Krav Maga is considered as one of the best and most effective self-defense systems for hand-to-hand combat. It is a Hebrew term that means ‘close combat’. Although it is commonly known as the fighting style of Israeli soldiers, it was actually developed in the 30s in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Krav Maga was initially used to help teach the Jewish community to defend itself against the Nazis.

Today, Krav Maga is a self-defense style that is increasingly becoming popular. With its emphasis on using calculated responses to attacks and implementing defenses, it has become a favorite among self-defense students.

How it works
Krav Maga is a combination of many martial arts techniques, including karate, jujitsu and judo. It doesn’t actually have set rules of fighting and unlike other self-defense disciplines, it can be used by either men or women. Techniques are used to effectively and efficiently neutralize an attacker while allowing the person to escape.

To use Krav Maga as self-defense technique effectively, the direct threat must first be assessed and then dealt with accordingly. The type of force used on the attacker will depend on how serious the threat is, eliminating the need for unnecessary force and conserving the user’s strength.

Once the immediate threat has been managed, the next step is then to prevent any attacks coming from the opponent. In case the attacker does make any moves, techniques to neutralize them must then be implemented.

Training
Krav Maga is frequently taught by using physical and sensory distractions, including smoke, loud music or noises and flashing lights. This is to train the student to learn to focus on the more important aspects of the combat (i.e., the immediate threat). Often, the student is even trained to the point of exhaustion or blindfolded before an attack is initiated.

Training is also conducted on a variety of surfaces, including flat floors, dirt, mud, rock, concrete, etc.

Krav Maga is best for close contact man-to-man fighting and for situations when the user is disadvantaged, such as when there are multiple attackers, when attackers are armed or when the user is hurt. It is also very effective when trying to parlay attacks while defending another person.

Guiding principles
There are 6 guiding principles used with Krav Maga techniques. These include:

- Avoid getting hurt.
- Neutralize your attacker as fast as possible.
- Quickly switch from defensive to offensive techniques
- Use the body’s natural reflexes
- Use all the vulnerable areas of the body
- Use any objects that may be at hand

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