- Home
- Krav Maga Blog
- Krav Instructors
- Train in Israel
- Tour Train Israel
- Krav Shop
- DVD
- Kickboxing
- IKI Near Me
- Seminars
- IKI Membership
- On-Line Training
- Krav Maga Training
- Testimonials
- History Krav Maga
- Instructors Page
- Past Blogs
- Spanish
- Italian
- Certification
- Contact
- Holland Seminar
- Vienna Seminar
- Poland Seminar
- Italy Seminar
- Belt Requirements
Blend in or Stand Out
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
December 7, 2024, Israel
Lessons from a nation of warriors.
Yip Man and his student Lee June Fan, Bruce Lee
Do you want to stand out in a crowd? Do you want to get noticed? If so, you are the target audience of the marketing and fashion world; be prepared for the advertisements. On the other hand, if you wish to blend in, fit in, not shout out "Look at me everyone!" then you would do well in traditional religious communities where everyone pretty much dresses the same. (works for me). These traditional communities have come under attack recently by more "progressive" elements who feel that if it is not "all about me" and individual expression, then it is unacceptable. Tolerance and freedom of expression extends only to those whom they agree with. Blend in, stand out, that is your choice, leave it as that.
But there are certain professions where you must blend in. If you have chosen espionage as a career, or being an undercover detective, then standing out is a negative. You will want to dress, act, and grow your hair, like the group you are trying to infiltrate. Standing out is a bad idea that can get you caught.
Now let us analyze for a moment the Krav Maga, or martial arts, world. When I was a young student, our teacher advised us never to stand out as someone who knows something. We live under the constant threat of Arab terrorism. Around the world Jews are targeted by various forms of Jew hating. We grow up with this awareness. We were advised not to wear anything that draws attention to ourselves as "people of interest". This does not mean hiding our identity, but it does mean not showing that you are a person who could "create a problem". Thus, if you are a very muscular man, we were told, make sure to wear loose fitting shirts. Wear a buttoned-down shirt with a calculator visible in your front pocket and a couple of pens; look as bookish and "nerdy" as possible. Under no circumstances should you reveal that you know self-defense or martial arts. Play the part of the weak and meek, timid and terrified personality, for otherwise, in a moment of trouble, you will be the first to be targeted. This has been proven in many terrorist situations. Anyone who had a military bearing, or looked like they may be a problem, were quickly separated and neutralized. The terrorists, hostage takers, home invaders, are not looking for a challenge. This is not a tournament. If you look like the kind of person who may resist, you will be handled appropriately right from the start. We must avoid that.
But what about the MMA crowd or the popular Bad Boy styles of Krav Maga, do they adhere to this? Well, there are entire brands of clothing made to accommodate this crowd; Bad Ass clothing to match the Bad Ass boys. The clothing is not made to hide the bulging muscles but on the contrary, to accentuate them. I recall someone wanting to buy a Krav Maga T shirt, I offered him an XL to match his body, but he wanted a girl's size medium, tight enough to show off his muscles. That is not what I was taught by Itay Gil. I was taught to blend in, and if a "situation" arose, you can go undetected until the window of opportunity came for you to take care of business. No need to give your enemies any advance notice.
Again, this all depends on your position in life. If you are a bouncer, a security guard, who stands outside a pub, I would say that tough guy image is indeed a good idea and would be effective. You want people to look at you and think, Holy Crap! I don't think I want to mess with that guy, he could eat me for a snack. I better simmer down and walk away. If you are a traffic cop, I imagine that pulling over a speeding driver might have a similar effect, perhaps people will be intimidated and act more politely, as they should. Each one according to his needs and situation.
Do you want to draw attention to yourself? or do you wish to remain under the radar until your services are needed? Are you training to look good or to do good? You have to determine what is the correct path for the direction in which you are going. Bruce Lee had a certain look, his teacher Yip Man 葉問 could easily have been mistaken for a frail old man, but based on what I heard, it would be a mistake to challenge him in the street, or in the Kung Fu school. Bruce Lee admitted he was bested by his old teacher.
The Krav Maga "look"
For Krav Maga there is no correct look. Some of our instructors are rather large, some are petite, less than 5 feet tall, (less than 1.5 meters). Some are old, some are young. Some are very thin and meek looking but deadly, others are large and muscular. My point, be yourself, but if you want to help others in time of need, if you are walking around in public, it might be best to blend in rather than stand out. It might be best not to be noticed at all, until you need to make a stand. You don't need to wear a T shirt proclaiming "I am a grandmaster" or "here comes trouble". I have a student who has fabulous T shirts, but he wears them only for training, shirts that say, "I am the one your mother warned you about", or "Does not play well with others". Great T shirts for training, but would you wear that to a job interview? or on a plane? I would say, heed the advice of my teacher and keep a low profile. Wear a baggy T shirt, let them think you are fat, rather than muscular. Let them think you are a nerd rather than a lean mean fighting machine. Keep the element of surprise on your side, it is a huge advantage. Surprise is a great weapon, use it as needed.
Stay Safe.
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.
Start Your REAL Training TODAY
Or is someone coming to save you?
IKI Krav Maga online distance training - Leading to ranks and certification.
Tour and Train Israel Experience
Personal Training - If you are interested in personal Krav Maga training please contact us on the form below.
