Is your instructor still learning ?

     Often I see instructors who have trained for many years and achieved  a high rank or belt in their system, stop training and focus solely on teaching. This creates a problem for the students because as time goes on eventually the material the instructor is teaching becomes dated and often less effective then newer material others are teaching. if you were a doctor and began practicing in 2006 and never read medical journals or conducted professional development in any way, it is likely that now in 2016 much of what you would be doing would be outdated and in some cases completely irrelevant. Self-Defense is very much like that. The way we learned to deal with threats in the 1950's may still work in a certain context but it is very likely that better more efficient ways have been developed. If you are too busy instructing to still be a student yourself then it is likely that you are failing your students by not providing them with the best and most current information available. 

     Krav Maga is the foundation of my self-defense program. Krav Maga is one of the biggest offenders of this "failure to evolve" in the self-defense community today. Many Krav Maga schools are still teaching the exact same curriculum that Imi used to train IDF soldiers back in the 1950's. And while its very possible that some of what they were teaching back then is still very applicable today, it is also very unlikely that all of what they were teaching is still applicable. A great example of this is found in Krav Maga's notorious 360 defenses. While you could certainly argue that 360's are still a valuable technique and do work I think it would be a better more sound argument that there are far better ways to deal with threats coming from the outside. Covers for example are a great way to deal with hook punches or punches coming from the outside. The idea that under critical stress I am going to get wrist to wrist contact with one hand, and simultaneously find the attackers chin with my other hand is not only unlikely its damn near impossible. Especially because most schools when practicing the 360's don't actually make contact with the striking hand. They make "simulated contact" either pulling the punch or punching past the target over the attackers shoulder. This means for every 360 defense you have practiced  you have practiced doing it wrong, or differently from how you expect yourself to do it in a critical incident. Unreasonable? Irresponsible? I think so. 

     360 defenses are certainly not the only technique that could use a little revamping or a complete overhaul in the Krav Maga system. There are many others but the purpose of this article is not to pick apart techniques but rather to encourage instructors to continue their education and professional development. As an instructor of anything I have a responsibility to my students to be as well informed, educated and trained in the subject matter I am teaching. This means staying current and dedicating a certain amount of my time to furthering my own knowledge. As you continue to train and read and learn through whatever means are available to you, it is likely that you will begin to question some of what you are currently teaching. This is a good thing. Constant assessment and revalidation is necessary to any good self-defense program. If you are not constantly looking for better ways to do the work you are lazy. I don't carry the same cell phone I carried 10 years ago. Why? Because many better, more capable, more efficient options are available. They can do more, have a better battery life, are lighter and smaller and genuinely more useful then their predecessors. If you are willing to upgrade your cell phone why would you not be willing to upgrade your tactics or techniques? If you are so invested in your techniques or so stuck in the doctrine that was taught to you then maybe you shouldn't be teaching others. Personally I am always looking to poke holes in what I teach and come up with new and better ways to deal with the problem. I find that it keeps me sharp and open minded and these are important qualities to look for in a professional educator or trainer. 

     You did the work to earn the rank and the title of instructor, but remember the road doesn't end there. It is just the beginning. Now you need to continue to push yourself and look at what other instructors are doing in this industry. See if it is better or worse then what you are currently teaching and why. Take classes. Read books. Watch videos. Talk to other professionals whom you respect. This open dialogue is how we evolve. It is how we find better ways to do the work that needs to be done. The end goal remains the same. Give your students the best material you can and the best chance to protect themselves from a violent attacker. If you are doing anything less I implore you to reconsider. Get out and train. Your life and the life of your students depend on it.