The FEKM Winter Course is the premier event of our federation’s training calendar.

Almost 600 students from across the globe come to train in Paris each December. Some come to grade for their belts and many others to train with the federation’s most senior instructors under the leadership of Richard Douieb our federation’s founder and patriarch. Training with 3rd, 4th and 5th Darga black belts is an honour and a privilege; add Richard Douieb into the mix and you have a truly unique experience.

Kravists are usually in top shape, preparing for many months to grade at the Winter Course. We routinely spar at club level as part of our training, however, fighting in front of over 500 of your peers is a whole new experience. It is a serious test of a Kravist’s courage, mental preparation and technical ability.

Having recently graded for my Green Belt in London and following the advice of Matt McDonough and Martin Webber our aspiring black belts from London, I really wanted to test myself in Paris.

Four minutes in the ring can seem like an eternity when your adrenalin is pumping and you have another Krav fighter standing in front of
you. Your opponent potentially knows everything you know, and possibly more, as you can be partnered with an opponent who is up to two grades above you!

Having prepared physically for some months I also prepared mentally. The thought of competing in front of a huge audience of knowledgeable Kravists is a humbling experience. On the day however, all such considerations flew out the window.

When your name is called out and the nerves and adrenalin start coursing throw your system your mind moves from fight strategy to a narrow focus. Suddenly the crowd disappears. The noise in the gymnasium disappears. It’s just you and your opponent. I remember momentarily
thinking about the famous Mike Tyson quote, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.

My opponent and I were scheduled for a ‘soft fight’. This means not landing the full force of the blows when striking. That soon became a
technicality – and I’m sure this happens to everyone. You’re nervous, you’re excited, you want to look good. Sometimes that element of ‘control’ that we are taught repeatedly tends to be forgotten. You take the hits but they don’t seem to matter. You register the impact, but you don’t necessarily feel anything. Your perspective shifts from planned, wide and strategic to very focussed and present… OK, got to keep moving… how do I counter the next attack… can I pre-empt the next strike?

Gloves can limit your options. You so often want to grab your opponent and put on a choke or wrist lock but you have to get those gloves off and often you forget in the heat of battle. You notice that the more seasoned fighters only half fasten their gloves and as soon as they see and opening they flick them off and grab!

Suddenly, the referee calls an end to the fight. You’re relieved. You’re elated. You hug your opponent and you congratulate each other. The sweat comes like a waterfall and all those hits you barely registered earlier begin to throb as the adrenalin wears off. You know that’s going to hurt in the morning. It’s all over. But there’s a real sense of pride and achievement that stays with you long afterwards.

I would thoroughly recommend it.

Nicholas Kitson
Eitan Krav Maga, London

In Krav Maga we have no combat contact rules whatsoever. All parts of the opponent’s body, particularly the most vulnerable points, are a fair target and can be struck with any part of your own body and with any improvised weapon from the immediate environment.

In Krav Maga we have no tournaments nor any fully competitive fights; any such competition would result in the serious injury to one of the combatants. As Richard Douieb, founder and director of the FEKM often reminds us, when we see examples of Krav Maga what we are seeing is a demonstration of some of the skills. Never the real thing. So in this sense Krav Maga is not an art and is most certainly not a sport. It is a highly effective self-defence and contact combat system designed to neutralise a threat against un/armed opponent/s in the shortest time possible.

As the founder of Krav Maga, Imi Lichtenfeld (1910-1998) instilled in all his students, we train so that we may walk in peace.

So you may be thinking now, as I did when I started on my Krav Maga journey, if there are no rules and if I can improvise with my own body and any environmental weapons, in what way can Krav Maga be called a fighting system?

Now we get to the heart of what exactly is Krav Maga. Krav Maga was created my Imi Lichtenfeld for the Israeli Defence Forces in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. It is designed to be an extension of natural, intuitive body movement. It is designed to neutralise threats quickly in any reality-based situation.

Krav Maga is designed around four core principles: simplicity, efficiency, directness and control.

