Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore, warrior Mr. Najih Email to Guruji Franklin Joseph
Mr. Najih KM, an practitioners in Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore is now shifted to USA for few years. He emailed Guruji Franklin Joseph, sharing his experience of Krav Maga training in USA and having a healthy comparison with Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Military Self Defense. Interesting read. 🙂
Hi Guruji Franklin Joseph,
Since I am in USA, I am training with Krav Maga Seattle (KMS : //www.kmseattle.com) for some time now, and thought I’ll tell you about the pros and cons of the classes here, doing a healthy comparison with our Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Academy, Bangalore. Since you have always been a great instructor (and still constantly looking to improve) I think it’s my duty to give proper feedback.
I joined KMS USA about 2 months back, and I’ve found it really great.
KMS USA best qualities :
1. Excellent facilities
You can checkout some images and videos in their site.There are around 11 heavy punching bags. Lot of kick shields, punching pads, punching mitts, kettlebells and dumbbells (from light to heavy). Class has a mirror, which helps too.
2. Variety of classes & instructor in Krav Maga
They offer various kinds of classes. There are basic Krav Maga classes, fight training, bag sessions, kettle bell training and yoga classes.
The Krav Maga fees here is around $150 per month. (Other martial arts classes charge around $120 here. So slightly costlier than other martial arts). All classes are included in this cost. Sometimes they conduct workshops/seminar with outside trainer, that costs extra.
There are 5 instructors now, which is good I guess. Hopefully, over time, Bangalore class will have more too. 🙂
3. Varied timings for Krav Maga
Best part here is the class strength and timing. In each class there are at least 20 students. And each class is offered at different timings. Eg Krav Maga level 1 is offered on weekdays at 7-8 in the evening and also in the morning. I leave office, get ready and go directly to the classes. Same class is there on saturday as well.
Other classes are also scheduled throughout the week. Eg bag class is there in the morning 6-7 on 2 weekdays. Each class is of 1 hours. In bag class, students practice punching drills and kicks on the heavy bags. I think this has strengthened my punches.
Having many students in the class helps with training too. Each day I have a different training partner, which has been really helpful. We are able to simulate multiple attackers scenarios.
There’s an app – ZenPlanner that we use for reserving classes. We have to reserve each class before going. Once reserved we have to show up for the class (we go and sign in with a card with bar code). If we don’t plan to go, we have to cancel the reservation at least an hours before, else we’ll be charged $5.
This gives me a lot of flexibility to schedule the classes according to my priorities. I go to gym in the morning, so I go for Krav Maga classes in the evening. Also I can skip weekend classes if i have other plans, and still get sufficient workout throughout the weekdays.
4. Intensity of Krav Maga class
Now this is amazing! Every class is intense! For the first few classes I felt I was a weak guy. The warm up itself is very tiring. There are different kinds of drills being done in class, which I’m loving. Punching drills with partner is done both for power (emphasizing technique), and then speed. Sometimes it’s mixed up with sprinting, push ups, etc to make it more intense. Same with kicks and ground work too. Every technique is practised for form, power and speed, with varying intensities.
Level 1 to level 2 test seems to be for around 5 hours continuously with just a few minutes break. Also the levels are separated by months of training. Personally, I’m not in favor of a test every month (as Bangalore Krav Maga class was getting to that state). That might have to do with my karate training, where each belt lasts a few months. It’s similar here.
There are many highly motivated guys in the class, who inspire others too. It’s hard to take the punches of some guys, even when holding a pad. Really strong men are there. At least 30% of each class are women. There are people of all ages, from school kids to old people. People here have a very good culture too. As soon as the class is over, everybody takes disinfectant sprays and sprays on all the bags / pads used. The pads are then wiped clean before placing back to where they were.The whole training atmosphere is really good.
Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Academybest qualities :
Now, here are some things which I felt was missing in the class with Krav Maga USA classes, but your Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) coaching provided all these (in addition to your excellent coaching).
1. Personal attention in Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore
Since in USA there are at least 20 or less students per class, there’s less personal attention here (though instructors try their best to reach tell everyone). I felt something was missing in the first class itself. In Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Military Self Defense, you have been giving personalized coaching to everyone. It might get difficult for you too, once the class strength grows. But I still feel you have an eye for each student, which the instructor here don’t have.
2. Level of detail by (Dr. Safety) Franklin Joseph
Your training was amazingly filled with details. And you used to make us think and arrive at the “why” of everything. I’m missing that part. There’s no theory class here. Instructo do tell why we do some things the way we do. But your eye for detail is unmatched in this aspect.
