Krav Maga

[Sandman]

I'm interested in getting into martial arts for physical activity. I have read that Krav Maga is the most practical self defense art there is. Thoughts?

[Makiaveli]

Well are you getting into it to for "practicality" or for "physical activity"? Tai Chi is a great form exercise. Krav Maga is just the Israeli military's way of kicking butt.

[Sandman]

Well are you getting into it to for "practicality" or for "physical activity"? Tai Chi is a great form exercise. Krav Maga is just the Israeli military's way of kicking butt.

More for self defense than anything. The physical activity is just a bonus.

[plank white]

East tennessee huh well if your near chattanooga there is an awsome mma class near Biglots by Brainerd rd which teaches a little bit of everything from self defence all the way up they have a few real good Pro fighters aswell and take home tournament trophys etc. and you talk about a workout we would start off with basic boxing then move to jiu jitsu then move to muay thai then do our nightly workout which constist of throwing giant tires up and down some designated areas and so all in all with that kind of training you build strength , indurance , and ability aswell as mulitiple avenues of defenses . His wife even runs a class for the ladys

Edited February 25, 2012 by plank white

[Caster]

Any good Krav Maga instructor will give you the tools you are looking, as a side bonus you WILL get in better shape. If you progress at all, you won't have a choice but to get in better shape unless you are in top shape already.

IMO, Krav Maga is one of the best there is and it's not because I am a staunch supporter of Israel. Not many martial arts get to the point any better. So many of them deal with fit, form and all these katas and other crap that's only beneficial if thats what you like. Krav Maga is more of a ' Neutralize the threat as fast as possible so you can move on to the next enemy'. Don't get me wrong it's very involved but from what I've seen they focus on crippling your opponent by any and all means necessary; As fast as possible. Not something you'll learn at the local Karate dojo.

[Makiaveli]

Any good Krav Maga instructor will give you the tools you are looking, as a side bonus you WILL get in better shape. If you progress at all, you won't have a choice but to get in better shape unless you are in top shape already.

IMO, Krav Maga is one of the best there is and it's not because I am a staunch supporter of Israel. Not many martial arts get to the point any better. So many of them deal with fit, form and all these katas and other crap that's only beneficial if thats what you like. Krav Maga is more of a ' Neutralize the threat as fast as possible so you can move on to the next enemy'. Don't get me wrong it's very involved but from what I've seen they focus on crippling your opponent by any and all means necessary; As fast as possible. Not something you'll learn at the local Karate dojo.

This is one reason I mentioned "why" as a important factor. Karate/Tae Kwon Do etc have a philosophy to go with the physical aspects. Helps develop the mind. That's part of why they have the katas etc. If you just want something that will help you kill people, then sure go for Krav Maga.

The downside is I don't see it as something you will stick with for a long time. I could be wrong, but are you going to keep paying for lessons week in and week out just to keep doing the same thing over and over again? Whereas a good dojo will have you on a path to truly learn a martial art as opposed to a martial system. A firearm vs a gun if you will.

[daddyo]

Whatever you end up doing, don't sign a contract if you can avoid it.

[ShamGlock]

Jiu Jitsu is the most practical and applicable form of self defense there is. Nothing else even comes close. If self defense is your primary aim then do yourself a favor and get into a good jiu jitsu school now. It is the only self defense art that you can practice day in and day out with out killing yourself, thus developing the muscle memory that will be there in a real confrontation when the adrenaline kicks in. In a fight you will default to how you train. Period. If you are around the Chattanooga area at all contact me and I will send the details of where I train. The owner is a great guy and will let anyone try 10 classes for free to see if what we do will work for them.

[Caster]

I don't know if I agree that Jiu Jitsu is THE best, but I will say it is awesome. If it's a hand to hand fight that lasts more than 30 seconds, the chances of it going to the ground are very high. If it goes to the ground and your opponent is trained in brazilian jiujitsu, you're screwed! Can't beat them Gracie's on the ground!