The four governing principles of simplicity, efficiency, directness and control drive all Krav Maga teaching and practice and define Krav Maga as a unique, modern, evolving and clearly identifiable self-defence and contact combat system. This is why Krav Maga proficiency can be achieved in a relatively short space of training time. We don’t learn hundreds of katas and forms – we learn a handful of principles that are taught and applied over and over again in a multitude of defence and striking techniques.

When watching a trained Kravist fight, the four core principles of simplicity, directness, efficiency and control will be present in everything they do. And if they are not – it is not Krav Maga. And that is regardless of the situation (e.g. demonstration, Hollywood movie or real fight for survival), the combatants (of any age, gender, size) and the location (training club, night club, dark street).

Simple

Imi Lichtenfeld studied the body’s natural responses to threat and developed Krav Maga around these rapid, instinctive, responses. This makes Krav Maga defences simple, intuitive and fast to learn. There are better looking martial arts than Krav Maga but few are as effective in real-life situations where there are no rules and anything can happen next.

Direct

Each Krav Maga strike and attack takes the shortest, most direct route to the target. We don’t load, prepare or ‘telegraph’ any strike. The Krav Maga fighter will close the gap to their opponent very quickly and control the fight and the opponents body from very close range. We also train to use all parts of our body as ‘weapons’; fingers, fists, palms, elbows, head, knees, shins and feet.

Efficient

In Krav Maga we target the body’s most vulnerable points and physiological weaknesses. The objective is to end the threat quickly and decisively regardless of the opponents size and weight. We also practice something unique to Krav Maga, known as ‘bursting’ – defending and delivering the first strike in one single, simultaneous movement. We then continue to strike in a rapid, rhythmic sequence and we don’t stop until the threat is neutralised.

Controlled

Ultimately, perhaps the most important principle is that of control; rapid assessment of the situation, avoidance if at all possible and the use of appropriate and controlled force where exit is not possible. Our founder Imi Lichtenfeld created Krav Maga “so that one may walk in peace”3 and that philosophy is at the heart of all our training and all our actions.

For now, happy training everyone.
VKK

1 Richard Douieb, Beginners Guide 2014
European Federation of Krav Maga (FEKM)
2 Richard Douieb, Beginners Guide 2014
European Federation of Krav Maga (FEKM)
3 Imi Lichtenfeld, founder of Krav Maga

I am often asked whether Krav Maga can be called a martial art or even a combat sport. Good questions because, by responding, we can get to the heart of what makes Krav Maga the unique and highly efficient self-defence and combat system that it is.

Let’s begin with the question of whether or not Krav Maga is a martial art. The answer is both “yes” and “no” because it depends on your definition of a “martial art”. If you consider martial arts to be centuries old fighting styles, often Eastern in origin and practiced today as a systematised sport, for example Aikido, Taekwondo, Jiujitsu and Karate then Krav Maga is not strictly a martial art.

On the other hand, if you take a wider view of martial arts as any system of self-defence and combat and include the more modern forms such as MMA, then perhaps the combat system known as Krav Maga can be called a martial art, particularly at the higher grades. However, there are some important distinctions.

In Krav Maga we have no combat rules whatsoever. All parts of the opponent’s body are a fair target and can be struck with various parts of your own body and with any improvised weapon from the immediate environment.

We also don’t have tournaments or real competitive fights; any such Krav Maga fights would result in the serious injury of one of the combatants. So in this sense Krav Maga is not an art and is most certainly not a sport. It is a highly effective self-defence and contact combat system designed to neutralise a threat against un/armed opponent/s in the shortest time possible.

So you may be thinking now, if there are no rules and if I can improvise with my own body and any environmental weapons, in what way can Krav Maga be called a fighting system? Krav Maga was created my Imi Lichtenfeld for the Israeli Defence Forces in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. It is designed to be an extension of natural, intuitive body movement and it is designed to neutralise a threat in the simplest, fastest and most efficient way in any given situation.

