If You Fight With a Crazy Person, You Already Lost.
In recent years, violence in New York City public transportation has become an increasingly frequent phenomenon, leaving many people feeling disempowered, scared, and helpless. Again and again, I receive emails from students or random people who seek advice about what to do when witnessing or being a part of a violent situation. Last week, I […]
Why do people fight in NYC?
Why do people fight in NYC? Fighting is a complex behavior that can be motivated by a variety of factors. Today, I will explore some of the most common reasons why people fight, and what function this action is fulfilling a social role. What are the different types of fighting? There are many different types […]
Do you fear public speaking?
Do you fear public speaking? Fear of public speaking, also known as glossophobia, is one of the most common phobias in the world. It is estimated that about 75% of people experience some level of fear when speaking in public, and about 15% of people have a severe fear that interferes with their daily lives. […]
Life Lessons We Should Learn From Kids
My most important title is “father.” And while I dedicate an extensive amount of time to keeping my kids safe, educated, fed, and entertained, I have also learned more from them than I ever expected to. Today, I want to explore some of the life lessons adults can learn from kids. We will discuss the […]
True Freedom Comes From Within
Today we are celebrating the birth-day of the concept of freedom in the “land of the free.” While I have many thoughts on this, I decided to focus today on what happens if you lose your freedom. Or, rephrased as a question – Are you free? Losing freedom comes in different forms, not only when […]
The Solution to Sexual Violence
Allow me to share one of the countless stories I have received from my students, which highlights a common pattern. What connects these stories is the lack of education in self-defense, personal boundaries, and the ever-changing societal norms. The student who wrote the testimony below chose to remain anonymous. She brought up a very interesting […]
Why Relaxing Makes You Anxious
If you ever researched Krav Maga on Youtube, you probably found some big, bulky men breaking necks and throwing their opponents around a room with full-on aggression. Then you came to train with us, and one of the first things you heard me say is, relax, breathe, don’t be tense. Stop being aggressive. Don’t respond […]
The Red Pill and the Blue Pill: A Metaphor for Self-Defense
The Lie We Tell Ourselves About Safety The red pill and the blue pill are usually framed as a choice between truth and illusion, awareness and denial, courage and comfort. That framing is not wrong, but it is incomplete. In self-defense, the metaphor becomes far more concrete and far less philosophical. It stops being about […]
Violence: A Changing View
How Society Views Violence Over the Years The Evolving Perception of Violence Violence has been a part of human society since the beginning of time. It has been used to solve problems, gain power, and express anger and frustration. At one point in history, violence was seen as a legitimate way to achieve these goals. […]
Be The Kind Stranger
Courageous Kindness A stranger helped a woman in New York City on the subway after she was verbally harassed and followed onto her train. The woman shared on social media how a man named Michael read the situation and came up with an ingenious tactic to help her out of harm’s way. Michael pretended […]
