Krav Maga Street Reality
By Moshe Katz
CEO
Israeli Krav International

May 7, 2015, Israel

Our goal at IKI is to provide practical, effective self-defense that anyone can use.

Our goal is that every technique should be;

Easy to learn,

Easy to apply

Easy to remember.

If it does not meet those three criteria, we drop the technique. We only want techniques that will work for us, not against us.

Most people who take up martial arts do so for reasons of self-protection/ self-defense. Of course there are those seeking sports, fitness, competition, spirituality or friendship but the the underlying core of martial arts is self-defense.

But what happens when you suddenly realize that martial arts, in fact, as practiced today is not really an effective self-defense, what happens when the myth explodes?

It is a terrible moment. I recall by own teacher, Itay Gil, many years ago, causally saying that "95% of martial arts is ineffective". It was a stunning blow on par with when my finance professor in college informed us that our MBA diploma was pretty much useless.

It is a time for reflection and self-examination. Hard times.

I still believe that the core, the essence of martial arts is effective. However, as Bruce Lee pointed out, over the years we have lost the practicality. We became immersed in complex memorization and fancy moves that are difficult to perform under stress.

I know these ideas will offend some but they will enlighten others.

The idea is not to offend but to improve our training so that we can teach people to actually defend themselves. At IKI we have one goal; for you to get home safe and be safe at home.

In Jewish learning we have a wonderful concept called "Baruch sh'kivanti" which means Blessed be God that I had the same idea as some great scholar who preceded me.

It means that if you came up with a great interpretation and then some older scholar pointed out to you that in fact that very same idea was articulated in the 11th century by a Spanish rabbi, well, Thank God I had the same thought/idea/intention as that great scholar. 

There is no disappointment that your idea was not totally original, that after billions of people were created you were the very first to think of this. No, there is the humble approach that "I am grateful that I came up with the same idea as some great man who preceded me". And perhaps we refined the idea just a little.

It is the same with IKI Krav Maga.

With IKI Krav Maga we are privileged to have very high ranking masters of traditional styles. Sometimes when I am teaching a technique, something that I "invented myself", one of these student/Masters will come over with a great smile and say, "We have been doing that in Aikido for years and I never understood the application, it never made any sense to me but now I see how it really works on the street. Thank you".

And I scratch my head and think, "I had no idea I was doing Aikido" I was just trying to find something that works.

Or when I teach a technique and Joe Cayer in Florida comes over and says that is a .....(something in Japanese) and I think, wonderful, Baruch sh'Kivanti, I am glad that I thought of something that great masters who preceded me thought of years ago.

It takes a big man to realize that one needs to make changes. Recently I received a message to the IKI site that speaks for itself. I was so impressed by this man's humility and honesty that I wanted to share this with all of you.

I have not edited a word.

"holy crap 99% of what I've spent 12 years learning doesn't actually work"

Your Message Hi, i read one of your articles regarding keeping things simple Krav Maga Simple and i completely 100% agree with you.

As a big follower of combatives this is one of the most important principles is to keep things simple (gross motor) and to keep things down to the bare essentials. Keeping your toolbox of tools (techniques) down to the bare minimum and your left with a compressed workable curriculum that works for you. Less is more is a big saying in combatives. And after 12 years of martial arts training in sanshou/sanda it wasn't until the first time i actually got into that situation where you feel adrenaline where i actually realized "holy crap 99% of what I've spent 12 years learning doesn't actually work" and i was left swinging like an angry ape.

In all my gradings i demonstrated near perfect form yet on the street i looked like I have never even step foot in a martial arts gym.

Under stress we resort to the bare minimum. Gross motor skills is where its at. So I have since been left with the inevitable decision to completely strip my toolbox of tools and be left with high percentage moves i know i can rely on, and they are; Punch - VF - Straight - Chin Hammer-fist - Down - Neck & Above Elbow - Inward - Jaw/Neck/Temple Knee - Upward - Groin Soccer Kick - Upward - Groin Stomp - Downward - Head Biting - Incisors - Soft Tissue Gouging - Finger Tips - Eyes So far these have worked tremendously well for me. What do you think of my toolbox? Would be great to hear back from you. Thank you. God bless!

Connor Mahoney

On the other hand I have heard so many stories from our students of how they have successfully defended theorems in real violent situations.

What is truly amazing is that some of these cases are not even my direct students. Some of them are students of our Krav On Line students. i.e. Someone learned a technique from our On Line program, taught it to his student, and that student successfully applied it on the street.

Here is one such story (of many) from a student of Shihan E. Velez from New York. He is a Shihan, a master in the art of Oyama Karate and a member of IKI Krav Maga.

Very proud of him and his students. Here is the story, unedited.

Thank you Shihan Velez. I have been going to your classes for Krav Maga over a
month already. Due to my duties as law enforcement (undisclosed area) I could
not attend as many classes.  Recently I learned a move that changed my life and
my view into learning Krav Maga not only learn the style but also knowing what
to do in different scenarios.

A few weeks ago we was learn what happens when
someone attacks you from behind with a knife, well it was not a knife but that
same scenario happen to me after breaking up a fight. An unknown male came from
behind and grabbed me near the neck area, without thinking the first move that
came to mind was the "knife move" that Shihan Velez taught me and was able not
only to escape but was able to secure and take control of the entire situation.

Again no knife involved but the same concept did not change and wanted to
thank you again for having dedicated yourself in teaching me Krav Maga...please
note I just learned this move one time so thank you again and realized how
important is Krav Maga to me and everyone else dedicated to teaching and
learning.

Thank you again or like they say in Hebrew (toda) that's thank
you.


Testimony Ayala Angel

Krav Maga On Line - Stay Up to Date

Krav On Line

Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.