Last weekend I completed a 6h seminar of self defense technique against gun attack. First of all word ‘seminar’ sounds really funny when you think about its content. It makes my friends laugh as for them this word basically means a mix of conference rooms, suits and free coffee. In the case of krav maga seminar the coffee is not for free and we do not wear suits. And, I would also say, the content of krav maga seminars increase adrenaline much more than a traditional conference.
OK, you might think that the probability to meet somebody who will threat me with a gun is low, so it does not make any sense to practice it. While I might be lucky and never find myself in a similar situation I still believe it isn’t completely pointless. The most important thing learnt last weekend is sort of ‘familiarity’ with the gun in terms of weight (it is bloody heavy!), dimensions and technique how to secure it to not to shoot yourself. Second important thing is related to a situation of direct threat for my life: a gun pointed to my head while kneeling was dreadful. Dreadful when it happened for the first time but after six hours I was much less frightened than before the seminar. Lastly, I got known that an aggressor is also very nervous/excited when he/she threatens with a gun or a knife. So, you have couple of minutes to react. After a while he/she gets tranquil and your chances to defense yourself decrease.
I am not trying to convince you that after carrying a gun for couple of hours you become fearless but I am pretty sure that I have increased probability of not being totally petrified when it happen to me. I might even have some behavior learnt that one day will safe my life or life of somebody who is with me.
One of the huge advantage of such activities is intensive physical training. I mean: I-N-T-E-N-S-I-V-E. Our instructor knows no mercy and after such a day I feel really exhausted. BUT there is also a good news: it gets easier. Or maybe it does not get any easier, I just get better.
Photo thanks to Fernando Osuna.
