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Krav Maga training is all about the real world.
When people train in martial arts such as jujitsu or Israeli Krav Maga they sometimes wonder, 'but what about the real world'? 'Would this training really help me on the street?' 'What about Krav Maga reality training
For over two years I had the privilege of training elite security guards of Jerusalem in hand to hand Krav Maga, gun disarms and knife defenses. It was a tough job with lousy pay. I would not trade that experience for anything.
These guys fought for a living, not in the ring but on the meanest streets of Jerusalem. Their opponents were not boxers or wrestlers but knife wielding assassins, drunken thugs and suicide bombers. These guys had to face the real deal. They had to have the right attitude
Just to be accepted as a guard one had to have served in a combat unit in the Israel Defense Forces, many of them also had served in the Russian army. So these guys (women were not accepted for this job)were in the military for a long time and had faced death before. Most had seen friends die in combat or as the result of suicide attacks. They had to take this Krav Maga stuff seriously.
Krav Maga training is all about the real world.
When people train in martial arts such as jujitsu or
Israeli Krav Maga
they sometimes wonder, 'but what about the real world'? 'Would this training really help me on the street?' 'What about
Krav Maga reality training
For over two years I had the privilege of training elite security guards of Jerusalem in hand to hand Krav Maga, gun disarms and knife defenses. It was a tough job with lousy pay. I would not trade that experience for anything.
These guys fought for a living, not in the ring but on the meanest streets of Jerusalem. Their opponents were not boxers or wrestlers but knife wielding assassins, drunken thugs and suicide bombers. These guys had to face the real deal. They had to have the right attitude
Just to be accepted as a guard one had to have served in a combat unit in the Israel Defense Forces, many of them also had served in the Russian army. So these guys (women were not accepted for this job)were in the military for a long time and had faced death before. Most had seen friends die in combat or as the result of suicide attacks. They had to take this Krav Maga stuff seriously.
They came to me at our Krav Maga center in Jerusalem either right before their eight hour shift or right after. So either they were dead tired from being up all night or they were on their way to some of the worst neighborhoods in Jerusalem. This was not your health club type of workout. This was Jerusalem Krav Maga . They knew whatever we did had better work, and under the worst conditions possible.
The qualities they needed to develop included; technique, awareness, the ability to profile ( Krav Maga profiling ), discipline and aggressiveness, and the ability to Improvise, adapt,and survive. .
They also had to learn to deal with pain.
The service they worked for required me to submit a grade for each guard after every workout. A failing grade in Krav Maga meant they would be suspended without pay. Not only were their lives on the line every day but their jobs were at stake as well!
They were to be graded in three categories; technique, discipline and aggressiveness . These are the three criteria that make up a good Krav Maga practitioner on the street. The same is true for Police Training Technique is obviously important. Discipline pertains to following rules and regulations so the job will be done effectively and by strict guidelines. Aggressiveness is vitally important.
Learn about the Kobutan self defense key chain.
BOOK Moshe Katz for a seminar in your area, any place in the world, see contact information at bottom of page
Krav Maga Tour and Train in Israel
If you do not live near an IKI Krav Maga school, you can consider our on-line training program.
Learn about Airline Self Defense .
Krav Maga Striking Techniques . Learning Krav Maga is simpler than most martial arts because the techniques are based on natural body movements, you don't have to learn a whole new way of moving.
Aggressiveness is a crucial element in all Israeli Martial Arts (IMA). Aggressiveness means the guys will not back off from a situation, they will be there to confront the enemy and protect the people as well as each other. Their aggressive behavior is a display of confidence and acts as a deterrent against violence. The display of aggressiveness is part of non verbal diffusion
These guys patrol Jewish neighborhoods, or enclaves, surrounded by hostile Arab populations. The areas in question have been fought over for thousands of years, conquered and reconquered by Romans, Jews, Crusaders, Arab, Mamluks, Turks, British and Jews again. An attack can occur without warning or provocation. The guards need to be alert and aggressive.
Our classes included fitness, sparring, grappling, gun and knife disarms and dealing with suicide attackers . The disarms did not take place in a "sterile" environment but rather were acted out in real time against aggressive determined opponents. Of course full protective gear was used. When I demonstrated techniques on them, they never made it easy by complying, I had to prove to them it worked. If I could not make a technique work on them, there would be no point in learning it. My "models" always resisted, I had to make it work.
When I looked at them I imagined them in a few hours on the job, protecting the lives of innocent civilians. I knew I had to do my very best for them. It was not a question of a belt or trophy, it was a matter of survival. Training under less than optimal conditions .
Krav Maga Ground Fighting - Krav Maga ground fighting is important for both men and women, check out the article.
Krav Maga Hostage Situation
For those who carry fire arms it is important to study the topic of Gun vs Knife . Fighting in Confined Quarters .
Learn about Krav Maga self defense in a car
Krav Maga Typical Workout
We have many different types of workouts. Some will focus more on fitness, others on aggressiveness and fighting while others will be devoted to mastering specific techniques. However a typical Krav Maga workout will begin with a light run, followed by stretching and then kicking and punching drills. We constantly review our basic kicks and strikes. We start with the low kick from Muay Thai, the front kick drilling with both the rear leg and front leg, the side kick and the knee kick. We especially stress the knee kick and we use it in many self defense scenarios. A properly executed knee get can cause cardiac arrest in an opponent. Of course we use padding and protective gear.
We add in some striking drills; basic punching and blocking. We integrate the use of the elbow strike in these drills. Next we will do drills that combine blocking, punching, kicking and takedowns. We will continue with ground compliance techniques as well as rapid destruction techniques. We learn when to use each based on a force continuum model. A typical Krav-Maga workout with continue with knife defenses. We train to defend against knife threats and attacks. Our blocking and take-down drills integrate perfectly with our knife defenses.
We also train with improvised weapons such as jackets, belts and key chains. One of my favorite tools is the kobutan /Self-defense key chain, a most practical tool which I have taught to thousands of students over the years.
We might continue with kickboxing fights or grappling. Alternately we might do some conditioning drills; push ups, sit ups and more stretching.
Learn more about the thought process behind Krav Maga. Read about Krav Maga Thinking Military Krav Maga
What about Krav Maga's approach to street credibility?
For a technique to really work you must have faith in it. How to Develop Faith in your Krav Maga Technique
Is there such as thing as Krav Maga Perfect Body
The best way to learn Krav Maga, or any martial art, is by training directly with a certified instructor. However, there are some books that must be read as a supplement to your hands-on-training.
Read article on How to be an Effective Martial Arts Instructor
Want to be a certified instructor? Krav Maga Certification .
Flying? Learn about Krav Maga Airline safety . Intensity of Reaction
Krav Maga Training in the Dark