A Brief Look Into the Methods Of Krav Maga

Krav Maga is an Israeli self-defense method that combines techniques from various types of martial arts such as Aikido, Judo, Karate, Boxing and Wrestling. The main goal of Krav Maga is to protect yourself and evade danger.

The method was designed to teach soldiers how to protect themselves in realistic scenarios–from choke holds to bear hugs, stabbing attacks to threats at gun-point. Krav Maga’s origin perpetuated its purpose. In the mid-1930s, the rise of antisemitism endangered the lives of Jews in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. Imi Lichtenfeld, a Hungary-born fighter, led a team of wrestlers and boxers to protect the Jews against the Nazi regime. 

Lichtenfeld quickly understood the difference between competition and street fighting and realized traditional fighting was not enough. Thus began the development of Krav Maga, changing what was once just martial arts––to a clinically designed self-defense method. 

Krav Maga went on to become the fundamental self-defense method of the IDF. After moving to pre-state Israel in the 1940s, Imi Lichtenfeld began to teach this method to Jewish paramilitary groups, who later formed the IDF in 1948. After the establishment of the IDF, Imi Lichtenfeld became the Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav maga at the IDF School of Combat Fitness. 

Krav Maga is now an integral part of training for the IDF’s infantry and special forces units. While focused on military effectiveness, there is another method of Krav Maga that revolves around civilian self-defense. Krav Maga is not only limited to physical confrontation, the method also teaches the importance of awareness and preventing danger before it occurs. 

The greatest victory is to end a fight before it has begun. 

Krav Maga is an internationally respected method. Highly qualified security officials from around the world have sought to learn Krav Maga from the IDF, including the US Air Force and the British Royal Air Force.

Here are a few essential Krav Maga techniques and where they originate:

• Strikes; comes from karate and boxing
• Takedowns and throws; comes from judo, aikido and wrestling 
• Ground work; comes from judo and wrestling 
• Escapes from neck restraints and holds; comes from judo, aikido and wrestling 
• Empty-handed weapon defenses; from Aikido