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	===Techniques===		===Techniques===
	Although Krav Maga shares many techniques with other ], such as ], ] and ] (for the punches, kicks, elbows, and knees) or ], ] and ] (for the grappling and disarming techniques), the training is often quite different. It stresses fighting under worst-case conditions or from disadvantaged positions (for example, against several opponents, when protecting someone else, with one arm unusable, when dizzy, or against armed opponents). Unlike ] there are no predefined sequences of moves or choreographed styles; instead Krav Maga emphasizes the '''retzev''' ("continuous combat motion") ~~and~~ no ~~restrictions~~ or ~~rules~~,<ref>http://www.israelikrav.com/faq.html</ref> for either attack or defensive situations.		Although Krav Maga shares many techniques with other ], such as ], ] and ] (for the punches, kicks, elbows, and knees) or ], ] and ] (for the grappling and disarming techniques), the training is often quite different. It stresses fighting under worst-case conditions or from disadvantaged positions (for example, against several opponents, when protecting someone else, with one arm unusable, when dizzy, or against armed opponents). Unlike ] there are no predefined sequences of moves or choreographed styles; instead Krav Maga emphasizes the '''retzev''' ("continuous combat motion") with the sole imperative being effectiveness,<ref>http://www.israelikrav.com/faq.html</ref> for either attack or defensive situations.

	Krav maga instructors emphasize two paradoxical training rules: (1) there are no rules in a fight and (2) one must not injure oneself or one's partner when training.<ref>http://www.israelikrav.com/faq.html</ref> Training is an intense mixed ] and ] workout, relying heavily on protective pads in order to experience both delivery and defense of strikes at full force. This is important because it allows the student to practice the technique at full strength, and the student holding the pad learns a little of the impact they'd feel when they get hit. It can be almost as taxing to hold a pad as to practice against one. Some schools incorporate "Strike and Fight," which consists of full-contact ] intended to familiarize the student with the stresses of a violent situation.		Krav maga instructors emphasize two paradoxical training rules: (1) there are no rules in a fight and (2) one must not injure oneself or one's partner when training.<ref>http://www.israelikrav.com/faq.html</ref> Training is an intense mixed ] and ] workout, relying heavily on protective pads in order to experience both delivery and defense of strikes at full force. This is important because it allows the student to practice the technique at full strength, and the student holding the pad learns a little of the impact they'd feel when they get hit. It can be almost as taxing to hold a pad as to practice against one. Some schools incorporate "Strike and Fight," which consists of full-contact ] intended to familiarize the student with the stresses of a violent situation.

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Krav Maga
(קרב מגע)
Also known as	Israeli Krav Maga, Krav
Hardness	Non-competitive
Country of origin	Israel
Creator	Imi Lichtenfeld (1910–1998)
Famous practitioners	Imi Lichtenfeld, Haim Gidon, Eyal Yanilov, Darren Levine, Kobi Lichtenstein
Parenthood	Imi Lichtenfeld
Olympic sport	No

Krav Maga (Hebrew קרב מגע: "contact combat") is a self-defense and military hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel, which assumes no quarter, and emphasizes maximum threat neutralization in a "real life" context. It came to prominence following its adoption by various Israeli Security Forces and is now used by military and law enforcement personnel, as well as civilians, around the world.

In some countries, a simplified version is often taught in civilian self defence classes. This excludes numerous 'more lethal' or forceful techniques taught in a military or police context, because of legal proscriptions restricting the teaching of hazardous or life-threatening techniques without appropriate legal authorization.

Etymology

The generic name in Hebrew means "close combat." The word maga (מגע) means "contact" and the word krav (קרב) means "combat," but the literal translation "contact combat" could be confused with "full contact" martial arts, such as "full contact karate."

