What Do You Do When You Get Hurt?

In combat, you’ll likely get hurt.

You may get kicked, stabbed, shot or otherwise hurt.

No matter how hard you train, you can’t train to absolutly guarantee that this won’t happen. This is a reality we must accept.

But it’s what you do after you get hurt that matters.

In life, as in combat, we would prefer most if we never got attacked, and next best if we could defend so well when we did that we were not damaged.

But in life as in combat, we must also be prepared for what to do when we are.

In Krav Maga we train to identify and remove the immediate threat, with simultaneous and violent counterattack and to continue attacking until we can neutralize or disengage safely from the threat.

In a best case scenario this training will minimize the damage done to the defender.

But we also train for what we must do when we do get hurt. Through the introduction of fatigue, confusion and other stressors, we train the student to be able to fight on even when he or she is seriously hurt.

And that training applies to the adversities of life too.

I could not have known when I planned to write this blog today that this was going to happen, but a student of mine came in to visit me first thing this morning.

I am not posting a picture nor sharing who I am speaking of because he asked me not to; wanted to keep the news private “in the family”. But as I was ironically already planning to write a blog on “what do you do when you get hurt”, and as I am inspired by this student’s visit this morning, I will share the story without his name. My friend, who’s been missing from training a while, came in to tell me that he’s battling stage four cancer. He shared lots about what he’s already done and what they’re doing next; but here’s the clincher. He came in to tell me he hadn’t given up on his goal of becoming a blackbelt and wants to start back soon and wanted my advice and help on how best to do that. This future blackbelt is a reminder to us all that life is 10% what happens and 90% how we react to it- and that we always have choice between making a plan or making an excuse. Full salute sir. Proud of and grateful for you.

I told my son this morning that we should remember this example any time we feel tired, or weak, or sick…..

When we are overwhelmed or otherwise hurt, it’s what we do next that matters.

Whatever challenges you are going through right now reading this,

remember we get to tell our future stories one of two ways; the adversity we are facing can be the excuse we use to give up or the reason we choose to go up.

Our choice. I know mine and I hope you feel the same.

TampaKravMaga.com and Krav Maga Martial Arts have been empowering lives through the martial arts in the Tampa Bay area for 20 years!

Founded in 2000 by Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo, a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts and Karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need – specialized for their age group – for school excellence and later success in life.

Krav Maga Martial Arts Adult Krav Maga training is a complete adult self defense, fitness, and conditioning program for adults who want to learn real world self defense, lose weight, and/or get (and stay in shape).

If you have any questions about our program, or would like to go ahead redeem your 2 weeks FREE, you can call us anytime at 813-547-6368 or visit our Krav Maga Martial Arts website.

About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.

The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.

Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com