Confrontation (Budo International n°12 Septembre 1995) "BI - Is [ Your discipline] effective in real combat /self-defense? Do you think that this is necessary?
RD - [ … ] I can only answer that Krav Maga is effective in real combat. In fact combat-effectiveness is the only reason for which this discipline exists.
Is it necessary to study an art which is effective in real combat? That all depends on what one is looking for. For anti-terrorist units, it is obvious that efficiency is indispensable. For private individuals, it is the will to achieve goals, the means which employed and personal commitment which will give the practitioner benefits in proportion to their efforts.
C - Do you have any personal anecdotes about self - defense?
RD - I worked during twelve years as personal protection agent in some high-risk environments. During this time I collected quiet a collection of anecdotes. I remember having been attacked by a man who was brandishing a baseball bat. A second before he made contact I was inspired. Without even thinking I stretched out one hand towards him and said "Stop!". Completely surprised by this unexpected reaction he stopped dead. I immediately continued talking in a quiet voice. Confused, this allowed him to enter into a dialogue with me which ended with a glass in the bar of the shopping center. I have an excellent memory of this episode.
C - What is your view of training?
RD - [ … ] the object of training is to teach us to develop certain qualities of spirit: rigor, courage, subtlety, an enterprising mind and respect for other people.
C - …and competition?
RD - Competition is an excellent way of learning to perceive our limits to get as close to them as possible. It is a means by which we learn overcome feelings of fear or hatred and hence to perform more effectively. It teaches us to accept defeat with humility without, however, becoming immobilized by the fear of losing. In a word, I can only speak well of it except with respect to Krav Maga which must not be bound by any rules.
C - Do you like any other martial arts? For what reasons?
RD - Given that I practice a martial art where one must not on any account pursue a move to its full conclusion because of the risk of causing serious damage to one's partner, I love all disciplines that are not phony: Thai Boxing, American full-contact, English boxing, Judo… One cannot pretend in any of these disciplines. When one has to constantly re-evaluate oneself, one's spiritual the journey remains well grounded, thereby giving the practitioner greater stability.
C - If you had the power to change anything in the state of mind of your students, what would it be?
RD - I have absolutely no desire to change my students' state of mind of. Each of them come with their strong points and their weak points. I do not believe that a state of mind can change in two lessons a week. On the other hand I do want to reinforce their strengths and to limit their weaknesses. I do not believe in changing anyone's state of mind, but to help them to improve themselves: yes, most certainly.
