WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY
AMY
There is no better experience than training under Rhon Mizrachi.
No other school can ever teach the heart and soul of the Krav Maga art than Rhon- best investment I ever made- not to mention the fact that I’ve never been in better shape!
– Amy
SEKKA
The first time I got on the mat to take class with Rhon Mizrachi was about a year or so after I had my baby.
I had no idea that it would change my life. I wanted to get back into shape and relieve stress but I was not interested in a fad, I wanted to learn something real. I liked the idea of Krav Maga because it was both body comprehensive and taught principles rooted in day-to-day life.
I did my research and saw that KMF was the only authentic place to train. The class was engaging and moved fast. I was immediately hooked. Every time I came back, I learned something new.
Krav Maga is for self-defense, but what I learn from Rhon and his rigorously trained instructors is so much more then basic technique. The skills that get sharpened on the mat inform my life beyond the mat.
The influence has been so great that as soon as my daughter turned six years old, I brought her to train at the school. She’s eleven now, still training twice a week and loving it.
I’m not expecting her to take down a 220 lb. man (yet) but I strongly believe that she has a life advantage now. Training has enhanced her ability to move through the world with confidence. She is present, aware, calm and consistent — all the key elements for making good choices – which, as a parent, is the only true protection we can provide.
The other big thing for me was that there is no set timetable for her to graduate to the next belt. This is the same for the adults that train here. She doesn’t automatically get a new level belt just for training six months. This is huge because it underscores the importance of truly earning an accomplishment. This also has a safety aspect that speaks to the larger nature of the school. It means that she does not get thrown into a situation beyond her depth or get bored.
It is crucial to me that she understands that the road does not rise to meet her; her confidence is built every time she faces down the challenges of earning her belt. I am so grateful she is able to do this in a conscious, contained environment.
– Sekka
LEAH
I walked into the Krav Maga Federation 5 years ago at age 51 having never thrown a punch or been in a physical fight.
Master Rhon and all of the instructors have given me a foundation and a set of tools and a mindset to use just in case…I feel more confident and better prepared due to the training I received. I walk taller and think smarter.
I only wish I had known about this school so many years ago or that this training, which is so naturally intuitive to the body, was available when I was young and could have learned so much quicker. I know I am not the same person I was years ago when I took my first class.
The confidence of knowing I am prepared to deal with a confrontation gives me the confidence to walk away from one.
– Leah
PAULA
Everyone’s path to Rhon Mizrachi and the Krav Maga Federation is different.
Some come as novices and some come as accomplished martial artists from other disciplines. And while we come with different experiences and expectations we stay for the same reason – the excellent instruction offered by Rhon and his instructors.
My martial arts journey started more than a decade ago when I was seeking an activity for my son that would involve not just fitness but an impact on discipline and self confidence as well. That led to our neighborhood Taekwondo school where I started training soon after my son did. I earned my black belt two years ago and will test for my second Dan later this year.
As much as I enjoyed and continue to enjoy my Taekwondo practice, I felt that something was missing. Taekwondo is a sport and as such it is shaped by its scoring rules. Kicks to the head, and spinning and jumping kicks score more than do kicks to the mid section for example. And strikes by elbows and knees and those to vulnerable targets like the groin and the eyes, the most useful in self-defense situations, are not permissible at all.
Yes, I could be a black belt in Taekwondo and still not be able to defend myself in a real situation. Or have confidence that I could. So I came to Rhon. Much of my general kicking and striking technique transferred easily but the Krav Maga methods for defending myself and disarming an assailant were new to me.
I am continually impressed by the seriousness that Rhon and his instructors bring to the mat every day. Their attitude is that this is school, not gym time, and that students are there to learn and not simply to jump around and sweat.
Accordingly, no detail is too small to address and no question is too dumb to ask. I also appreciate that as one of few middle aged women, I receive equal attention as the young and more athletic men in class.
Indeed, there is a great appreciation among the instructors for the challenges specifically facing women. In the real world, we are assaulted more frequently than men and differences in size and strength are practical concerns. I know that I feel stronger and safer since I starting training with Rhon; I finally have confidence that if someone laid hands on me or someone I loved, I wouldn’t just freeze.
Finally, there is real community among Krav Maga Federation students. We arrive early and stay late because we enjoy being with each other. People are kind and generous on and off the mat. And while we take beating each other up seriously, we take pains to make sure that no one actually gets hurt.
– Paula, Dan 1, Tae Kwon Do
