Krav Maga Chandler/Gilbert

10/30/2026

CALM AND RESTED IS THE ONE CONDITION YOU WON'T BE IN WHEN IT COUNTS.

Most people have never seen what their shooting looks like when they're gassed.

They train rested. Calm. Plenty of time between strings. Good groups, good feeling.

Then the heart rate climbs and everything changes. Fine motor skills go first. Vision narrows. The trigger press you were proud of on the range turns into a slap.

I've spent 30 years in executive protection and I teach fi****ms and defensive tactics to civilians and law enforcement. I can tell you this much: nobody gets to pick the condition they're in when it matters.

That's why I like competitions like The Tactical Games. Shooting under time pressure and physical stress shows you the truth about your skills. Some people find it humbling. That's the point.

You don't need a competition to start. Do a set of burpees or a hard sprint, then go straight to your dry-fire or live-fire drill. Watch what falls apart. Then train that.

If you only train rested and calm, you're training for a fight that won't happen.

Add the heart rate.

When was the last time you tested your skills under stress?

10/19/2026

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

𝗔 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹. 𝗔 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗶𝘁.

After more than 40 years of teaching martial arts, I've learned that knowing something and knowing how to teach it are two very different abilities.

I've seen technically outstanding practitioners struggle to communicate even the most basic concepts to a beginner.

I've also seen instructors take something complicated, break it down into manageable pieces, and help a struggling student accomplish something they didn't believe they could do, which, btw, is one of my favorite aspects of teaching. :)

That ability doesn't come from rank, titles, or accomplishments alone. It comes from understanding people and how to help them grow individually.

Every student brings different experiences, physical abilities, learning styles, and levels of confidence into the training environment. Some need encouragement. Others need to be challenged.

Some need a detailed explanation, while others simply need to see the movement demonstrated differently.

And occasionally, the most effective thing an instructor can do is stop talking and let the student work through the problem.

One principle I've always believed in is that 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲.

You can demand excellence while treating people with dignity and respect.

You can correct mistakes without embarrassing someone.

You can push people beyond their comfort zones without destroying their confidence.

These principles extend well beyond martial arts. Whether you're training law enforcement personnel, developing protective agents, mentoring employees, or coaching young athletes, your responsibility is to develop the individual standing in front of you.

Your knowledge means very little if you cannot effectively transfer it to someone else.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.

Until next time. Have a great day everyone!

09/07/2026

05/25/2026

We here at Next Level Fitness & Martial Arts have not forgotten the sacrafice that those who serve have made to protect us. On this day we remember that freedom comes at a price and some have paid that with their lives. Thank you to all our Heroes!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mother's out there. Today is your day to celebrate the amazing person that is you!

04/05/2026

Have a Happy Easter everyone!

09/29/2025

Thank you to everyone that attended the Clinch Dirty Boxing workshop this weekend. We learned a ton, got some nice bruises, and had a blast doing it! Thank you to Dennis and Damian for making the trip and teaching us your awesome system! A big congrats goes out to all the new Level 1 instructors. Keep an eye out for a big announcement…it might invite CDB classes coming to Next Level. 😁