Israeli Fighting Techniques

Having swept the nation in the past couple of months with its innovative techniques and easy-to-learn fighting style, the Israeli fighting system known as Krav Maga has been having buildings pop up all over the country. While many people connect the techniques of Krav Maga with CrossFit in order to get a killer workout, the motions do more than burn calories as it has successfully helped people defend themselves since its inception.

  1. The Style

    • Krav Maga is very simple and straightforward. Its techniques are based primarily off of strikes and takedowns and the different levels of its belt system at which they are introduced. There are five different belts to gain in Krav Maga before becoming a master, and they all introduce a different technique to your skill level. Here are a few of the techniques you can expect to learn in your yellow belt class:

      Basic fighting stances (neutral, passive, fighting and bobbing and weaving)
      Punches (palm heel strike, eye strike and hammerfist)
      Kicks (groin kick, knee strike and defensive front kick)

      And those are just the basic fighting maneuvers you will learn before you can move on to the more advanced forms. While there is nothing too technical involved, the basic style still takes a semblance of good form before you can acquire the correct maneuvers to move on.

    Types of Training

    • There are many ways to learn the Krav Maga fighting techniques, but they all require a different level of skill. The courses taught at a certified Krav Maga gym vary on how in-depth you would like to build your techniques. The most basic self-defense class will teach the basic fighting techniques of the punches, kicks and takedowns while the CrossFit class will teach the punches and kicks but concentrate more on the cardio than the form. Recently, many gyms have been trying to incorporate police officers into the classes by specializing in courses that would show them how to disarm criminals and use the techniques to capture suspects.

      All of these classes, however, will give you the form and skill of learning the takedowns and strikes, which you can only learn in a hands-on environment. Anybody can throw a punch or execute a takedown, but do they have the knowledge of where to punch and which part of the body will be best to knock the person off balance? If you are really interested in the techniques and how to perform them, it is strongly suggested you look up your local Krav Maga instructors and take an introductory class; many offer them absolutely free and will teach you the most basic techniques to help you decide if Krav Maga is for you.