What is Krav Maga?

Krav Maga is a martial art and self-defence system that originated in Israel. It was developed in the 1930s and 1940s by the Hungarian born Israeli martial artist, Imi Lichtenfeld, to meet the need for a practical and efficient hand-to-hand combat system for the Israeli military.

The term “Krav Maga” translates to “contact combat” in Hebrew.

Krav Maga focuses on practical techniques that are designed to be quickly learned and easily applied in real-world situations. It incorporates elements from various martial arts, including boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu, and street fighting, and emphasizes instinctive movements and simultaneous defence and attack. The system places a strong emphasis on neutralizing threats quickly and efficiently, making it well-suited for self-defence and military applications.

This is one of the unique benefits of Krav Maga. Because it comes from a military mindset, it is a no holds barred system of training that is all about survival. It’s not a traditional martial art that involves ceremonial or traditional elements such as bowing, kata, life skills and character development.

Krav Maga will teach you to use punches, kicks, knees, elbows, eye-gouges, throat strikes, and more to defend yourself. These are the same techniques that are taught in other forms of combat sports. The difference is that Krav Maga is not related to sport or competition. It’s all about defending yourself so you can neutralize a threat or attacker, and survive. As a result of this mentality there is no technique that is considered illegal in Krav Maga. Students are taught to target areas like the groin, eyes, and throat on an attacker because strikes to these areas can have a fast and devastating effect.

In addition to its military origins, Krav Maga has gained popularity worldwide as a self-defence system and is taught to civilians, law enforcement officers, and security personnel. Krav Maga training typically includes practical scenarios, defence against various types of armed and unarmed attacks, and an emphasis on mental preparedness and awareness. It is known for its straightforward and no-nonsense approach to self-defence.