Apparently, It Started With My Wife
- Ilya Dunsky
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
I went to Phoenix for the FITA and FIMA 2026 event and, as usually happens in martial arts, I came back with new friends, good conversations, a few bruises, and the strong reminder that putting serious instructors in the same room is always a good idea, as long as nobody moves the coffee too far away.
It was an excellent event.
There were great instructors, strong professionals, and people from different backgrounds sharing knowledge with respect, discipline, and a real passion for martial arts. FITA and FIMA created the kind of space where people do not just show techniques, shake hands, and take pictures. They exchange experience, build relationships, and keep martial arts connected to something bigger than personal titles.
Receiving the Ambassador to Israeli Martial Arts award during this event was a real honor, and I am grateful to FIMA for giving Israeli martial arts a place to be represented with respect, professionalism, and purpose.
But I did not expect one of the most memorable moments of the weekend to come while receiving the award, when Neil asked me a very simple question about my connection to South America.
Without preparing a diplomatic answer, without building a speech, and clearly without consulting my wife (tatical mistake) first, I answered:
“Just the wife.”
The room laughed.
In my defense, I was genuinely humbled to be called to the stage, and in that moment, it was probably the shortest and most honest answer I could give. But as often happens in life, the simple answer is not always the full story.
The truth is that my connection to South America did start with my wife. Through her, I was introduced to the culture, the people, the humor, the family values, and the very specific Latin American talent of turning a simple conversation into a full event. What begins as “just a quick chat” somehow acquires food, music, three cousins, two neighbors, and enough stories to last until midnight.
With time, that personal connection became a professional one.
Today, when I look at South America, I do not see just another region on the map or another opportunity for growth. I see instructors working hard, often with limited resources, because they believe their students deserve quality training. I see communities facing problems that demand practical self-defense and responsible instruction.
Crime, robberies, home invasions, and attacks against women are not abstract issues. They are real challenges that affect real people, real families, and real communities. As someone who has spent his life studying conflict, violence, and self-defense, I cannot look at these realities and pretend they are not connected to the work we do.
Krav Maga was not created for comfortable times. It was created because good people needed practical solutions to dangerous problems.
That remains true today.
Over the last year, IDKM has been building relationships across South America with people who are not only interested in techniques, certificates, or logos, but in something deeper. We are finding instructors and school owners who believe in honesty, discipline, loyalty, and practical training. People who understand that Krav Maga is not a performance. It is a responsibility.
This is why I want to recognize, with genuine respect and affection, the people on the ground who are helping make this mission possible.
In Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay, we have found people who opened doors, made calls, answered messages, organized contacts, shared ideas, and helped carry the weight of building something serious.
A special thank you goes to Rodrigo Inzunza, Torito, and Ninja in Chile, and Richard Zapata in Colombia, partners of IDKM for their relentless work in helping the South America tour take shape for September.
Organizing an international tour is never as simple as people imagine. It takes patience, trust, persistence, and the kind of energy that does not always appear in a poster but makes the poster possible. Together, they have supported this mission not because they had to, but because they believe in the project, in the people, and in the direction we are building.
That kind of commitment matters.
This is the part people do not always see from the outside. Behind every seminar, every course, and every official announcement, there are local people investing their time, their reputation, and their heart.
When you spend enough time working with people like this, you begin to understand that growth is not measured by the number of countries on a map or the size of an organization. It is measured by the quality of the relationships being built and the trust that holds them together.
That is why this is not about collecting flags on a map. It is not about expanding for the sake of expansion.
It is about building the right network with the right people.
People who can help bring Krav Maga back to its roots while adapting it to the real challenges their communities face today.
Looking back, I still laugh when I hear my answer.
“Just the wife.”
It was a good joke.
But the reality is that what started with my wife has become something much bigger.
Through her, I was introduced to South America. Through the people I am meeting there, I am learning to respect it more and more.
South America does not need empty promises. It needs serious work, honest partnerships, and instructors willing to build something that can last.
If IDKM can contribute, even in a small way, to making these communities safer, stronger, and more prepared, then this is a mission worth pursuing.
The wife may have opened the door.
The people are the reason we are walking through it.
So to FIMA, thank you for an excellent event and for giving Israeli martial arts a platform to be represented with respect; and to South America, to our partners, to our friends, and to everyone helping us build this mission with heart and serious work: obrigado, gracias, and see you on the mat.
Stay strong, stay safe, and always be prepared.
Ilya Dunsky
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