krav maga

[johnjay]

i was wondering what u guys thought of krav maga......

[BB Wolf]

I like it from what I've seen so far.
I train in it. I 've only been in it a few months, but I've ejoyed what I've seen and learned. It is definitely a military-based system. Lots of techniques designed from gross motor and instinctive movements, designed to be taught quickly to people that don't nessesarily have much H2H experience. I also like the emphasis on reaction drills and starting from a completley passive stance so as to teach to to react quickly when suprise attacked. It is very aggressive in nature.

[SweepEm]

I've only watched it a few times, being demonstrated and talked to guys training in it, but it sounds like a very good, very practical to the street type of self defense.
Here in West LA, there are several great instructors.

[Ha_ari]

I've been training in it for about a year, and I think it is bad@ss.

I posted a bit on it in this thread:

http://www.defend.net/deluxeforums/...=&threadid=7922

[johnjay]

would you call it a complete system? does it incorperate kicks,throws aswell?

[BB Wolf]

Originally posted by johnjay
would you call it a complete system? does it incorperate kicks,throws aswell?

It does incorperate kicks and I' ve seen some takedowns and a little groundwork. Considering that Imi Lichtenfeld, the founder of Krav Maga, studied judo/ju-jitsu and wrestling among other things, I figure I'm going to run across those techniques in class sooner or later. Like I said, I haven't been training long in it, so I couldn't give you as many details as I'd like. Ha_ri might be able to better answer the question than I as he has been at it longer.

[masterkiller214]

Does anyone have the Krav Maga video set? If so, are they any good?

[dkm]

Originally posted by masterkiller214
Does anyone have the Krav Maga video set? If so, are they any good?

I have the video set. I'm gonna sell it next week on e-bay or if someone wants it on this board.

I don't know if these guys spar in class though.

[Ha_ari]

would you call it a complete system? does it incorperate kicks,throws aswell?

I'm not sure any system is 100% complete, JohnJay. If there were, the system would be closed and complete, and the essence of KM is that it is open, evolving, and always adding and incorporating anything that works. I'd call it a highly effective self-defense system, though no system is perfect, of course. (BB--the groundwork gets more extensive as you continue to train, and you're right on about Imi).

KM does incorporate all manner of kicks: groin, defensive front, offensive front, side, back, round.

My instructors have just recently begun to illustrate sweeps and other 'soft' defenses. However, I'd add that the reason those are the 'advanced' techniques is b/c KM, as a street self-defense, and IMO, is first and foremost an aggressive combat system in which one tries to learn how to disarm and disable any attacker by swiftly inflicting severe and debilitating pain. As such, it's better to learn how to take out a threat 'hard' at the outset. Once the 'hard' techniques are learned, it's 'safer' to train in some of the 'soft' techniques, like sweeps.

However, JJ, I tend to think throws are a limited part of the KM curriculum, though I obviously could be wrong on this point.

BTW, I've heard mixed reviews on the video set. If y'all are interested in some KM videos, wait a month. Amir Perets, a serious bad@ss of a KM instructor, is about to release a double DVD set of KM conditioning, weapons/choke defenses, along with some groundfighting (I think). His website is at www.amirperets.com, and I think the DVDs are set to release at the end of August. I had the good fortune to train with him and Bas Rutten in a seminar last weekend, and after seeing what Amir can do, I am planning to purchase the DVDs the second they become available.

[Tom Yum]

Ha_ari, what's up? Where do you guys train in Austin? The Hills Fitness @ Beecaves? PM me if you'd like.

Austin has a great MA community. Having a background in Hapkido (Black-Brown), I wanted to keep up my skills there and studied a similar, but more Chinese influenced system called Tukong Musool for a year with Ali Brown who taught in the courtyards of Anna Hiss gym at UT.

I also got my first introduction to Muay Thai at Solis/Sahuim studio, but it was a long commute from where I lived. One of my friends trained at Austin Kenpo Karate on Lamar and really got into it.

Austin is the shiz-nit.

[Ha_ari]

Tom,

I tried to PM you, as I actually have some questions about the MA scene in Houston, but your mailbox is full.

[BB Wolf]

Two good sites on KM to check out:
1) www.kravmaga.com

This is the website for the KM National Training Center in the US, which has branches throught the country. It looks a bit slick and corperate, and stresses the fitness aspect as much as the SD training, but hey, at least in the US, cardio kickboxing-type classes get alot of people in the door that would never go to a dojo otherwise. Many dojos are offering a cardio fitness class these days, and that is what is keeping them open for the serious martial artists. The actual KM classes are quite a workout in and of themselves. They stress physical fitness and also want to push you physically and mental past self imposed limits, in addition to teaching you to fight effectively in less than ideal states.

2) http:/www.industrialgothic.com/safety/kravmaga.html

This is a really informative site about the history, philosophy, and techniques of KM I came across.

Hope this helps.

[Tom Yum]

Originally posted by Ha_ari
Tom,

I tried to PM you, as I actually have some questions about the MA scene in Houston, but your mailbox is full.

Clear.

[Tom Yum]

Originally posted by BB Wolf
Two good sites on KM to check out:
1) www.kravmaga.com

This is the website for the KM National Training Center in the US, which has branches throught the country. It looks a bit slick and corperate, and stresses the fitness aspect as much as the SD training, but hey, at least in the US, cardio kickboxing-type classes get alot of people in the door that would never go to a dojo otherwise. Many dojos are offering a cardio fitness class these days, and that is what is keeping them open for the serious martial artists. The actual KM classes are quite a workout in and of themselves. They stress physical fitness and also want to push you physically and mental past self imposed limits, in addition to teaching you to fight effectively in less than ideal states.

2) http:/www.industrialgothic.com/safety/kravmaga.html

This is a really informative site about the history, philosophy, and techniques of KM I came across.

Hope this helps.

Ha_ari, if you're looking for Krav Maga in Houston visit Kicksport - I think its located on Richmond Avenue, near Greenway Plaza? I'll check the address and PM to you.

One of my colleagues did Krav Maga for a year and a few years TKD. He showed me some KM techniques. I would recommend Krav Maga for anyone that wanted to learn realistic self defense but was too afraid.