Is it the Best?
Is our Krav Maga the best in the World?
We have a bit of a contradiction here. On one hand in our martial arts training, and in yeshiva, our rabbinical student training, we are taught humility. It is told that in Eastern Europe a young scholar opened the door of the yeshiva to walk out for a breath of fresh air. Instinctively a cat jumped up, as if standing up for the scholar. The yeshiva scholar looked at the cat and said, "Oh no, please do not get up on my account."
Humility is certainly a virtue, no question about it. We must never forget to be humble. And yet, there are times when too much humility, or inappropriate humility, can be harmful to ourselves and others.
If you have a product to sell, and it is a good product, beneficial to others, it would be a mistake to be overly humble. Imagine Thomas Edison, who invented the phone, if he were a typical yeshiva student he would sound like this, "Yes, with the help of the Almighty I came up with this little device, I call it the telephone, but really it's no big deal, really no reason you should buy it."
Well clearly that would be a mistake. We might still be using the telegraph or messenger pigeons. So we must find a balance, let's not be arrogant but let's not sell ourselves short, if you have something of value you should let others know about this. Don't be selfish; share your knowledge! I was sitting in the car with my friend Pat in Canada. Pat is a very successful martial arts instructor and school owner and is generous with his wisdom. He turned to me and he said, "Moshe, I am going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly". I thought he might be asking me an embarrassing question. He continued, "Do you feel you are teaching the best Krav Maga in the world?"
Pat asked for an honest answer, so I had to give one. "Yes, I do indeed believe what I am teaching is the best Krav in the world." I am not saying I am the baddest Krav Maga dude on the planet, for sure not. I am not saying that I am necessarily the best teacher; there are many wonderful teachers out there. I do, however, believe that at this moment what I am teaching is indeed the best out there, bar none.
When I teach, both beginners and advanced practitioners, I see how they get it. I see how it makes sense to them; I see how they are able to apply it right away against all sorts of opponents. I see that it does not take them years to be able to do something effective, as is the case in many styles I have trained in. I see that the desired result is not years away but minutes away. I know that what I am teaching is good.
I know that what I teach makes sense in the dojo and in real life. The teaching methods are simple and direct, the techniques are simple and direct. People have used these techniques successfully on the street. I do believe this is the best Krav Maga out there today.