Krav Maga is the official martial art of the Israel Defense Forces. The name literally means “close combat” and is designed to be brutally effective in extreme situations.  One of the key differences between Krav Maga and other martial arts is the lack of set rules.  In Krav Maga, the objective is victory before anything else – the means are secondary.  There are no uniforms, no points, and generally no competitions.  There is also no difference in the training for men and women – this style focuses on efficacy in real life situations, regardless of gender.  Training frequently emphasises attacking vulnerable body parts (eyes, groin, etc), use of improvised weapons, and maintaining the safety of the practicioner – the goal is to keep you safe from all harm.

History: Krav Maga was developed in the 1930s by a man named Imi Lichtenfeld as a means to help protect the Jewish community from the Nazis.  When the state of Israel was established in 1948, Lichtenfeld was appointed the Chief Instructor of Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the Israel Defense Forces School of Combat Fitness.  In 1978 he went on to form the Israeli Krav Maga Association, which became the sole training body outside of the military.  Krav Maga did not start to be taught outside of Israel until 1980, when it began to be taught to students in the United States.  Since that time, Krav Maga has spread around the world and become the martial art of choice for body guards and police forces.

Training: Krav Maga does not train in the same way that most other martial arts do.  In most martial arts, you practice under the most ideal circumstances.  With Krav Maga you do the exact opposite – always training under adverse conditions.  In particular, training focuses heavily on: disadvantaged positions (on the ground, etc), fighting multiple opponents simultaneously, protecting another person, fighting with an arm disabled, and fighting against armed attackers.  Nearly all training is done at full power/full force, necessitating the use of pads to prevent injury.  Students are also usually taught situational awareness (observation/awareness of your surroundings), and how to function despite distractions (loud noise, fog/smoke, etc).

If Krav Maga sounds like a martial art you would be interested in, find a Krav Maga School near you.  Or discuss Krav Maga on the forums.