Why Krav Maga for Self-Defense?
Krav Maga is an effective Israeli self-defense system that has been tested and proven over the years. In Hebrew, Krav Maga translates to contact combat, and it conditions your mind to always be aware of your surroundings for impending danger. Once you’re able to recognize a dangerous situation beforehand it’s easier to counter-attack before the situation becomes life-threatening. Unlike most traditional martial arts which emphasize forms and ritual, in Krav Maga you start learning lifesaving defense techniques from the start regardless of your age, weight, size or sex.
All martial arts whether it’s Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Judo or Jujitsu employ self-defense techniques. Most of the time, however, beginners do not learn these techniques right away. In Krav Maga, you can start learning an advanced technique from day one without any prior experience and still be able to perform it successfully. It certainly may not be easy for the beginner, but it can be done, and if it’s practice many times over muscle memory develops. The idea is to teach the practitioner a lifesaving technique right away instead of waiting to reach an advanced belt level. Also, Krav Maga is unique in that it includes simultaneous defense and attack. While you’re blocking a punch, for example, you are also counterstriking at your opponent at the same time.
Krav Maga includes self-defense techniques when you’re on the ground at a disadvantage, and how to quickly maneuver yourself out of danger. These techniques are especially suited for women of all ages worried about enduring sexual assault or rape. You can also be business executive or consultant who constantly travels and perhaps some of your destinations are dangerous, hostile places where you run the risk of being kidnapped. Krav Maga includes anti-kidnapping techniques that can save your life, and again, you don’t need any prior military or martial arts experience to fully understand and execute these techniques. You may be a parent worried about your child being bullied at school. Krav Maga teaches children how to protect themselves from these instances in a disciplined and effective manner. It teaches them how to de-escalate violence but also to defend themselves from aggression should they need to.
When you practice Krav Maga for self-defense, your confidence increases dramatically and this spills over other areas of your life. You become more focused and disciplined and this helps you organize your life in a way that can bring you success rather than stagnation. You become very aware of your surroundings and don’t panic when suddenly faced with danger. Panic, fear and anger cloud your mind and do not allow you to think clearly. When you practice Krav Maga for some time, you develop self-control not allowing negative emotions take over your thought process. When you’re untrained, the chances of getting hurt increases because you don’t know what you’re doing, have no self-control and let your emotions blurry your mind.
Krav Maga is actually older than contemporary Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and Kyokushin Karate. All these popular martial arts were developed after World War II, but Krav Maga was developed before that in the 1930’s when antisemitism began to spread across Europe. Imre Lichtenfeld, the founder of Krav Maga, developed the street fighting techniques over time based on his observations using boxing and wrestling when confronting pro-Nazi thugs in the streets of Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. He realized that just boxing alone was not an effective solution and thus Krav Maga developed and has been developing ever since.