Training

Basic principles

In Krav Maga, there are no hard-and-fast rules, and no distinction in training for men and women. It is not a sport, and there are no specific uniforms, attire or competitions. All the techniques focus on maximum efficiency in real-life conditions. Krav Maga generally assumes a no quarter situation; the attacks and defenses are intended for potentially lethal threat situations, and aim to neutralize these via maximum pain or damage to opponents, as rapidly and safely as possible. Crippling attacks to vulnerable body parts, including groin and eye strikes, headbutts, and other efficient and potentially brutal attacks, improvized use of any objects available, and maximizing personal safety in a fight, are emphasized.

The guiding principles for those performing Krav Maga techniques are:

Neutralize the threat
Avoid injury
Go from defending to attacking as quickly as possible
Use the body's natural reflexes
Strike at any vulnerable point
Use any tool or object nearby

According to a description written for the self-publication media site Associated Content, the basic premises of Krav Maga are:

You're not going to care how much damage you're going to cause.
Cause as much damage as possible and run.
Do not try and prolong a fight. Do what needs to be done and escape.

The basic idea is to first deal with the immediate threat (being choked, for example), prevent the attacker from re-attacking, and then neutralize the attacker, proceeding through all steps in a methodical manner, despite the rush of adrenaline that occurs in such an attack. The emphasis is put on taking the initiative from the attacker as soon as possible.

Techniques

Although Krav Maga shares many techniques with other martial arts, such as boxing, savate and muay thai (for the punches, kicks, elbows, and knees) or jujutsu, judo and wrestling (for the grappling and disarming techniques), the training is often quite different. It stresses fighting under worst-case conditions or from disadvantaged positions (for example, against several opponents, when protecting someone else, with one arm unusable, when dizzy, or against armed opponents). Unlike Karate there are no predefined sequences of moves or choreographed styles; instead Krav Maga emphasizes the retzev ("continuous combat motion") with the sole imperative being effectiveness, for either attack or defensive situations.

Krav maga instructors emphasize two paradoxical training rules: (1) there are no rules in a fight and (2) one must not injure oneself or one's partner when training. Training is an intense mixed aerobic and anaerobic workout, relying heavily on protective pads in order to experience both delivery and defense of strikes at full force. This is important because it allows the student to practice the technique at full strength, and the student holding the pad learns a little of the impact they'd feel when they get hit. It can be almost as taxing to hold a pad as to practice against one. Some schools incorporate "Strike and Fight," which consists of full-contact sparring intended to familiarize the student with the stresses of a violent situation.

Training may employ a speaker system blasting loud music, stroboscope and/or fog machine, meant to train the student to ignore peripheral distractions and focus on causing as much damage as possible. Training might also contain ways to deal with situations which could end in fights. Physical and verbal methods to avoid violence whenever possible are taught.

A typical Krav Maga session in a civilian school is about an hour long and mixes conditioning with self-defense teaching. As levels increase, the instructors focus a little more on complicated and less common types of attacks, such as knife attacks, hostage situations and defense under extreme duress. First, the instructor will run a very intense drill to get the class's heart rates up. Then, after stretching, the instructor will teach two or three self-defense techniques. In the beginning the techniques will either be combatives (punches, hammer-fists, elbows, knees and roundhouse kicks, for example) or grappling (breaking out of chokes or wrist-grabs, getting out from under an opponent while on one's back). After that, the class usually moves to a drill that combines the techniques just taught with an aerobic technique. Finally, there is the final drill intended to burn out the students. Depending on the class - and on the instructor's mood - this drill may be at the very beginning or at the end of the class.

Quotations

"The use of dirty tactics are highly encouraged in Krav Maga. In a real fight, those who fight "fair" do not get to stand afterwards. Fighting fair and defending yourself are two different things. Fighting for honor and fighting for survival are two different things. When having to defend yourself, honor does not play a role. In short, it teaches you how to "survive" in the worst situations of combat."

