About this activity
Krav Maga, which means “close combat” in Hebrew, is an Israeli self-defence and combat system focused on practical defensive skills. Krav Maga emphasizes easy-to-learn techniques based on the body’s natural reflexes, which can be effectively applied to real-life situations and may be used by civilians and law-enforcement personnel alike. Krav Maga students are taught to avoid confrontation if possible, and to finish the confrontation as quickly as possible if it occurs. Techniques that are taught include threat neutralization, defensive techniques to avoid injury, and offensive attacks aimed at the most vulnerable parts of the body. Situational awareness is also taught so that students may apply Krav Maga techniques to unfamiliar circumstances, including dark surroundings, being in resting positions, being under stress or fatigue, and acting with limited movement. Some Krav Maga systems use Lichtenfeld’s original ranking system, which was adopted from judo and uses a series of coloured belts (white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, and black) to indicate expertise level.
Origins & history
Krav Maga was developed in Israel in the late 1940s by Imre Lichtenfeld, the Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the Israeli Defence Forces' (IDF) School of Combat Fitness. Before World War 2, as a response to anti-Semitic attacks in his home country of Czechoslovakia, Lichtenfeld had begun to develop a system of self defence techniques that combined aspects street and competitive fighting. During his 20 years with the IDF, Lichtenfeld continued to develop Krav Maga by incorporating aspects of various martial arts. It is now taught to civilians, law enforcement agencies, and various military branches as a form of self defence, including to RCMP officers in Canada.
When it happens
Krav Maga training occurs year round.
Who takes part
Male and female adults from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds. Krav Maga is a popular form of training for military, police, and security personnel; however, it is also growing in popularity among civilians as a form of fitness and self defence.
