KRAV MAGA FOR MENTAL FITNESS

I was reading about Anger management. One of the ways suggested to deal with Anger, was getting into channelizing the anger by practicing fighting arts. That set me thinking.
At the outset, let me declare, i am NOT perfect. I have problems at my work place and personal life. I am seeing a pattern in these problems, and I am concerned. This is just a process of analysing the ways to deal with them, along with you.
The defining emotions of our present life-styles seem to be Anger, Depression, Fear and Fatigue. All negative. The reasons for negative emotions are numerous, let’s not waste time in listing them, but move forward to address them.
There are certain situations in one’s life which only time can heal, like the death of somebody close to us. Otherwise most of these day-to-day negative emotions should be dealt with some concrete steps, to stop ourselves from sailing past the ‘point of no return’. So what do i do?!
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1) I have to Accept and Acknowledge that I have a tendency to get into negative mind-set. Unless I recognize I have a problem i can’t do anything about it.
Some body has said ‘Habits become Character’. I look at all my habitual behaviours and start wondering whether they have moulded together as my character. Is this how the people around see me!
2) Then I look at what is troubling me and imagine what could be the worst scenario... Some of you may grumble that the whole reason for this negative emotion is the rampant imagination!
But having visualized the worst, I ask myself ‘Has the worst happened?’ No.. it hasn’t ,obviously . I am still standing there with my skill sets to feed me, and the loved ones around me who will always be there, unless i screw it up more.
3) Then, instead of generally declaring I have to change myself, I have to tell myself to change some specific behaviour.
4) OK till now, since these are about ME. What about ‘THE OTHERS’ who are troubling me. If possible I avoid them. If i can’t avoid them, I will confront them and talk about the issues openly. Many problems seem to get sorted out by voicing them.
5) If the problems with others can’t be avoided or talked out, I have to decide on ways of reacting to them. I say to myself. OK, I can’t change YOU. But I can change the way I react to you. That well within my control.
6) But the best advice till date was,” Why do you think Life should be an unchanging graph line of serene happiness and satisfaction? Accept life is like an ECG line, continuous UPS and DOWNS. Having accepted that, you can see beyond an issue and keep moving on. There are more issues, which will keep coming at you, anyway.”
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Now, where does Krav Maga figure in all this mumbo jumbo about Life’s problems?
1) Practicing Krav Maga has made me reduce or stop some self-destructive habits, which have plagued me for years. I feel better and energy levels have improved dramatically. I get done more in a day than i used to.
2) Krav Maga also has taught me that there is more than one way to solve a problem. I don’t give up if one technique fails. I launch another technique.
3) Since I punch and kick a lot in Krav Maga training, I feel relieved. If somebody has been an irritant, i just have to imagine punching and kicking him!
4) Krav Maga has also made me realise everybody has their Strength and Weakness. A big guy may be no great mover when standing up. But get in close quarters or go on the ground with the heavy weight, you will have some nasty surprises.
5) Krav Maga has familiarised me with unexpected assaults and the shock that you experience.
6) Krav Maga has also trained me to assess a risk and keep it as far away as possible.
7) And, best of all, Krav Maga has taught me, Violence is the last resort.

Comments

  1. This is specific to point no. 3 where you have mentioned about how kicking and punching has enabled you to tackle anger and stress. The Japanese style of work is regimented ‘Top-Down’. Therefore, employees of Japanese Corporations are the most stressed in the world. In order to tackle this, a simple solution was devised whereby all companies were instructed to have a ‘Punching Bag’ in their cafeterias where the employees could have a go at the bag. They are even allowed to put the picture of their supervisors or managers on the punching bag if these guys are the cause of stress.

    Research has shown that less than a minute of punching or kicking the bag is all it takes to ‘D-Stress’.

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  2. Interesting! I think we can print Ramalinga Raju's face on punching bags and sell them outside Satyam's premises. There should be a good demand for them! :-)

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  3. Sir,
    You have mentioned about mental fitness and Krav Maga. Could you please elaborate about the actual spiritual facets (if any) which Krav Maga will provide. For example, some martial arts do concentrate on inner peace and self realization.(Taichi,Wushu etc) I personally find Krav maga more practical for city life and streets and am wondering if mental control may be acquired through it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi prem
    Krav maga was devised in a recent context unlike traditional martial arts. There is no spirituality element in Krav maga.
    There are lots of training to improve alertness, handle stress, reaction to crisis and using available resources. This is another route to the "mental control" you yearn for.

    ReplyDelete

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