Progression with strikes during training

Improving Skills in Training with the Example of Claire, Who Now Strikes Powerful Knee kick

Coup de genou aux parties génitales

Quick feedback from Nicolas, who has extensive experience in managing violence and is an Instinctive Krav Maga Instructor in Châteaudun, France :

"One of my students, whom we’ll call Claire, a woman in her thirties, small build, and a chartered accountant by profession, wasn’t really comfortable with knee kicks at first. Although she was motivated to improve, she had some hesitation when it came to executing this strike.

After several weeks of working on breaking down the movement, both on the bag and with pads, Claire made significant progress. We took the time to adjust her posture, her striking angle, and help her synchronize everything in order to make her strikes more powerful and precise.

During the last training session, something remarkable happened. Claire managed to land a powerful knee kicks on a pad held by an experienced student, who was well protected with a cup. At that moment, I saw the surprise in the pad holder’s eyes. After the session, he told me that he hadn’t expected such force from Claire. He even added that, without the pad and the cup, the impact would have been much more intense.

It was a very satisfying moment for Claire. Not only did she gain confidence, but she also realized her own power, despite her smaller size and lighter build compared to some of her training partners."

What to take away from this experience?

The Instructor-Student Relationship

The Instructor-Student relationship is fundamental to the progression of students. This interaction builds gradually and is based on several factors. One key factor is the type of care and attention the Instructor must show to transmit knowledge to their students.

Then there is the Instructor's level of competence. This doesn’t just refer to technical skills or rank. We all know "super theoreticians, super technical" instructors who have no real experience when it comes to violence. Their criteria will be based on perfect technique, while our role is to train students to survive physical aggression. Therefore, it is necessary to have a minimum level of experience to contribute to developing the real intention to "strike to hurt."

As you can understand, a good instructor will provide this "mental" aspect, which is crucial for the progression of their students. This means that the instructor will adapt to each student, offering that "little extra" to help them improve their skills.

"I never teach my pupils. I only provide the conditions in which they can learn." – Albert Einstein

The Student-Student Relationship

Cooperation between students is a key principle we apply during our classes. We do not encourage competition because our goal is to train them to solve complex problems, where cooperation in the face of a violent situation can help them resolve the issue.

The Development of Our Skills

This progress shows how patience and technical work can make all the difference.

Claire no longer simply delivers a knee strike; she does it with confidence and power. It’s an excellent example of how consistent work can turn apprehension into strength. And this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see how far she will go with this new confidence.

Ego

One of my Krav Maga mentors, Master Eyal Yanilov, often began his training sessions by saying, "Leave your ego in the locker room and pick it up when you leave the locker room." In other words, to succeed in making progress, you must accept that you won’t always live up to your own expectations or that your skills may not be at the level you think they should be.

Conclusion

Making progress requires personal work and tailored support. Communication is the foundation of this dynamic. It will be fueled by the student's motivation and the instructor's skills. These skills are not measured by rank but by a certain benevolence, mastery of teaching tools, and so on.