Adult Lessons
There was a time when people moved out the way when they saw him coming. Trevor wasn’t an ego maniac, but he liked the the respect he got when he walked down the street or entered a room. Those days seemed long gone. He retired from BP Canada after thirty years of service with very little cartilage left in his shoulders. Trevor admitted to his two adult daughters that he couldn’t beat a fly. He imagined worst case scenarios where he might have to defend himself or his family. In every situation, he found himself with no other recourse but to use a gun in self defense. When she saw his self-confidence plummet, his eldest daughter enrolled him in a beginner’s class at Calgary Krav Maga.
All Ages, Shapes and Sizes You know that saying, ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?’ Trevor was no different. At 67, he wasn’t interested in learning anything new around a bunch of strangers. In reality, he was embarrassed and ashamed. Trevor had a never ending recording playing in his head that told him that he could no longer be taken seriously. His self talk told him that he was weak and people would laugh at him. Trevor’s daughter convinced him to attend his first class by accompanying him. As she signed them both in, he looked around in amazement. Relief came over him as he noticed senior citizens, women and people looking to lose weight warming up. Fight or Flight Trevor confided in his eldest daughter that he remembered when he was the coolest guy in the room. He said it was interesting to age and no longer be that guy. When under stressful situations, we must all make a decision of fight or flight. In Krav Maga, Trevor learned that it was okay to flee. His manhood was not in jeopardy if he didn’t take on every knuckle head that came his way. We taught Trevor how to avoid confrontation whenever possible. But when a fight was impassable, we gave him intuitive and practical tools to end it as quickly as possible using his bare hands. No Experience Necessary Growing up, Trevor had learned to box. He taught his girls how to box too. Most of our students are not like Trev. They don’t have any martial arts training. Although they have been provoked and bullied, half of them have never been in a fight in their lives. In his first few classes, Trevor learned basic stances, how to strike effectively and fall without hurting himself. His self-esteem shone as he perfected getting up safely. Learning how to manipulate different choke holds and headlocks were his favorite lessons. It wasn’t long before Trev became a class leader. Intermediate and Advanced Shortly after gaining his footing, Trevor became the most popular student in the beginner’s class. He took a special interest in partnering with other senior citizens and young women that reminded him of his daughters. Trev progressed to the intermediate level within 4 months. Once he mastered those techniques, he learned how to fend off multiple simultaneous attackers in the advanced class. Trev discovered a new favorite and became an expert in weapons defense. His teacher’s eyes welled up with pride and accomplishment when he became skilled at complex combative standing and ground techniques. Trevor thought his glory days were long gone, but he found out that they were just beginning. |
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