This week I (re)learned that it’s important to listen to your body. I have a bad right knee from a dislocation and MCL tear about 20 years ago. I am fully functional but if I take that for granted my knee will most certainly remind me who’s ultimately in charge in some knee-abusing situations.
This week was such a week and I did some knee-stressing exercises along with the class that I regretted the next day — side planks and a “jump” variation where you keep your feet together then bounce them to the left and right of center while in that plank position. Both are clearly great exercises but are really hard on the knees, particularly the sides of your knees, as the really put the pressure to the sides of your knees. I think I might have been in a worse position than some others given my long legs (I’m 6’4″).
The following day I was a little concerned rolling out of bed and feeling sore, swollen, and weak in that knee. It ended up clearing up after a few days but it served as a great reminder that certain body parts (especially at my age) are less forgiving than others and you have to listen to your body when it tells you something.
From now on I am going to still participate as hard, if not harder, than anyone else but I am also going to be sure to think things through whenever a vulnerable muscle or joint is involved.
If you are reading this and are on the younger side of middle age, guess what? You’re not completely exempt. I thought I was that 20 some odd years ago when I popped my knee cap out of joint and tore that ligament.
Train wisely.
Krav Maga Journey 
Ugly! I’m a bit shorter, but had problems to my knee as well due to an old running hobby.
What helped for me was training/strengthening the muscles around it (mainly the quadriceps) so that they would absorb the pressure on the knee. In the end I gave up on running, but the knee gives me less to no problems anymore.
But I am not really sure if it would help in your case. The problems seem alot worse.
Yes, running is not my friend either. I tried it a few years ago and ended up with plantar fasciitis which wasn’t much fun. Running can be a brutal thing if you don’t do it just right and have the “runner’s physique”. This is a bummer since there seems to be an expectation of it in later belts at my school. In fact, it’s a sizable component to the belt tests from brown through black.
Well indeed. Running can be a quite devastating sport. I’m Dutch so we do not have the same grading system. I never heard of running being part of an exam, especially since running is an endurance sport and Krav is an explosive high intensity system. But I guess they determined that it is a requisite skill for that grade.
Are you training with the KMW (Krav Maga Worldwide)?
Well, running and various other vigorous aerobic activities are part of the program from day one — as well as higher belt tests — for the purposes of developing then demonstrating a student’s endurance and stamina. My only point of reference for Krav Maga is my school of course but I can tell you that there is a high degree of importance placed on endurance. I’d say that a good 50% of each class is a series of intense exercises that leave you gasping on the floor. Some classes you wonder if you’ll get around to the lesson part but it always comes, thankfully!
Does a student’s failure to complete the running part of the test fail them? Not sure. If not, I’m sure it might raise some concerns since a black belt (or any higher belt) in the school is looked upon as a high-endurance, fit, and skilled practitioner of Krav Maga and should perform to the same fitness standards.
Yes, my school is affiliated with KMW.