[deerslayer]

I don't see jiu jitsu as being the one, end-all martial art. A necessary item in the toolbox of someone serious about hand-to-hand self-defense? Absolutely. Some sort of striking style has its merits, too. Also, a little judo knowledge is a good thing. I used to have a neighbor who was a jiu-jitsu brown belt. I learned a lot from him, but he was always looking for a way to take the fight to the ground. In an octagon, that's great. But if I am with my wife and daughter, the last thing I want is to roll around on the ground with a thug while his two buddies are raping my wife or kidnapping my daughter. Standing up sometimes has its advantages.

[daddyo]

When I took Wado Ryu, we had an instructor who was trained in Jiu Jitsu and taught us ground fighting techniques. It was one of the favorite parts of my training.

[ShamGlock]

I don't see jiu jitsu as being the one, end-all martial art. A necessary item in the toolbox of someone serious about hand-to-hand self-defense? Absolutely. Some sort of striking style has its merits, too. Also, a little judo knowledge is a good thing. I used to have a neighbor who was a jiu-jitsu brown belt. I learned a lot from him, but he was always looking for a way to take the fight to the ground. In an octagon, that's great. But if I am with my wife and daughter, the last thing I want is to roll around on the ground with a thug while his two buddies are raping my wife or kidnapping my daughter. Standing up sometimes has its advantages.

If you are in a fight against three guys there is no martial art that can help you. If your plan is to stand up and swing with three guys you need a better plan. All it takes is for one guy to be bigger than you and you will have your hands full standing up. Furthermore, one punch knockouts are extremely rare in a fight. It is much more likely that you will break your hand on some thugs head. Then how do you plan on defending your wife or daughter? Using jiu jitsu to control the range, clinch, and take the fight to the ground is the most effective strategy for quickly and safely ending a street fight. Assuming of course that running away is not an option. By taking the fight to the ground you can effectively use technique and leverage to mitigate any size advantage your attacker may have.

I do not have much free time between work, family, and life. I decided that the best course of action for me was to pick one self defense art that has a proven track record of effectiveness and dedicate as much time as I can spare towards learning that art. It never made sense to me to scatter my limited training time learing a variety of disciplines that I may or may not learn well.

[frontier737]

I have been taking Krav Maga lessons for some time now so I am a little biased.

For me Krav was the perfect fit for a few reasons: (1) I have zero prior experience with any self defense system but one of Krav's philosophies is train someone with little/no experience and in the shortest time attain some level of skill. (2) You train in sneakers and shorts and t-shirt. Because you're more likely to get in a fight dressed like that rather than in a Gi and bare feet. (3) There are no katas. We train to address the immediate threat than after that you do what you can: maybe kick if the bad guy is further out, a punch or elbow or knee.

When I started Krav I was running about 9-12 miles per week and I still got gassed quickly. Now I run 25-30 miles per week (have some half marathons and a full marathon behind me) and I still get gassed however not as quick.

Try it if you can and as DaddyO said don't sign a contract till you've doing it awhile.

Edited February 26, 2012 by frontier737

[deerslayer]

If you are in a fight against three guys there is no martial art that can help you. If your plan is to stand up and swing with three guys you need a better plan. All it takes is for one guy to be bigger than you and you will have your hands full standing up. Furthermore, one punch knockouts are extremely rare in a fight. It is much more likely that you will break your hand on some thugs head. Then how do you plan on defending your wife or daughter? Using jiu jitsu to control the range, clinch, and take the fight to the ground is the most effective strategy for quickly and safely ending a street fight. Assuming of course that running away is not an option. By taking the fight to the ground you can effectively use technique and leverage to mitigate any size advantage your attacker may have.

I do not have much free time between work, family, and life. I decided that the best course of action for me was to pick one self defense art that has a proven track record of effectiveness and dedicate as much time as I can spare towards learning that art. It never made sense to me to scatter my limited training time learing a variety of disciplines that I may or may not learn well.

I never said anything about swinging with three guys or one punch knockouts. Taking control of one opponent for a few seconds and using him against the other two while your family finds the door is a possibility for a skilled individual. I would still rather fight three guys standing up than lying on my back. If I am alone, I'm looking for a way to get away from three guys before I take them on. Me vs. three will probably not turn out well (for me) either way, though. Honestly though, if forced to deal with three guys, my chances of articulating why I shot one or all of them increase dramatically. I say get the gun into action (if available).

