, but it comes up now and then. I have been told that I don't need to work so hard on writing blogs, (actually it is not work at all for me), that AI can write my own personal blogs as well as I can. I was even given a sample of this. It is remarkable.
I am not interested in handing over my blog writing to a machine as for me this is one of my methods of communication, it is my own voice, and it is how I communicate with people who care about my message. My Krav Maga is real, and my blogs are real. My message is real and pure. It comes from my heart and soul.
This past Shabbat I was sitting with friends and one, who also works in computers, was remarking that customer service has improved greatly in certain industries now that it is being handled by AI rather than human beings. I said my experience with dealing with those automated responses with Delta have not been satisfactory at all and I always demand a human representative. He told that was not AI but rather a somewhat primitive system that will soon be replaced.
Interesting. I think I prefer humans, as lacking as they sometimes are. I do feel that many humans these days are learning from machines and can no longer offer anything more than "automated responses", they seem unable to think, and unable to think outside the box. They seem unable to see the full picture with the very real human being in it.
Sometimes a film, a movie scene, will impact us in a profound way. I recall many years ago viewing a black and white film, and a man, a simple humble man walks into a bank. He is applying for a loan to open a small business. He fills out the forms, waits, and discovers that he has been turned down. He goes to speak to a customer representative. This gentleman takes off his hat and stands humbly before the all-powerful bank representative. He explains, I am a recently discharged US soldier, I fought in the recent war. I don't have much in savings, but I have a dream and God darn it I will work hard. I am an honest man, I just want a shot at starting my own business, I won't let you down.
The banker, the loan manager, looks at the man's eyes, perhaps looks into his soul, and he approves the loan. He saw beyond the forms and the facts, he saw beyond the numbers and the "automated response", he saw a man in front of him, a human being, and he decided that in fact, this is what the bank is here for, to help people like this, good honest people, get a start in life. These are the kind of people who will build our society, and when they succeed, they will want to "give back" to society.
Yes, it was only a movie, but it lifted my spirit and had a major impact on my world view. That must have been 40 years ago or more, but I remember it, and I behave this way; I give people a chance, I look beyond the "numbers" to see a real person. Those who are members of IKI have experienced this. No one get's turned away for lack of money, at the of IKI is a person who is always willing to listen. You will never get an automated response, you will get me, a real person.
And that is why AI will never have a place in IKI, with all due respect for its possible uses in other spheres. (other than perhaps with translations, I am not fluent in all languages).
Over the Shabbat lunch this friend commented that soon he may not have a job, as AI is taking over so many jobs. He even suggested that perhaps I too would be out of work, as AI could soon teach Krav Maga.
I argued that no machine, no computer, could ever take over my job, or the job of and true teacher.
Let us go back for a moment to a scene from the very first Karate Kid movie. Mr. Miyagi, the building's maintenance man, but also unknown at the time to the viewers, a Japanese Karate master, walks into the LaRusso apartment to fix the leak in the sink. He finds young Daniel practicing kicks while looking at a Karate book. (I recall those old books, sets of photos). He looks and says, "Ah, learn karate from book". Meaning, you can't really learn karate from a book, that is not the way to do it, you need a teacher, you need a guide, you need a mentor, you need a Mr. Miyagi, your spiritual guide and role model.
To be a true martial arts instructor is more than just to show moves, it is more than move your right arm, move your left foot. You are teaching matters of life and death, you are teaching violence, and you must also teach and understand the proper use of violence. You are molding your students, young and old, for better, or perhaps for worse. Be careful.
A teacher could be quickly forgotten, in that case he was never really your teacher, or a teacher can be someone who will continue to guide you, your entire life, even after the passing of the teacher. I have been fortunate to have such teachers. A true teacher sees you, understand you, seeks to understand you, and reach you in the best possible way. Other teachers are like flies, they pass you by briefly, annoy you, and are gone.
