About Krav - Maga Martial Arts

Krav-Maga, the official self-defense and hand-to-hand combat system of Israel, is a martial art first developed by Imrich Lichtenfeld in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. It is a practical and tactical system that teaches how to prevent, deal with and overcome all kinds of violence and attacks. It prepares the trainees in the subjects of self-defense, fighting and combat skills, as well as skills to defend others, all in a unique and comprehensive approach. Krav Maga is a simple, martial art system that emphasizes instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios.  It integrates instinct based self-defense tactics, with a strong curriculum that trains aggressiveness, fighting spirit, situational awareness, and verbal de-escalation of conflict. Its anti-terrorist roots make it aggressive by design, with only one objective, to eliminate the threat in the fastest way possible. The Hebrew name for this marital arts is usually translated into English as "close combat/' The word krav means "fight" or "battle". While, the word maga means "near" or "next to". '

Krav-Maga includes the subjects of:

 •     Prevention, avoidance, escape and evasion.
 
 •     Dealing with throws and falls to all directions and angles.
 
 •     Attacks and counter-attacks, performed to all targets, distances,        ranges, heights, angles, directions, rhythms and executed from all         positions and postures.
 
 •     Use of all sorts of common objects for defensive purposes.
 
 •     Defending against unarmed attacks like punches, strikes and kicks.         Releases from all sorts of grabs and holds.
 
 •     Defending all armed attacks and threats of knife and sharp objects;         of sticks, bars and other blunt objects; of all kind of firearms.

 •     Dealing with the above attacks in all possible places, positions and        postures. Including in confined or open areas; in an alley, staircase,         or in a car. On all types of terrain, in the ground or in water. In a        free or in a limited space - while standing, on the move, sitting down,          laying down on the back, side or facing down.

 •     Physical and mental control and disarm. Krav-Maga contains special        approaches, tactics, techniques, subjects, drills and training methods        tailored for different walks of life, of all ages, men and women, young         and old.

 In Krav-Maga, it is emphasized that in any given situation, the defense or counter-attack must be: fast, strong, short, natural and direct (i.e., if you want to escape, then escape; if you mean to hit, then hit). The basic idea is to first deal with the immediate threat, to prevent the attacker from continuing attack and to neutralize the opponent - all these steps are done in a very straightforward manner. Emphasis is placed on taking the initiative from the attacker as soon as possible. Attacks and defenses are intended to inflict the most pain possible on the opponent, so brutal attacks to the groin, the eyes, and other vulnerable vital targets are emphasized. Yet, it is also considered acceptable to run away, the so-called "tactical withdrawal" if the situation dictates that. Krav-Maga can be used against opponents who are armed and against multiple opponents. Given the small area of movement required to execute a technique, it is also good in closed areas, such as airplanes. Although many techniques used in Krav-Maga are similar to other contemporary pugilistic or grappling martial arts, the training is quite different. Stress is placed on the real-world practicality, fighting under worst-case scenarios. There is also heavy emphasis placed on stamina and concentration. Training is meant to condition the students to ignore extraneous input and focus on causing as much damage as possible.

 Basic Premise of Krav-Maga

As emphasized by its founder, Imi Sde-Oraka Imrich Lichtenfeld, the basic premise of Krav-Maga is, "Do not get hurt."  The attainment a high level of proficiency is important so that we can adequately defend ourselves and avoid injury in a confrontation. It also means that we do not unnecessarily cause injury to others. The level of force we need to use in a confrontation is to be commensurate to the nature of that particular confrontation, so that a less serious situation requires less force. This also means the avoidance of anything that will unnecessarily cause a confrontation. Use force only when necessary, in order to protect ourselves or others. Another point to consider is to take care of the partners during training, even while making every training session as realistic as possible. To achieve this, one's ego must be controlled, during a confrontation. One must be ready to accept criticisms and instructions from others. The physical and mental states dictate one's ability to handle a confrontation or challenge.

 Guiding Principles of Krav-Maga Techniques.

 •     Always be careful to avoid injury.

 •     Appropriate response

 •     Direct and simple actions.

 •     Finish quickly.

 •     Be alert. Watch for unseen weapons and opponents

 •     Use the environment.

 •     Progress from closed to open skills.