Levels

Israeli and American governing bodies

Within the Israeli Krav Maga Association and the two major North and South American bodies, there are five levels prior to Black Belt, each known by a number and a color. From lowest to highest, these are: 1) Yellow, 2) Orange, 3) Green, 4) Blue, and 5) Brown. the Black Belt comes in various Dans, as withmany other martial arts.

Under the Israeli Association rules, only Haim Gidon may grant Black Belt status, and a belt test must be conducted by two instructors ranked two belt levels higher than the student being tested.

Level / color	Standard required (Israeli KM Association)	Standard required (KM Association of America and South American Federation of KM)
Level 1 (Yellow)	Key concepts for surviving physical confrontations: instinctive response, simple, aggressive counters, basic combatives (punches, kicks, elbows and knees), defenses against chokes, combat rolling, and combat groundwork fundamentals and retzev (continuous combat motion).	Key concepts for surviving physical confrontations: instinctive response, simple, aggressive counters, basic combatives (punches, kicks, elbows and knees), defenses against chokes.
Level 2 (Orange)	Additional combatives and wider array of self-defense scenarios including choke and grab variations, takedown defenses ; combative feints, and additional combat groundwork. Basic weapon theory and defenses are introduced. More advanced retzev.	Additional combatives and wider array of self-defense scenarios ; increased intensity.
Level 3 (Green)	Additional combatives including throws and more difficult self-defense scenarios such as multiple attacks, defending against grapplers and takedown specialists; a greater number of surprise attacks ; increased frequency and intensity of sparring and the basics of edged weapon work. More advanced retzev.	Additional combatives and more difficult self-defense scenarios (such as escaping from chokes or headlocks on the ground); greater number of surprise attacks ; increased frequency and intensity of sparring.
Level 4 (Blue)	Advanced punch and kick combinations and countermeasures against these attacks including being drowned; gun, edged weapon and blunt weapon defenses; advanced ground fighting; more regular sparring and advanced retzev including ground retzev.	Advanced punch and kick combinations and defenses against these attacks; gun, knife and stick weapon defenses; advanced ground fighting ; more regular sparring.
Level 5 (Brown)	Advanced weapon defenses including firearms, advanced throws and groundwork, multiple attacker scenarios (both with and without weapons) and sparring against multiple opponents.	Greater stress and tension are introduced; multiple attacker scenarios (both with and without weapons) and sparring against multiple opponents.
Black Belt	Training consists mostly of specialized military, law enforcment, and security applications such as defenses against carjackings and highjackings, hand grenade or long rifle counters, third-party protection, sentry removal, and other applications of terminal force along with teaching.	Training consists mostly of specialized military and security applications of Krav Maga, such as defense against a hand grenade or long rifle, third-party protection, sentry removal, and so forth.

International Krav Maga Federation

Within the International Krav Maga Federation, (civilian) Krav Maga is divided into four major categories. The first three are Practitioner, Graduate and Expert. Each of these is further divided to 5 levels, each with a specific curriculum and requirements. Grading tests to pass from one rank to the next contain technical, theoretical and tactical subjects covering self-defense and fighting skills. The highest category of grades are the Master levels of which there are three. Anyone wishing to test for any Expert level must generally do this in Israel as it requires a minimum of two members of the Grading Committee (Eyal Yanilov or any of the other Expert Level 5 members of the Israeli Global Instructor Team) to be present at the grading.

In addition to the civilian system, the IKMF also operates Military, Law Enforcement, Security and VIP/Close Personal Protection syllabi. Each syllabus has its own grading criteria and is generally only taught to people with employment in the relevant fields. Instead of Practitioner and Graduate levels, the Military and Law Enforcement Systems have Fighter, Warrior and Operator levels, whereas the Close Personal Protection Syllabus grades are Bronze Shield, Silver Shield, Gold Shield and Platinum Shield.

Rank patches

Examples of rank patches which are worn on the training pants uniform, upper left thigh are shown below. The black bars on the rank patches denote the level. Three black bars on the Graduate patch denote Graduate level 3 etc.