Don't get me wrong, I have massive respect for jiu-jitsu, I would just rather have more than one option in the toolbox. I understand what you mean about having limited time for training in multiple disciplines. A lot of folks don't realize that Krav incorporates some of jiu-jitsu and judo in later stages. Anyone who sticks with it long enough will learn a lot more than just kickboxing.

[UncleJak]

I have been studying martial arts for 17 years, with multiple black belts in multiple styles. In my opinion, there isn't one style better than another. It's really all about what works best for you. The "try it out" thought is a great idea. After a few weeks you should be able to tell if you like it and if you will be good at it. Practice makes perfect, but if you aren't comfortable with a particular style then practice probably won't make perfect. Krav Maga is cool. One of my old training partners was highly trained in it. I learned things from him, just like he learned things from me. Good luck in your endeavors! My 1st Sensei changed my life and helped me become a better person and a more prepared person. I wish the same for you!

[peejman]

...

When I started Krav I was running about 9-12 miles per week and I still got gassed quickly. Now I run 25-30 miles per week (have some half marathons and a full marathon behind me) and I still get gassed however not as quick.

Try it if you can and as DaddyO said don't sign a contract till you've doing it awhile.

You might consider changing how you train. Fighting is a full-bore sprint. Running is an endurance activity. If you're running marathons, you're not getting your cardiovascular system into the sprint zone.

[TMF]

1. Know how to fight standing up.

2. Know how to fight on the ground.

3. Know how to take the fight from standing up to on the ground decisively.

[Guest RebelWithACause]

I highly recommend Filipino martial arts. I've been a practitioner for quite some time and I've never found another martial art that's as relatively simple, practical, and can quickly be learned and put into use.

[Guest A10thunderbolt]

Nothing, is quite like taking on someone one for just 60sec if you have never fought before. I used to run on a treadmill every day, thought I was in good shape and then next thing I know I cant even move my arms after a few full on 60 second fights.

[Guest tswenka]

I have been studying martial arts for 17 years, with multiple black belts in multiple styles. In my opinion, there isn't one style better than another. It's really all about what works best for you. The "try it out" thought is a great idea. After a few weeks you should be able to tell if youp like it and if you will be good at it. Practice makes perfect, but if you aren't comfortable with a particular style then practice probably won't make perfect. Krav Maga is cool. One of my old training partners was highly trained in it. I learned things from him, just like he learned things from me. Good luck in your endeavors! My 1st Sensei changed my life and helped me become a better person and a more prepared person. I wish the same for you!

I totally agree with Jak. Having been into and trained in the martial arts since I was a teen, IMHO, there is no one best art. You fight like you train and every situation is different. Find something you ill stick to, watch some of the classes, and see if you agree with what they are doing. Also you should develop your own tactics through hard training. For instance, if 3 BG's jump on you, you need to get them off you, get space and engage with superior force. Or withdraw from the sit, if you can. However that may be. just an opinion.

[Guest tswenka]

Sorry just read what I posted and maybe I should clarify a bit more. When I said develop your own tactics, what I meant was, you may not have the physical ability to do some of the stuff you are being taught. For instance, I do not possess the natural speed to be strictly a striker. I know I am going to get hit, so over time I have developed certain tactics that rely on what I am capable of. You may hit me but I will hit you back a couple times or close up to grapple. Or strike with the intent of opening enough distance to increase my options.. Jiu jitsu is a great art and highly effective, and you will get in great shape. That said my instructors still practice stand up.

As for KM, I know nothing about it. No direspect to anything anyone is doing, but sometimes you have to consider what is available, and make the best of it. For instance, if the only place available is a dojo, and they train hard, that is better than nothing. Just be sure, your training incoporates real world scenarios, example more than one attacker, sparring in your street clothes, fighting your way back to your feet, and anything else you can think of. If you thought of it, more than likely, some scumbag has too.

Edited March 7, 2012 by tswenka