How long should I devote to training Krav maga?

Ever since Impact Krav Maga opened its doors six years ago, people looking to train with us have often asked similar questions: How long should I devote to my Krav Maga training?  Should I think about training for a month or six months or a year or more?  How long will it be until I get better and be able to use Krav Maga effectively if needed?

First of all our philosophy on training is that it should never be a burden.  Yes, after a hard day at work or school, with family responsibilities and daily chores, it is often hard to find the motivation to get to a gym.  But once you get here, you should never feel that you made a mistake by coming.  The environment should be fun yet informative, challenging yet supportive and safe, and after the training you should always leave with a smile on your face, proud of your accomplishments.  Therefore we have always strived to create an atmosphere at Impact where people feel welcomed, are treated with respect and professionalism and are given the highest level of Krav Maga, self-defense and fighting training available.  So if you are learning useful life-saving skills and getting a great workout surrounded by friendly and motivated people in a safe, fun and caring setting, keep training as long as you can, and as long as it keeps you happy.  In fact we have had many students that have moved to a different city and even different country, and they take the opportunity to return to San Diego from time to time to train with us, simply because they cannot find the same training environment anywhere else.

As far as the question of progression and the length of time it takes to get better at Krav Maga and when can a student start using Krav Maga effectively if needed.  The answer to this question has many layers.  First of all, our classes are set up in such a way, that after even one class, students have already learned some life-saving skills.  Obviously with more classes they learn more techniques, and with constant repetition, corrections and drilling they improve upon these skills, make them sharper, more aggressive, and apply them with less hesitation and more precision.  It is never a race or a competition to progress faster than your classmates.  Each student progresses within their own physical abilities and the time they can devote to their training.  The way our lessons are organized, each student, regardless of experience, will be challenged to his own ability throughout the class.  So whether you have been training with us for a week or a several years, you still can expect to improve with every training. 

Of course Krav Maga is not a competitive martial art, therefore there are no tournaments to determine how much your Krav Maga has improved in given period of time.  And although there are rank tests in Krav Maga that determine your progression in the system, these tests are not a direct measure of your ability to defend yourself on the street.  So how do you know if you are getting better?  First of all you will hear it from us, your instructors, when we give you periodic feedback as to what you are doing well, what you can improve upon, etc.  But more importantly you will start noticing your own progression and development.  If you take the time to listen to our feedback, incorporate our corrections and analyze your training, then you can make each rep better than the last, and will start seeing significant results in the power of your strikes, precision of your movement, sharpness of your defenses and overall decision making under stress. You will also start feeling more confident in all aspects of your daily lives, even outside of the gym.  The more you invest into your training, the more you will get out of it.  It’s like going through any education.  The further you go in your schooling, the more knowledge you acquire and better equipped you become to face more and more challenging problems.  Our Krav Maga program mirrors the structure and progression of any educational system.  Our classes build off each other.  With more training, students are exposed to more and more challenging classes.  From the basics of the essentials of Krav Maga to the more challenging and in depth curriculum of the Core Krav Maga, from striking classes to our sparring classes and ultimately to our advanced curriculum, there is always something new to learn, something to improve upon, and always something to keep you excited about your training. 

So, if you are thinking about training Krav Maga, instead of thinking how long should you devote to your training, simply take the first step and start training today and see how far this journey will take you.  You may find that this will be more than just a temporary hobby, but a whole new lifestyle.