“Don’t hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.”
– Teddy Roosevelt

A few weeks before my birthday this year, I found myself in a very low energy space, with a lot of unsettling things around me, the world caving in, as usual, leaving me immobile and paralyzed as my thoughts often lead me to feel. I decided to give myself a gift. A gift of a self-defense form that can empower me as a woman. I enrolled myself in a Krav Maga class and made a pact with myself that I will give it an honest shot for the entire month, without bunking a single class. This was my tiny way of showcasing love to my troubled self. 

A couple of months ago I had attended a self-defense workshop in my office, as part of the Women’s day celebrations. It was a two-hour session on Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense form. The beauty of Krav is that it is designed to be effective and accessible to all people – female or male, strong or weak, child or adult. It is basically a refined kind of street fighting which is applicable in practical and real-life situations where you have to defend yourself or your loved ones against violence. It is different from other martial arts in the sense, that this is not a competitive sport, nor does it focus on conditioning any part of your body. It teaches you to think on your feet, to always assume your attacker is not alone, to avoid the fight as much you can, and if you have decided to go in, neutralize your opponent, attack, and exit.

I do not want to get very technical into the principles of it, what I would like to highlight here are all the real-life lessons that my Krav Maga sessions have taught me in the last four months. I just want to share my observations on things that have changed and made an impact on my life.

Finding stability in motion:

Krav teaches you movement – to do things that feel natural to your body. Yes, there are techniques that one needs to understand and follow, but if you look closely it helps you understand how you move. Until you get to a point where no movement will be strange to your body and mind. You learn to keep moving, in class and in life. It is a beautiful practice for people who love the path of self-discovery. With every session, you learn a little more about yourself and what you are capable of.

A weapon to fight anxiety:

I’ve been battling with anxiety for most of my 20’s, long before I even knew that I am going through something like this. It took a lot of fight, reflection, and acceptance to understand what my triggers are and how to work with them. To put it simply, imagine a fear stopping you from doing something, now imagine that fear take a hundred thousand forms that stop you from enjoying anything in your life. That’s how I would define it. Now we all know that physical activities and forms of exercise help reduce our anxiety levels. Krav is no different, it helps you focus on doing something rather than on your thoughts, and as you go through small wins as part of your sessions, you feel better about yourself. Simple.

Reclaiming your power:

Joining Krav definitely gave me a reason to overcome one common fear every girl goes through – the fear of being attacked sexually. I may have the privileges and the resources to lead most of my life in safety, but there have many instances that have made me go numb and feel unsafe – within locked Uber cars, in crowded markets, during solo trips, and many more. Four months of training may not make a warrior princess, but it definitely gives me the confidence and the techniques to kick the hell out of an assaulter. Krav Maga teaches me that the moment you get attacked, you are NOT THE VICTIM, you are THE ATTACKER.  It trains you not to allow yourself to become the victim. The instant you are attacked, you attack back — more aggressively — because your job is to protect yourself and get out of that situation.

Being part of a community

One of the most compelling reasons for me to go to Krav Maga class is the people there.