If at first you don't succeed, what's Plan B?

Practicing with men on some of the Krav Maga defensive moves, strikes, turns, and escapes has given me an appreciation for what a real-life situation could feel like, minus the fear and actual danger.  While most men are going easy on me in the drills since I’m new, the ones who have given me a more realistic experience have reinforced WHY I want to keep coming back to learn and practice more.  When men are practicing with men, I think they have a certain level of strength and even height that helps them execute the drills successfully without modification.

For example, a week or two ago we were practicing a drill on when someone comes up behind and grabs you like a bear hug.  Neither dropping by body nor raising my hands quickly to fling off my partner’s arms worked.  He was tall and strong and his hold on me kept my arms pinned down.  He could have fairly easily dragged me off if it had been a real attack.  I needed to feel that since he didn’t just let go like some of the other men had done in practice scenarios.  An attacker won't just let go because I attempted some resistance!

My partner reminded me to fling my arms and I attempted to do so but I couldn’t loosen his arms.  We tried several times and it occurred to me that real life could present some scenarios when things we practice in class don’t work quite as planned and I always need to have a Plan B.  (It doesn't mean that Krav Maga is insufficient, but that I could encounter situations I haven't yet covered or practiced enough in class.)  That’s when I remembered the foot stomp and strike to the groin that we learned in the self defense class.  I didn’t actually hurt my partner (of course) but in real life I won’t be able to tell an attacker, “Now wait; let me try that again.  Hmmm, that’s not working so let me try again.  That didn't work again so now what??”  I wouldn’t have that kind of time to come up with another option.  In this case with my arms firmly pinned down to my side,  would still have access to feet and groin – and I need to be able to recognize that instantly.

And that’s exactly why I need to keep going to these classes.  I need to practice, practice, practice!  I need to experience a variety of different scenarios.  In an attack, I won't have time to think about what we did in class.  In fact, my brain might turn to mush with the rush of adrenaline/fear.  I can’t rely on being able to think things through in the moment.  It needs to come quickly and naturally and I need to be ready to improvise as needed.  Without practice and exposure, who knows what (if anything) I would actually do in an emergency.  I don't want to wait to find out.