When somebody chokes, why do we turn, why do we bend, why do we punch, why not this, how about that.. These were all covered in your sessions. This is missing here. Theory is not encouraged. You have been trying your best to make each student understand why they do something, instead of blindly following something. I really like that attitude. (it’s very much applicable in life too, I think)
3. Combat Psychological training of Franklin Joseph
You used to give us psychological classes in our Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Academy. You used to talk about criminal mentality, about women safety, stress mentality, etc. You used to tell us latest statistics which showed women are being abused by known men and not strange – and you tweaked your training to include known vs unknown attackers. That’s just amazing. That definitely makes you a top notch instructor.
I’m not saying these are the only strong points. These are additional skills which I think you have, but instructors here don’t. Again, this is just my analysis, from what I’ve observed. If it helps, then great. 🙂
One more thing.. We signed some sheet where we made a commitment for a years. Monthly training costs $170 per month. When committing for a years it becomes $150 per month. Also everything is based on cards here. We give our card number, using which they deduct every month. So whether I go or don’t go, monthly charges will be deducted as per the commitment. That’s probably one reason that makes people stick.
The card system is the same for all services here in US. Also people have more trust here. Not sure if it’ll work in India.
Overall I’m really enjoying the Krav Maga classes here, as much as I enjoyed training with you in Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore. I’ll be continuing the training here as long as I reside here (a few years ). Whenever I’m back, I’ll definitely be back for your classes – to learn more, and maybe contribute too.
Thanks,
Najih
Franklin Joseph responds to Najih :
A teacher feels proud when the words coming out of his mouth are implemented in actions by his students. And that what I have seen here. You have done me proud as you are able to see and distinguish milk from water. That one of core principles of Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Academy. If all my students, are able to do this kind of analysis to every aspect of their lives, we will all be richer in our quest for knowledge.
Initial Investment on studio & location
Lot of my Krav Maga friends are from other counties so I have seen these features you have listed as the plus points from the day one when I started Krav Maga in Bangalore. It all comes down to how much I can invest in these facilities. There is a new fighting club that has started here in Bangalore I think they called Fighting Fit or something like that. They have such facilities and such studio you mention. But they charge 60,000 per peon or more. So investing 10 lacks or more from my side to such studios is impossible as when I got married I have 3000 rupee in my pocket. And if you look at me today I have around 60K debt in my credit card and around 10k bank balance in which 8.8k is from a student who paid for his gea. A poor instructor cannot invest in such facilities. It’s a miracle, Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) academy itself has been running since 2007 on just a strength of 5 people average in class.
Learning culture of clients
Let assume somehow I invest also then comes the return of these investment. If you ask Swanand sir, he is has been with me for more than 8 years, our intensity has gone down a lot. why? because every time my intensity has gone up, the students count has gone down. Even to buy the head guard or gloves, people question me as if I am trying to mint money from them especially I can see they do not have any issues wearing costly t-shirts or shoes but investment in a training gear is still looked down upon.
There the culture is such that fitness is a very important part of daily life and Krav Maga gives them fitness as well as self defense techniques.
Instant Bruce Lee
People want to be instant Bruce lees. so the fit question they ask me how long does it take to learn everything.. sometimes when I do hear this question, I feel like crying… if this training was so easy that one can learn everything in days why did people like me break bones, loose health in combat without gears for more than 13 years. So that why the monthly test were created so people feel they are getting fast track. When you were around it was test in every 24 hours but now I noticed people are not able to learn that fast so I have made it every 36 hours.
Fees structure of Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Classes
150 USD means around 10k per month. That means in a class of 20 students, one instructor is able to earn around 2,01,000 rupees. That why they are able to invest that much in the facilities, gears and creating the culture. Here people say Rs 2800 is costly and they want to be impressed by Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore training in one hours trial session of 99. That also they complain saying martial arts offer free trial. Problem is Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense Bangalore is tougher and rougher than others so if they feel pain on the fit hours, they most likely do not join and to buy gears costing around 8k turns them off more as they compare it with martial arts where there is little or no close combat so gears are not needed.
Yes, can I learn anything from your email, sure!- I will start quarterly & years ly fees sessions where they get more discounts so if people join more & stay for longer, facilities & training also improves.
- Look for this card system here…
- Continue giving emphasis on Psychological as well as personal attention to all my Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) practitioners 🙂
Thanks a ton for taking time out to share your opinion with me and I will share these two emails in our website also so people feel the character of my students and they can be inspired to be like you 🙂 I will also upload this email to our Franklin Joseph Krav Maga Self Defense (Bengaluru, India) Academywebsite. God Bless you,