Stages in Krav Maga, Stages as a Warrior, Stages in Life

Often students ask me about their skills and we talk about their techniques in Krav Maga. They try to understand where they are in the Krav Maga system concerning the real thing, the truth. Have you ever wondered about this? I’ll give you something to think about.

The easy answer is to look at your uniform, rank, patch, belt… and you will get something of an answer. However, is it really this? Does that rank represent where you are? The answer is much deeper than the signs on the uniform or hanging on the wall as a diploma.

The answer is not very short, but once you understand it you no longer need someone from the outside to tell you about your stage.

There are four stages: fixed, living, changing, random. Let’s see what these mean.

Fixed In the beginning, you copy the instructor. You try as hard as you can to move like him, act like him, and the instructor himself tells you what to do and controls your actions and moves. In Krav Maga this is also called the dry drill. In this stage, you often worry about what comes next, concerning move after move and questioning whether you are performing the correct techniques. If you are still worrying about the correct action and what comes next in the “moves” (form, kata, drill), you know for sure that you are still in the beginning of the way. This is called the fixed stage.

Living Once you overcome the order of the movements from the form, you are in a higher stage than the fixed but you still have a lot to accomplish to get to the living. The living stage is when you perform your skills naturally concerning how you feel that day and your physical shape, without concerning what move comes next. Here, you feel it from the inside of your body; you and the form are one. However, do not forget, you still live by the order of the form. In our Krav Maga world, these are called closed techniques. This is the living stage.

Changing Next, you live the techniques and the techniques are inside of you, but now things become more realistic in training concerning speed, angles, variations and stress. Your friends stop attacking you “correctly” according to the “form”. Some of them are stronger, weaker or faster than you. Actually different. Here, things are changing and you harness from your knowledge all the techniques; you play with the parts of the techniques, changing the order of them to overcome the problems. In addition, the problems are not “fixed”. You overcome all of this by changing. But, don’t forget: you don’t change principals. If you prevail, you are in the changing stage. Good for you. You are very close… This is called the changing stage.

Random Wow, now when you train you feel alive, you control the situations and it is fun thing to do. You embrace the problems and control every step of your response. In addition, suddenly you understand that you do not perform techniques. It is something that is just happening. What is it? My friend, you are in the random stage, you do not think about the system anymore. No form or kata. Right and wrong do not exist. The principals are in your blood. However, you are performing Krav Maga. You are in the zone. Even in non-combative action, you are Krav Maga. You and the System or Art are one! This is the random stage.

So, my friends, this is my answer to all of you who have asked me about where you are and how good you are. In addition: dear Instructors, think about your teaching, are your lessons in the fixed, living, changing or random stages? Just a thought. Keep in mind, and do not ever forget: no matter how much and how long, you should always train as hard as you can. This is the key. No short cuts or detours. Be happy to train hard all your life!

Apply the practice and principals of Krav Maga training to the outside world, and not necessarily by physical action. You and the system will really be one. It will be in your Core!

I will be more than happy to get your responses, from all Krav Maga and Martial Arts practitioners, regardless of the logo or symbol on your t-shirt.

Thank you for reading.

Haim Sasson