The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength Beyond the Ring

Hi, I’m Camila.

And no, this isn’t one of those stories where I "accidentally" stumbled into a Krav Maga gym.

A Life-Changing Experience

A while back, life threw something violent at me. Something that left a mark I will battle against for the rest of my life. It’s a mark many women around the world carry — and sadly, the numbers are still rising.

Going through this experience made me acutely aware of how crucial it is to advocate — for myself, and for every other woman who has ever felt powerless. We should not accept being victims. We should train, we should learn, and we should rise — because safety, dignity, and strength are our rights.

That's what led me to Krav Maga. I wasn’t looking to become a fighter in the ring. I wanted to learn how to fight for myself. Yet, I must admit, I’m still not ready for Krav Maga due to some personal reasons. Truthfully, my coordination could probably cause more harm than good. I can barely tell my right from my left, or my back from my front. Most of the time, training with Ilya would end up with him smiling patiently and saying: "Sweetheart... your other left."

The Importance of the Journey

However, I discovered that the vital aspect isn't perfect punches or flawless techniques. The important thing is fighting — in our own ways — to reclaim what should always have been ours:

• Our right to feel safe.

• Our right to stand tall.

• Our right to live without fear.

  
  

Beyond this journey, I’m someone who’s endlessly curious about the world and the past. Right now, I’m enrolled in my second PhD (someone please send help to my husband!). I love discovering new things, even if half the time I have no idea exactly what I’m going to uncover or write about.

At the moment, I’m fascinated by the idea of scraping ancient DNA from items left behind thousands of years ago, extracting it, and maybe — just maybe — bringing back something that has been extinct for a long time. We can definitely have a long discussion about the ethics of that later. For now, let’s just say: I’m interested.

The Unexpected Encounter

Back to that day on the mat when I thought I was about to kickstart my Krav Maga training...

Enter: The impressive and handsome Ilya Dunsky.

The idea was straightforward: Train hard. Get stronger. Learn how to fight back. Instead? Well... we sat down on the mats, started talking, and somehow, without even noticing, the night had fallen. A very unexpected thought crossed my mind: Maybe I'm too nerdy and uncoordinated for Krav Maga... But this instructor? He might just be my person.

Little did I know, he was already planning the wedding and future kids.

I discovered Krav Maga as people usually do; I’m still working on not tripping over my own feet. But I found something else — someone who didn't view me as broken. Someone who understood that strength isn't always about punches and kicks. Sometimes, it's about being able to laugh again, dream again, and trust again.

Today, I live surrounded by Krav Maga — by the philosophy, the people, the passion. I may never master the perfect defensive move, but I found something better: A life built on protection, love, partnership, and healing.

Sometimes, you go looking for one kind of strength... and life gives you another.

A New Understanding of Krav Maga

Although I had a somewhat impressive background — having traveled the world and lived many experiences — I quickly realized how little I actually knew about Krav Maga. I thought I was signing up to learn punches and kicks. What I found instead was something much deeper — almost multifaceted in a way I hadn’t expected.

Krav Maga isn’t just about fighting. It’s psychology. It’s biomechanics. It’s physics and chemistry, and so much more. It teaches you about fear, trust, and resilience. It helps build self-esteem when life has tried to tear it down. It even shows the basics of human connection — how to read others, how to protect others, and how to protect yourself without losing your humanity.

Watching Ilya teach and seeing the way students transform — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally — opened my eyes to something bigger: Krav Maga isn’t merely a sport. It’s not just a method. It’s a way to reclaim your space in the world.

The Real Meaning of Strength

Even if I never became the fierce fighter I once imagined, I understood something even more powerful: Strength is not always in the fists. Sometimes, it’s in how you stand, the way you breathe, and how you refuse to be smaller than what life tried to make you.

Now, years later, I find myself in conversations I never imagined I'd have — casually discussing biomechanics, reaction time, and human behavior over coffee like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

I’ll be honest: I’m still not training. (Fortunately for humanity — if you’ve ever seen me try to coordinate more than two movements at once, you’d understand the public safety risk.) But even without gloves or the perfect fighting stance, I feel stronger. I feel safe. Because I know that if life throws anything my way, I’m not facing it alone.

I have someone like Ilya by my side — not just a Krav Maga expert, but someone who understands that true protection starts with love, respect, and never letting fear define you. And sometimes, that’s the greatest self-defense of all.

So whether you throw a perfect punch, trip over your own feet like I do, or simply show up every day trying to be a little braver — you're already doing it. You're already finding your own kind of strength. And trust me: that's what really matters.