Training Methods That Can Mislead

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 31st Oct 2016

This article comes out of a conversation/thread on social media that I was involved in. During the conversation, I mentioned that striking, and especially striking with a simultaneous block, isn’t always effective – I’m not saying that it’s never effective, just that there are times, especially when you are dealing with knives, that your emphasis should be on controlling the weapon arm at the earliest opportunity, before moving on to combatives, etc. One response that I received, advocated the use of simultaneously striking, whilst blocking against a knife attack (and once again, I’m not saying this isn’t ever effective), based...Click To Read More

Is Krav Maga Relevant

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 24th Oct 2016

In the time that I’ve been training both in Israel and other countries, I have found that there are basically two approaches to teaching/training Krav Maga: a traditional one, and a more progressive one. The “traditional” method of training, takes the system/techniques that Imi laid down, and with minor alterations and developments, presents them as a solution to violence. The progressive approach, which I have seen instructors teach, both within the IDF and in the civilian sector, looks at the types of violent situations that they (and their students) are likely to face, and how Krav Maga techniques and solutions...Click To Read More

That Will Never Work On The Street

Gershon Ben Keren

Sun 16th Oct 2016

How many martial artists does it take to change a lightbulb? 100. 1 to get up on a chair to change it, and the other 99, to tell them that their “technique” would never work on the street. The “it would never work on the street” argument, is one that every martial arts/self-defense instructor will have been subjected to at some point. More often than not, no actual argument is made as to why a technique wouldn’t work, or a better solution offered, etc. there is no discussion, and not even debate - what is being criticized is simply dismissed....Click To Read More

Group Violence (Part 2)

Gershon Ben Keren

Mon 10th Oct 2016

Violent criminals aren’t stupid, they know how to stack the odds in their favor – this is why they may choose to carry a weapon and/or commit their crimes as part of a group. There are three assumptions I always make when dealing with an aggressive individual: that they are armed, they are able to effectively respond to what I do, and that they are assisted by others. The fact that criminals often don’t work alone is one of the reasons that it is imperative to exit the environment at the earliest opportunity. You may believe that you are only...Click To Read More

Violence Towards Animals

Gershon Ben Keren

Sun 2nd Oct 2016

Before I write the 2nd article on group violence, I wanted to address something that came up in the news this week. I’m an animal lover. I simply don’t understand abuse or violence towards animals. There are actually very few animals on this planet, which mean us harm, and most want to bond with us in some way- something which humans do not always earn/deserve. This week, I was asked via social media to sign a petition, to get the Fayettville (Arkansas) police to prosecute a group of high school students who had hired a baby goat, to abuse at...Click To Read More