Krav Maga is designed around four core principles: simplicity, efficiency, directness and control. These four governing principles drive all Krav Maga teaching and practice and define Krav Maga as the unique, evolving and clearly identifiable self-defence and contact combat system that it is. We do not learn hundreds of katas or forms like other traditonal martial arts. For example, the ATA Taekwondo syllabus consists of 391 forms to Black Belt 1st degree!

In Krav Maga we learn a handful of principles that are taught and applied over and over again in a multitude of strikes, defences and situations. This is also why Krav Maga proficiency can be achieved in a relatively short space of training time.

So, for example, a Kravist will typically use the limb closest to their opponent to strike, will never prepare (or “telegraph”) a strike, will always strike using the shortest and most direct trajectory to the target, will target vulnerable parts of the opponent’s body (eyes, throat, solar plexus, groin etc.), will press forward and close down the space to his/her opponent quickly and forcibly and will continue striking in a flowing sequence until the threat is contained. In our next blog we’ll talk in detail about the four core principles of Krav Maga and how they are applied at all levels of training and competency.

For now, happy training everyone.
VKK

So, you’ve decided that Krav Maga is for you. Excellent. But, you may have also know how important to choose the right training club. But why is that and how do you choose an excellent Krav Maga club?

Let’s begin by exploring what is it that makes Krav Maga such a powerful self-defence and combat system. Firstly, it is a modern self-defence system. Second, it is direct, intuitive and fast to learn. Thirdly, ANYONE can learn Krav Maga – regardless of age, size or gender. It was created by Imi Lichtenfeld for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in the 1940’s and is designed to be an extension of natural, intuitive body movement. It is also designed to be useful to people of all ages, fitness levels and gender. And it is designed to be simple, efficient, direct and controlled. In fact, these four governing principles drive all Krav Maga teaching and practice and make Krav Maga a unique, clearly identifiable and evolving self-defence and contact combat system.

When watching a trained Kravist fight, these four core principles will be present in everything they do. And if they are not, it is not Krav Maga. Read our blog about the four governing principles of Krav Maga as a companion piece to this blog. For now, let’s focus on why and how to choose a great Krav Maga club.

By it’s very nature, Krav Maga is physically demanding and dangerous. That means that when we train safety, control and injury avoidance must be a priority at all times.

A good Krav Maga club will ask you about your physical health, any injuries you may have, your fitness level and why you wish to train before you start training. The instructor/s will have secure access to this information before your first class. Please don’t be put off by these questions. We are not being nosy or judgmental – we want to keep you safe, free from injury and appropriately insured so that you can train and have fun at the best of your ability for months and years to come.

Secondly, in Krav Maga we practice and execute highly effective – and therefore inherently dangerous – techniques. Good Krav Maga clubs implement clear safety measures with every single technique taught. Safety is built into the instructors’ core teaching method – both for your own safety and that of your training partners.

A good Krav Maga club will embody the values of Krav Maga and its founder; team work, inclusivity, humility and self-control.

Thirdly, a good Krav Maga club will embody the values of Krav Maga and its founder Imi Lichtenfeld; inclusivity, humility and self-control. Imi Lichtenfeld created Krav Maga “so that one may walk in peace”1 and you will experience that philosophy at the heart of any excellent Krav Maga club.

That brings me on to the fourth point. Is the club you are considering actually teaching Krav Maga? Sounds silly, right? This was something that was very important to me when I started my Krav journey and I’ll explain why.

Is the club you are considering actually teaching Krav Maga? Choose a club that is part of a recognised international federation.

Having “Krav Maga” in the name of a training club does not make it a Krav Mag club. There are excellent international Krav Maga federations that have direct lineage to the founder of Krav Maga Imi Lichtenfeld with high teaching and technical standards. For example, we are part of the FEKM (European Federation of Krav Maga under the direction of Richard Douieb, 6^th Darga). Another good example would be the KMG (Krav Maga Global) under the direction of Eyal Yanilov.

Finally, I would say choose a club where you like the instructors and the team, have lots of opportunities to train in any given week, where you can have fun and feel motivated and energised before each class. If you skip a couple of classes and miss your Krav – that’s a great sign.

Happy training everyone.
VKK

1 Imi Lichtefeld (1910-1998)