I have been privileged to have had good teachers and good students. No true teacher can ever be replaced by AI, Artificial Intelligence because to be a teacher is to be truly human. There is nothing artificial about that. To be human is to be like the loan officer in the old film, to see the soul within the human being. No machine, no computer, can ever do that. True teachers will never be replaced by anything Artificial, no matter how intelligent.
Talmudic Applications
Talmudic scholars debating a passage, there is a lot of passion here, a lot of thought.
Our method, IKI Krav Maga, is highly influenced by Talmudic thought. The Talmud is the basis for modern Jewish law, it is 36 volumes of legal debates, folklore, wisdom and spirituality, discussions spanning 500 years. As Jews, it is the foundation of our lives, in more ways than one. Not only that it guides us in terms of our daily lives; laws, legal regulations and customs, but it is a thought-process that is rather unique.
Every point is debated, almost endlessly. Scholars will look at it from every possible angle, analyze each word, each nuance, and then look at it from a totally different angle. Debates can become passionate, in the rabbinic academies it is not unusual to see someone stand up and raise his voice, No, just the opposite, Punkt Fakert! How can you possibly think this?
But the arguments, the discussions are all "for the sake of heaven", and everyone simply wants to arrive at the truth.
Every opinion is respected, and even a "minority opinion", i.e. one that is ultimately rejected and not set as law, is never fully rejected. It is preserved in the text because there may be a circumstance where this minority opinion can be applied.
Another important point: Debate is encouraged, questions are encouraged. No opinion is shut down. In the film Yental, which creates a beautiful recreation of life in Europe before the Evil Ones destroyed our civilization, we see a young disciple in the Yeshiva, rabbinic academy, asking questions. The student than apologizes, but the wise rabbi says, "No, my child, in this academy we judge our students not only by their answers, but also, even more so, by their questions."
I hope you can see the applications to our way of thinking in our further development of Krav Maga as an effective self-defense tool. Our training is active and interactive, students ask questions, they don't just line up in rows and imitate body movements, they are engaged. If the technique does not make sense to you, if you can't get it to work properly, ask! You will be answered, and perhaps your question will add to our understanding of the technique. or perhaps you will find a flaw that needs to be addressed. Like the Talmud, it is an ongoing discussion. This is something that cannot be done by AI, this is a very human process.
The Talmud advises, acquire for yourself a friend, and find yourself a teacher. Think about that. Learn karate from a book? I think not.
Welcoming New Students
Talking to my neighbor about this AI, Artificial Intelligence idea, another thought occurred to me, the humanity of greeting the new student. Go to any online program and you will find some sort of official welcome, but with martial arts, it is different.
Recall the scene in the first Karate Kid film where Daniel walks into the Cobra Kai dojo. He sees the bullies that he wants to learn to defend himself against, but they are the dojo, the evil he wants to learn to defend against is in the dojo, he makes a disappointed face, and walks out.
It takes a lot of courage to enter a dojo, a martial arts training hall. It takes a lot of courage to open that door and make the first step. I know. I remember my first day at the Oyama Kyokushin dojo in Manhattan. I know that that feels like. You walk in and see all these young tough muscular guys kicking and punching effortlessly. You see the flying jump kicks, the leaping side kicks, and you think, darn, I will never be able to do that! What was I thinking, I am not good enough for this. I had the courage, and I walked in, many just leave, never to return.
Over my many years of martial arts training, in many studios, I have found a certain attitude among instructors - You, the student, must prove yourself to me. You must prove that you are worthy of me teaching you. You must take a beating, an initiation of sorts, to prove your mettle, to prove your worthiness.
I take the exact opposite approach.
My attitude is you have already proven your courage by walking into a martial arts studio. You have already done what the vast majority of people will never do. You have left your comfort zone and entered a distinctly uncomfortable zone. I take my hat off to you, I say, Thank you for coming, I admire your courage, and now let me try to prove myself to you, I hope I am worthy of the trust you have placed in me. I will do my best to guide you, teach you, nurture you.
I must work on myself to see the humanity, the individuality in each individual student, I want to see their courage, their heart. Can AI do that? Can AI replace a human being? Not in the dojo.
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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