How Krav’s Focus on Real-World Self-Defense Training Gives it an Edge for Practical Training
If you have driven around your hometown and looked at websites for martial arts and Krav Maga schools, you may have noticed that it feels like just about every school touts their ability to provide self defense skills. In truth, it’s become a catchy marketing phrase for many and is defined differently across styles and schools.
Krav Maga represents a unique niche of self defense training that is often lumped together with the broader overall field of martial arts training, but it is one of the few styles where real world application of skills is emphasized in every session. It is important to understand the distinct advantages of Krav Maga training in order to make an informed decision regarding whether it is right for you and your family. The truth is, in the realm of self-defense, choosing the right training method can make a significant difference in your ability to respond effectively to real-world threats.
Understanding Krav Maga
Krav Maga was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld, a Hungarian man of short stature that had a goal to develop an approach to self protection that could be effectively used by anyone. He brought his unique style, gleaned from the best elements of many arts and disciplines to Israel and his style was incorporated into military and law enforcement use. Today, Krav Maga, specifically the Warrior Krav Maga program we engage at Armored Self Defense, takes those military level skills and adjusts them for civilian learning and use. Afterall, it’s unlikely that most civilians will be wearing full military gear in their everyday lives, so we must deal with the realities of the experiences of those who need the training the most. One of the most distinguishing aspects of the Warrior Krav Maga and Armored Self Defense is that it is ever-evolving to meet real world needs and improve.
Krav’s core philosophy is rooted in practical self-defense and emphasizes real-world applicability. Here are just a few of the aspects that set Krav Maga apart:
1. Focus on Practicality: Krav Maga is centered around techniques that are immediately useful in real-life scenarios. We prioritize natural, instinctive movements and aim to neutralize threats quickly and efficiently. Our training is designed to address common attacks such as chokes, grabs, and strikes, employing techniques that are straightforward and effective.
2. Adaptability: Our system is highly adaptable, constantly evolving based on current threats and practical experiences. What this means for individuals is that they can come to training as they are, with their real bodies and restrictions, and that they can modify techniques to work for them. Remember, self defense happens with the body and mind you have at the moment, not the body and mind you wish you had. Krav Maga incorporates techniques from various martial arts and combat sports, but it discards those that are less effective in real-world situations. This flexibility ensures that those who train with us at Armored Self Defense are prepared for a wide range of scenarios.
3. Stress Training: Our Krav Maga program involves elements of high-stress training environments that simulate real-life confrontations, with safety in mind. Practitioners are exposed to scenarios with added pressure, such as multiple attackers or weapon threats, “stressor drills” where we disrupt your senses to simulate effects which you might encounter in the real world. Our goal in these drills are to help you to remain calm and respond effectively under duress.
How Does Krav Differ from Traditional Martial Arts
Art Versus Applied
Traditional martial arts, such as Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, and Kung Fu, have deep cultural roots and a wide range of techniques and philosophies. These arts are often practiced with a focus on discipline, tradition, and physical conditioning. Krav Maga is not considered an “art,” but is instead considered real world self defense training. This is not a distinction to be minimized.
Forms Versus Function
In traditional martial arts, you can expect to learn and drill forms (katas), rituals, and other elements that are based on long histories and tradition. These are practiced, in addition to other techniques, in a controlled environment and most often focus on precision, balance, and strength. However, not all techniques are necessarily applicable to real-world self-defense situations.
Control Versus Chaos
Folks who have trained in traditional martial arts often ask us if we “spar” in our Krav Maga program and the straight answer (and safe answer) is: NO. Krav Maga deals with violent and aggressive motions and strikes. To spar in Krav Maga would be unsafe because the techniques are designed to cause intense damage. Many traditional martial arts incorporate competitive elements, with tournaments and sparring as integral parts of the training, but these types of sparring involve elements such as rules and judges that control interactions. While these aspects are valuable for developing skills and discipline, they may not always align with the immediate, practical needs of self-defense.
Slow Versus Speed
The gross motor movements that are the basis of Krav Maga training are picked up by most people fairly quickly, while the movements of traditional martial arts are often not based on natural body motions and take much longer to learn. For example, in traditional TaeKwonDo, the front kick is something that can take years to master, whereas one of the front kicks in Krav Maga are designed for impact and power and the general motions can be learned in just a few weeks of training. This does not mean that Krav Maga training is basic, but it is designed to be easily recalled in high stress situations and as students get the basics down, Krav Maga moves on to focus on other elements such as power, control, and more detail-oriented training aspects.
When thinking of self defense, there is no better approach to real world focused training than Krav Maga. Krav is designed explicitly for real-world situations and focuses on techniques that can be applied immediately in a variety of threats. It emphasizes practical scenarios, such as defending against armed attackers or dealing with multiple assailants.