On Imi's Genius:

I think one of the reasons we end up having so many versions of "Imi's teachings" is because of the divisions in Imi's life. People experienced Imi at various points in his life and got what they got and labeled what they got as his "teachings". I look at Imi's life as broken into five distinct "eras":

1. Pre-Israel Imi

2. Imi and Kapap/Krav Maga

3. Imi and Krav Maga

4. Imi and Krav Maga for civilians

5. Retirement Imi

Each of these for Imi had requirements and restrictions. Even what many people think of as "essential Imi" (the military hand-to-hand combat) was strongly controlled and Imi's freedom was restricted. When he opened a civilian school, he also restricted himself.

I learned from Imi after he "retired" and after Krav Maga instructors (with a couple of notable exceptions) no longer paid attention to what he was teaching and developing. Yes, there was a lot of "respect" and "love" for Imi but most of the Krav Maga instructors considered their experience to be equal to Imi's and, therefore, they didn't need to learn from him any more.

Imi continued to support them but, in my view, he treated them like children and not like men. He wanted Krav Maga to spread. At the time I started with Imi, there were almost no Krav Maga schools outside Israel. I told Imi the instructors' knowledge and understanding were poor. He said just let Krav Maga spread; we'll fix it later. I told him there would be no fixing it later.

In the "Retirement Imi" period, Imi thought and acted without restriction and, to me, it was absolutely amazing and life changing. I'm happy people are thinking of Imi as a "genius". I think he was. I'm sad that, when Imi was having his Golden Age, hardly anyone took the time to study with him any more.

• James Keenan