The goal of Krav Maga is to be safe and walk in peace.
De-escalation is about influencing the potential threat in terms of portraying the situation you’re both in differently; re-evaluating the emotion behind the potential upcoming attack and the social context it is happening in.
To de-escalate demands a level of skill from you. It’s a psychological play that you need to do calmly, but in a commanding and controlled way.
To effectively de-escalate, there are a number of ground rules that you should apply.
Firstly, remain calm. Be receptive to what’s being said to you. Don’t swear or escalate tension with your verbal responses. Speak more slowly and with a lower voice. Use shorter words and sentences and be clear with what you say, especially if the other person is intoxicated. Move slowly and don’t make sudden movements. Don’t touch the other person or move towards them.
Secondly, understand the social context the confrontation is happening within. Did you simply and inadvertently affect their pride and ego, maybe by bumping into them or saying something that was perceived wrongly? If so, simply apologise and say you’re sorry, then move away or even better, leave.
Thirdly, look for a way out. You must be able to lower tension and giving the antagonist an excuse to leave with some honour. In the end, be the humble combatant. It’s the clever way, whether legally, medically or psychologically in the longer game that’s your life.
Most social violence is very visible, predictable and avoided by logical thinking, humility and clever action. It’s smart to walk away.
KRAV MAGA LIFE and KRAV MAGA INSPIRATION are short pieces of succinct brevity aimed at capturing the discipline and positivity behind the Krav Maga lifestyle.
Picture: Spartans Academy.