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Answer to your Problem
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
September 17, 2026, Israel
Why are Krav Maga schools Failing?
Krav Maga schools are failing because they have become too watered-down and generic. In many associations you can gain your certification over a weekend from a guy who has never set foot in Israel. The term Krav Maga has largely fallen into disrepute, been overused by Hollywood and is too associated with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Jolie.
I have just returned from a long trip in the USA, my Fall Krav Maga Tour where I taught seminars in many states. There is one branch of martial arts schools that is succeeding more than usual, it is a sports-oriented martial art, the current fad. I do not want to mention names in order not to insult or disparage anyone. But traditional martial arts schools and Krav Maga schools are on the decline. This is not a statistic I found online, this is the word on the street, in the synagogue, in the community centers.
And the question is, what can we do to help our school owners improve their performance, get more people in the door?
Now here is what the business experts are saying
* BJJ has a powerful sport, competition and social community that keeps students training for years.
* Many Americans now equate “effective fighting” with arts that regularly spar or grapple live. This is a myth, but most will never have the misfortune of testing this for real. Thus, the myth survives.
* Quality varies enormously between Krav Maga organizations and instructors.
* Some schools market Krav Maga mainly as a short self-defence or fitness course, which produces poorer long-term retention than a competitive martial art.
* The name has been used so loosely that consumers often cannot distinguish serious Israeli-style training from cardio classes carrying the Krav Maga label.
So, in one sentence: American martial arts as a business are not universally declining, but BJJ is taking an increasingly large share of adult interest, Taekwondo and karate schools survive by offering kids and family classes, after school baby-sitting programs and fun activities, while traditional schools and Krav Maga schools have to work considerably harder to attract and retain students.
What are We Offering? - An Answer to your Problem, your Security, your Confidence
Authentic Israeli Experience - Clear Answers - Immediately able to teach.
For IKI, this suggests that the strongest American position is not simply “another Krav Maga organization.” It is the authentic Israeli experience, clear answers to current attacks, realistic pressure-testing, and seminars that give ordinary instructors material they can immediately teach. That distinction matters much more now than it did when the words Krav Maga alone attracted people.
Remember, you are not teaching "Krav Maga", that is passe, and has lost its respect in the USA and around the world, you are different, you are not only connected directly to Israel but you are teaching IKI Krav Maga - the most up to date realistic system in the world, with lessons learned from all over the world. Do NOT dilute it with other systems!
When a student inquires about our training, we are not selling "Krav Maga" or a martial art, we are providing an answer to their problem.
You have a problem - You feel unsafe, insecure, we have an answer to your problem. We are here to provide a service people need, their Security, their self-confidence, their self-esteem.
Positioning
We need to position our schools as the Gold Standard of Authentic Pressure Tested, Street Proven self-defense, Tried, Tested and Proven all over the world, and that is exactly what we are. We are not in competition with the local McDojo, we are an Elite Premium Association of Krav Maga professionals.
What we need to do
Stress our uniqueness, our direct connection with Israel, and our Worldwide reach and experience.
Reach out to security professionals.
Create an environment, a social community in our schools and across all our connected IKI schools. Instructors should make an effort to meet other IKI instructors and students.
IKI, We build on our strengths! Together.
Moshe Katz, 8th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt Hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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