PeaceWalker Blog

Here is the crew from our last Krav Maga Boot Camp. It was a month long training session that met 2x per week for an hour... well, except on Saturday's when we would sometime train for 3 or more hours (What can we say?! We like to train!!). The crew pictured above met the Krav challenge head on and did a great job! Meet the Peeps: From left to right back row: Denny Mossen , Nate Koets , Jon Koets , Chris Carpenter. L to R front row: Sandra Jewell, Me (Craig G.), Staci Carpenter, Josh Gekeler . Five of these fine people went on to join us in our intermediate class! Great job gang!! Keep going! ~Craig

On Saturday, Feb. 21st we brought in Krav Maga instructor Moshe Katz from Israel to share some authentic Krav Maga with us. Moshe is Itay Gil's (star of the History Channel's Human Weapon Krav Maga episode) highest ranking student. Moshe stayed with me at my condo for a few days. Living in Israel just outside of Jerusalem Moshe shared stories of a vastly different cultural and life perspective than I hold. He has a gentle heart and was a true gentleman to me and all who he came in contact with here in Grand Rapids. Students at Ronin Martial Arts Academy as well as over 50 others from all over Michigan thoroughly enjoyed Moshe's seminar. Much to my surprise and pleasure we sold out in a little over one week. At the seminar we learned numerous defenses dealing with everything from knife, gun and empty hand threats to 3rd party and airline situations. Moshe also shared with us the philosophy, history and roots of Krav Maga in Israel. I had the honor to train one...

It has been a beautiful day today and the night proved to be equally wonderful. 56 degrees, clear, starry night. A little earlier a close buddy of mine came over and we decided to go for a walk. We talked about life's beauty, challenges, hopes, dreams, paradox, you know the things two people talk about when they are "mowing the lawn" mentally. It was a good night and great philosophical conversation. We had been walking a hour and a half or so and were about a half mile from my condo (I live downtown in a mid sized city where the "landscape" changes rather quickly if you know what I mean!) when I say "hey, lets cross the street." It just felt like the right thing to do. So we crossed. We take no more than a couple steps onto the sidewalk on the other side of the street and these four rather drunk "gentlemen" turn the corner on the side of the street we just came from. They were loud obnoxious and clearly looking for trouble. But since we were...

Helio Gracie, the father of Gracie jiu-jitsu, is dead at the age of 95. Gracie passed in his sleep early Thursday in Itaipaiva, Rio de Janeiro, after he had been admitted to a local hospital a few days prior for stomach problems. “He passed the way he always wanted to –- quick and fast,” said an immediate relative, who asked not to be identified. The relative said Gracie’s body would be buried on Thursday. The youngest of Cesalina and Gastao Gracie’s eight children, he learned traditional jiu-jitsu by watching his brother, Carlos, teach it, but his small frame made it difficult for him to execute the moves. As a result, he adapted techniques to fit his limited physical ability and gave rise to modern-day Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Gracie was involved in two legendary fights. He lost to Masahiko Kimura -- a man who outweighed him by some 40 pounds -- in 1951 when Carlos threw in the towel after Kimura broke Gracie’s arm with the shoulder lock that now bears his name. Four years later, Gracie ...

Tonight was the first night of our Beginner Bootcamp at WestSide Fitness. It goes until Saturday Feb. 7th. Everyone who attended did a great job! We covered a lot of material and everyone seemed to pick it up pretty well. ...And the stuff you didn't, don't worry it will get easier overtime, not overnight! Just "Keep Going!" I am looking forward to training with all of you at our next class. ~Craig

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again. A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied. Her mother brou...

1. Avoid injury! - This applies to training as well as a combat situation. 2. React naturally - Natural instincts should be transformed into techniques that will work under pressure. 3. Use shortest and most direct way possible - This enables greater speed. 4. Respond correctly, in accordance with and as required by the circumstances. - Use the correct tool for the job. 5. Strike at vulnerable points - Important when you are fighting larger stronger opponents to attack sensitive areas. 6. Use any tool or object available nearby - Improvise with daily objects to survive, e.g. pen as a knife. 7. In Tactical Krav Maga there are no rules! - Just win. 8. Only use scientific reality based training methods - training methods which have been used in combat and documented. 9. Draw from real world experience - Study from those who have been there for real and/or your own direct experience. 10. Knowledge is power - Keep learning and training! ~"Borrowed" from Tacticla Krav Maga's we...