Krav Maga for no nonsense self-defence in real situations

Krav Maga is an Israeli defence system aimed at causing maximum damage before one flees. It is perfectly suited to self-defence in a street attack situation. Hebrew for "contact combat," Krav Maga was developed for the Israeli military in the 1930s and '40s. While the deadly secrets and techniques still taught to military personnel around the world are illegal to teach to members of the public, the standard taught in Krav Maga schools remains brutally effective, and potentially life-saving, in the correct hands.

• Preferring to be called a "protection system" rather than a martial art, Krav Maga's main philosophy is simplicity.
• All components are stripped down to their bare, most effective form, designed to deliver the most damage possible to the attacker.
• The central dogma of Krav Maga is: threat neutralisation; concurrent defensive and offensive manoeuvres; aggression

• These principles manifest themselves in the form of instant and pre-emptive counter-attacking, thereby effectively stealing the element of surprise from the assailant.
• This counter-attack is aimed at the most vulnerable points of the human body, such as the eyes, groin, throat, fingers, ribs and organs, and is executed with an absolute lack of mercy.
• For this reason, Krav Maga training can be dangerous when not taught properly and safely. Always seek out a reputable school.
• The skills used in Krav Maga can be traced to boxing, muay Thai, wing chun, judo, wrestling and savate, a French form of kickboxing.
• Krav Maga teaches how to defend against any type of weapon, with the emphasis being on disarming the attacker and using their own weapon against them.
• You can expect to face replica guns, rubber knives, sticks and much more improvised weaponry in the course of your lessons.

• Anybody with a reasonable level of mobility can learn Krav Maga.
• Any previous injuries or medical conditions should be divulged to your instructor upon starting training to avoid aggravation of these conditions from Krav Maga's violent nature.

• Krav Maga is generally done inside of a purpose-built hall containing padded flooring.
• However, for the purposes of preparation for real-life situations, participants can expect to the your skills outside from time to time.

• At first, all you will need is yourself.
• Wear loose clothing that allows for free-flowing movement.
• If you do persevere with Krav Maga, you will probably wish to buy yourself some specialist clothing, as well as protective equipment such as gloves and a gun shield.

• To begin with, all you really need is the ability to follow instructions.
• Always listen to your instructor to avoid injury and maximise your training.