Hi Everyone,
Once again I was ‘given’ the opportunity to write another blog. Apparently my last one was such a phenomenal success, our office manager received around 5000 letters and countless emails talking about how good it was…! (Only kidding).
On Sunday 19 August, The Institute of Krav Maga UK ran its third MasterClass of the year (Krav Maga Ground Fighting – The Last Place You Want To Be) – The location chosen this time was Regent’s Park – London. What a fantastic day – the weather was amazing (29 degrees) and even though it rained a bit ( a bit?!!)at the beginning of it (just to remind us that we still living in the UK), nothing would have stopped us.
A well-prepared team was the key for a safe and enjoyable event.
Every time we run an event like this one I see how great our team is. A bunch of extremely dedicated guys (and a girl – which is on the mend after a knee surgery) who represent KMG and the Institute of Krav Maga UK so well!
Andy Conroy (G5) did all the planning for this MasterClass and kept us on track throughout the day. Tibor Urban (G5), Sam Treacher (G5), Paul Hyland (G2) and David Slade (G4) shared different tasks such as: Carrying ‘stuff’ to and from the van (The Krav Mobile), helping setting up the whole ‘circus’ at the park, demonstrating the techniques, correcting our club members and taking pictures to make sure the ones who did not attend the event could regret it later!! ☺
It lasted around 3-and-a-half hours, but don’t take my word for it, it might have been longer than that by the look in their faces and uniforms…☺ It was as real as it gets – outdoor training, wet grass and heat – lots of it… For one second I though I was back in Israel testing again…! ☺
I am always impressed by the effort our club members put in. As I am not teaching regular classes anymore I get to see some of them from time to time and always impresses me how much they achieved and improved, physically and mentally. Some of them training up to 5 days a week!
110 Participants from Kent, Cambridge, Essex, Hertfordshire and London attended the event – Instructors and students from Scotland – John Miller (G5), Mark Scott (G3), Alan Clark (G2) and Blackpool – Lee Douglas (G3) and Dom Kershaw (G1) made the effort to come down and train with us… Jose Silva (G3) recovering from a shoulder injury was there watching the event… Thank you guys!!
Another special thanks to Marisa and Enzo (my wife and kid) for doing so much today answering all the questions from the public watching the event and also dealing with our club members.
The participants were taken through different drills, which have been previously rehearsed in our instructor training sessions. Lots of running around, soft and hard break falls in all possible directions, getting up from the ground, defenses against kicks, punches, slow fighting reacting to different commands, lots of striking the ‘Melons’…etc.
Jon Bullock (E2) was in charge of the wireless microphone screaming at them to go faster and faster!! (Yes, we took a PA system to the park… ) By the end of it, after all the diplomas have been handed out, Jon made an announcement that we had a surprise for them: The Institute of Krav Maga UK will bring Eyal Yanilov (the one and only) and Tomasz Adamczyk to conduct our next MasterClass in December 2012.
6 hours of Krav Maga, split in two parts – to make sure those training will have time to recover and absorb as much as they can from these top masters. The fact that it has all but sold out, tells you how in-demand these guys are – and we’re proud to have them teaching at our event! If I don’t see you before – I’ll see you there!
Take care and be safe!
Joe Ambrosino
