What is Krav Maga?

As mentioned, Krav Maga ("Contact Combat" in Hebrew) is the official self defense and fighting system used by the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.), Israeli Police and Security Services, and numerous U.S. law enforcement agencies.

It is also taught in institutions associated with the Israeli Ministry of Education, and since 1964, Krav Maga has been taught to civilians all over the world as well.

Developed and refined during years of conflict, Krav Maga emphasizes easy-to-learn techniques that have been battle-tested in real, life threatening confrontations. There is nothing flashy about this system.

Krav Maga is comprised of two main parts: self defense and hand to hand combat.

Self defense

Self defense is the foundation of Krav Maga. Students learn to defend themselves against hostile actions, to avoid injury, and to quickly overcome their assailant.

Krav Maga defenses address a wide variety of aggressive acts, such as punches, kicks, chokes, bearhugs, headlocks, grabs, as well as defenses against multiple assailants and assailants armed with a firearm, edged weapon, or blunt object.

Students apply the relevant Krav Maga principles and techniques in a multitude of situations, even in unfamiliar or adverse circumstances, such as dark surroundings; from a sitting or lying position; with limited freedom or movement; or under extreme stress and/or fatigue.

Hand to hand combat

Hand to hand combat constitutes a more advanced and sophisticated phase of Krav Maga which teaches how to neutralize an opponent quickly and effectively.

It embodies elements related to the actual performance of the fight: tactics, feints, powerful combinations of different attacks, the psychological dimensions of the fight, and learning how to use the environment to your advantage.

In addition, Krav Maga incorporates specialized training methods to not only challenge students physically, but to also install into the student a special mental discipline meant to strengthen the spirit and to develop the ability to deal with violent confrontations under high stress.

These training methods have been used in Israel’s most elite units and have proven themselves in real fighting.

Krav Maga is not merely another school of martial arts based on traditional approaches. It is a modern method characterized by a coherent and logical way of thinking which builds up easy, natural, and practical techniques featuring simple movements of the human body.

The lethal nature of the Krav Maga system simulates real life situations. It teaches people how to save lives and to cope with common street violence.

To be effective in the streets, Krav Maga cannot include rules and limitations.

Therefore, there are no sport competitions for Krav Maga because it is designed to remain a realistic fighting system.

How is Krav Maga different from other martial arts?

Indeed there are some similarities between Krav Maga and other martial arts. However, Krav Maga was developed in an environment where the Israeli military could not devote many hours to prolonged hand to hand combat training for their personnel.

Therefore, the Krav Maga system was created with great importance placed on bringing students to a high level of skill in a relatively short period of time.

There are no katas (forms) or rules in the system. Anything goes when you are fighting for your life!

Krav Maga is much more a survival system dealing with personal safety issues in the context of defending against both armed and unarmed attackers.

It is considered to be a modern, highly refined, street fighting system, designed to be utilized against muggings, street attacks, and sexual assaults.

Krav Maga has received international recognition for its highly unique approach in bringing self defense to civilian and law enforcement alike.

According to law enforcement trainers, among the most striking characteristics of the system are:

Students are instructed in state-of-the-art defensive principles that apply to a variety of threatening attacks that occur during commonly documented street crimes.
Students train from a position of disadvantage in real time and real speed.
Defensive maneuvers are combined with simultaneous counterattacks until all potential danger is eliminated.
Unique training methods are employed to simulate violent street encounters. This is necessary to place students under extreme stress while performing Krav Maga techniques. Students learn to go from a passive to an aggressive state quickly.
Krav Maga also teaches students to function with their attention divided; while fatigued; and when they are faced with a multitude of spontaneous attack scenarios.

Is there a belt system in Krav Maga?

Yes and no. All students begin as white belts and can move up to yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and then black belt like in another Martial Arts.

Another system is levels:

5 Practitioner levels
5 Graduate levels
5 Expert levels
3 Master levels

(this system is used in Scandinavian countries and also in Spain).

After the first 8-12 weeks in the system, students should be ready to test for their yellow belts or 1st practitioner level.

Belts or levels are not emphasized in the system, however. The real test is knowing the Krav Maga techniques well enough to perform them successfully on the street - if needed.

What if I have/have not taken martial arts before?

Krav Maga is easy to learn and very effective, too. You can see real improvements in your skills even in weeks.