File:P1patch.jpg File:E2 patch.jpg File:G3 patch.jpg File:M1 patch.jpg

History

Imi Lichtenfeld

Krav Maga was developed in Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the 1930s by Imi Lichtenfeld, also known as Imi Sde-Or. (Sde-Or - "Light Field" - is a calque of his surname into Hebrew.) He first taught his fighting system in Bratislava in order to help protect the Jewish community from Nazi militias. Upon arriving in the British Mandate of Palestine prior to the establishment of the Jewish state, Imi began teaching hand-to-hand combat to the Haganah, the Jewish underground army. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Imi became the Chief Instructor of Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) School of Combat Fitness. He served in the IDF for about 20 years, during which time he continued to develop and refine his hand-to-hand combat method. He died in January 1998 in Netanya, Israel.

Expansion outside Israel

Prior to 1980, all experts in Krav Maga lived in Israel and trained under the Israeli Krav Maga Association. That year marks the beginning of contact between Israeli Krav Maga experts and interested students in the United States. In 1981, a group of six Krav Maga instructors traveled to the US to offer demonstrations of the system, primarily at local Jewish Community Centers. This, in turn, led to demonstrations at the New York Field Office of the FBI and the FBI's Main Training Center at Quantico, Virginia. The result was a visit by 22 people from the US to Israel in the summer of 1981 to attend a basic Krav Maga instructor course. The graduates from this course returned to the US and began to establish training facilities in their local areas. Additional students traveled to Israel in 1984 and again in 1986 to become instructors. At the same time, instructors from Israel continued to visit the US. Law Enforcement training in the US began in 1985. Instructor certification courses are offered every year in Netanya, Israel for qualified individuals .

After the death of the founder

After Imi's death, a number of different schools and associations developed around the world. Although there is an ongoing debate as to who may claim to be Imi's legitimate successor(s) and whether the term "Krav Maga" refers to a specific martial art or is simply a generic term (much like Boxing), it is generally accepted that there are nine mainstream Krav Maga umbrella organizations:

The Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA)
The International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF)
The South American Federation of Krav Maga (SAFKM)
Commando Krav Maga (CKM)
The Krav Maga Association of America (KMAA)
The European Federation of Krav Maga (FEKM)
Krav Maga Incorporated (KMI)
Israeli IMI System - Krav Maga (IIS)
Operational Krav Maga (OKM)

Current usage

In 1964, Imi Lichtenfeld finished his military service and adapted Krav Maga to civilian frameworks. In Israel, Krav Maga is introduced to elementary and high school students on the national curriculum, and is taught at the Wingate Institute, one of the world's leading physical fitness centers. It is taught to men, women, and children under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Sport and Education.

Krav Maga is the official system of hand-to-hand combat and self-defense employed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Security Forces, the Israeli Police and Military Police and its Special Operations and Anti-Terrorist Units. The IDF including their Special Forces Units, Israeli Police, and Internal Security Branches currently uses this style on a day-to-day basis.

Krav Maga is taught to all ages and abilities, at community centers, schools, and clubs throughout the world. Krav Maga is taught to Sky Marshals and commercial airline crews. It is also taught in Australia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, France, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Poland, Japan, Thailand, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, New Zealand and India.

In the United States, personnel from various Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies and military units around the world have received training in Krav Maga, including the FBI, AFOSI Anti-terrorism Specialty Team, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration Arrest and Control Unit, U.S. Treasury Department, Immigration and Naturalization Service, State Department, CIA, several divisions of the United States Coast Guard, and police and sheriff's offices in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, California, and Maryland. In addition to the Special Operations Forces of Israel (e.g. Sayeret Matkal, YAMAM, etc.), several special units from other countries have adopted this system for their hand-to-hand combat. These units include GIGN, Federal Police Special Units, FBI HRT, and SWAT, among others.

References

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