Krav Wrap-Up & The WAC

After the Krav Maga feature ran in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a few weeks ago (complete with a fierce photo of yours truly), I got a handful of emails from readers wanting to know more about our month-long experience at Krav Maga-Milwaukee.

I responded to each email individually but also promised that I’d be doing a short recap on the blog, as well. Well, here it is – my apologies that it’s several weeks overdue!

Our month of Krav Maga training was intense, to say the least. And since classes were held three times per week (Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings), it became a huge part of our lives for those four weeks. It was a big commitment, especially when the drive to the studio in Brookfield took us nearly 30 minutes.

Some of the days, we didn’t quite feel like attending but still we dragged ourselves out in the cold and to Krav class, and of course, after the hour of training and working out, we felt on top of the world and were so glad we went. The hour-long class always flew by, and most of the days, we left wanting more! (Hence the increased frequency and intensity of the wrestling in our house for those weeks.)

Class always began promptly with Kurt and John in front of the group. Kurt would start the music and John would lead the group in running laps around the perimeter of the mat. We’d raise our knees, kick our butts, run backwards, shuffle to the inside, shuffle to the outside, and change directions when we were told to. After about five minutes, once our heart rates were elevated, we’d get into about eight minutes of stretching. Then came the part that most reminded me of what it must be like to be in boot camp: push-ups.

We spent probably 3-4 minutes in the push-up position, with John yelling “half! – down! – half! – up!” And we had to go halfway down and hold, all the way down and hold, and then back up and do it again and again. Sweat dripped onto the mat from people's foreheads, and many groaned from the pain. “Stay up! Drop to your knees if you have to!” John would yell.

I could barely manage to stay up, even though I did the entire thing on my knees – I can’t imagine doing them full-out the way most of the men did.

Once the push-ups were done, we’d do 20 crunches on our own and then it was time for the training portion of class.

In our four weeks, we did straight punches, jabs, hooks and elbows; we did knees to the groin, straight kicks, and side kicks; we learned defenses for choke from the front and choke from the back. During one of our last classes, we even learned defense for a gun, complete with heavy, extremely lifelike handguns to practice with. I’ve never held a gun before, and pointing that thing at my husband and then having him point it back in my face was incredibly frightening! But how excellent to know what moves to perform if God forbid someone sticks a gun in your face.

After just four weeks, we both felt major changes in our athletic ability, our confidence in defending ourselves and in our flexibility. I’ve always been pretty flexible, but Dave said he was amazed at how much those stretches helped him. Even now that we’re done, he still regularly does his “Krav stretches.”

A month is long enough to whip into better shape and learn some basic techniques, but of course, someone could train in Krav Maga for months or years and still not know it all or be perfect at it all. I think for those who are looking to find a passion and be dedicated to something that will improve their life and their confidence, this is perfect.

For us, the drive and the frequency of classes were just too much right now, so we stopped after a month. Kurt and John are incredibly passionate about what they do, and I very much enjoyed learning from them. I feel like I learned enough in a month to hopefully be able to put up a good fight if someone tried to mess with me.

You can see a video from one of our classes here on the Journal Sentinel website. (I'm in yellow and I won't lie. I'm a dork.)

So now we’re back in the gym and extremely happy about it. We were members of Motion (now the Princeton Club) in New Berlin when we lived in Muskego, but since living in Shorewood, we haven’t belonged to a gym and we’ve really missed it. 

We joined the Wisconsin Athletic Club at the beginning of February and we just LOVE it. There are six locations – West Allis, Waukesha, Greenfield, Wauwatosa, downtown Milwaukee and Glendale. The Tosa location is just two minutes from where I work, and the North Shore one in Glendale is their newest facility and is the one closest to our house. It's an absolutely beautiful gym – spacious layout, big locker rooms, huge pool area, flat screen TVs everywhere, and top of the line equipment.

We pay $94 for the two of us per month, and that's the membership that allows us to go to any of the six locations and includes racquetball access at the West Allis and Waukesha locations.

Krav Maga was awesome while it lasted – and I'd totally recommend it to those who might want to give it a try. For me right now, though, belonging to a gym that lets me work out on my own schedule is what works.

I'm already getting back into the shape I was in back in October – no first-year-of-marriage 15 for me, that's for darn sure!

Comments

[Farrah]

$94 a month? I know that's for two people, but Wowzers! (sorry if I sounded like Inspector Gadget just now). I throw a hissy fit paying $240 a year for my Bally's membership. But keep in mind I joined way back in 1993 (when I was 16!), and my renewal back then was only $60 a year ;o) Ah well, no price can be put on feeling good/feeling good about yourself :o)

[Dave]

We were paying $70 each when we were going to Motion in New Berlin so $94 a month is pretty damn good.

[Erin]

It was not $70 each. Maybe $60. But yeah, for two people, $94 isn't so bad.

[Dave]

It was $68 a month. I know I'm right.

[Krista]

Are you guys having a lovers quarrel right now?

We pay $48 month for two people at Snap Fitness. Granted, it has nothing - no showers, no pool, no classes. BUT, it is open 24 hours a day. And they have treadmills.

I think that's worth it... right?

[Courtney]

The WAC is worth it. Bally's is a gross meat-market and very dirty compared to the WAC. In this case, I think it is worth the extra money. Just my opinion!

[christi]

I paid $75 just for myself at Crunch Fitness in Chicago. You guys are ALL getting deals =)

[Farrah]

I have heard so many people say Bally's is a meat market, yet I've never actually witnessed that. But then again, I'm there to workout. I've also heard it's dirty, yet everytime I go, there is someone walking around cleaning. I'll speak only on behalf of the location I most regularly visit (Southridge), which is mostly regulars who are friendly but not there to make friends and it's a great mix of young and old. The dress is come as you are and there are no attitudes. The few frou-frous I've seen over the years stick out like sore thumbs.

[Drew]

What about "Average Joe's" gym?? I believe that's pay as you go...Of course the only equipment they have is a jump rope and their aerobic classes consist of old Jane Fonda VCR tapes in a black and white TV!

[Carmi]

Hi Erin. I am in awe of anyone with the guts to go to the gym on a regular basis. I've never been able to find the motivation. When I worked at Mother Corp., I paid $10 a month for access to the on-site fitness centre. I really tried to go often, but I just couldn't motivate myself.

Of course, the fact that I detested the company and couldn't stand to bump into my near-geriatric, nasty-faced leaders wearing shorts probably had something to do with it.

Maybe someday. Until then, I beat myself up on a bike, risking life and limb as I dodge motorists and truckers alike.

[Scott Zsori]

Dave is right... Motion was $70 per month. :)

They just got purchased by The Princeton Club (out of Madison), so they now have much better prices for couples and families. I never understood why Motion charged individually and didn't give discounts for couples and families. The best part of The Princeton Club is that they're open 24 hours, so I can go ride the recumbent anytime I feel like it. I've even gone at 2am a couple of times (I'm most awake then).