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Structured Self-Defense Krav Maga
how are we different?
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
October 11, 2025, Israel
I am often asked, So how is IKI Krav Maga different from other styles, of Krav Maga, and other martial arts?
I say that our style is inherently different and therefore I prefer to say IKI Krav Maga, and not use the generic "Krav Maga" term.
When people ask me to explain, I find that I am not in the mood to give an entire lecture, with visuals and explanations, because that is what it would take. One seminar, and you will know. But to give this answer on Facebook, or as a quick reply, no, I will not that.
At times I see Social Media posts, "self-defense techniques" that defy reality, that I know are dangerous, and certainly one should not learn self-defense from social media, so as a public service I point out the dangerous faults in the technique. And then well-meaning people ask, OK, so show us what you do? But I will not teach via Facebook on Instragram. Here I will attempt a verbal answer, but it will never match in-person training.
I tell them I have a systematic approach, a structured self-defense program, I will not teach random individual techniques on Facebook, you need to begin with Steps ABC, build a foundation, understand the logic, the structure, I will not simply teach one isolated technique out of context.
So here I will make an attempt to consolidate the idea.
As one member wisely pointed out, IKI is a very simple system, that "IKI just works…. not that it is easy or simplistic in thought, quite the contrary…it is very detailed in development, but simplistic in application. I find that quite profound."(JB, USA)
IKI was not a planned system, it is the still ongoing evolution of everything I have learned, from many teachers and many styles over many years. I never sought to create a new style, I think that if anyone seeks to create a new style, for their own glory or prestige, it will be destined for failure. Change is not a goal, innovation is not a goal but a result of need. I studied, I trained, I applied, and when I found myself lacking, I sought answers and solutions.
When I felt that in my chosen school, I was lacking in my ability to block punches from professional boxers, I took up training at the best boxing academy in Jerusalem. When I was in New York I trained with the renowned world champion Muay Thai instructor Kru Phil Nurse, in Los Angeles I trained with Benny the Jet Urquidez and I applied their teachings to my own style. It was, and is, an ongoing evolution. There is Tai Chi in our style, Judo and Jujitsu, Aikido and Karate, all have their place. We are all of those and yet something new.
Gradually, something emerged, something coalesced and gelled, and it took me a while to be able to put my finger on it, to define it, to understand it so that I can explain it.
When martial arts legend Frank Dux joined us for training in Israel, he made a though provoking remark. He was with us for our Tour and Train program and said he had never seen faster development in martial arts skills from novice to skilled in such a short period of time.
How do we do it?
First, what do we not do.
We do not base our techniques on Memorization - It is impossible to memorize thousands of techniques. And even if we could, the nature of reality is that new, hitherto unforeseen, situations keep emerging. In addition, trying to sort through and retrieve the correct technique at the correct time would be highly challenging.
We do not use techniques that rely, depend, upon us having strong bodies, muscles.
We do not use techniques that require more than average Speed.
We do not use techniques that require Precision, or Fine Motor Skills. Those are nearly impossible to activate during stressful situations, that is simply human nature.
What we do. How are you different?
We begin with concepts. That means yes, we do have techniques, but the foundation of the technique is not the technique per se, but the concept behind it. Thus, if you forget the technique, that is OK, you can rebuild it immediately based on the concept. That happens to me often. I will be in class, and say, what was our defense vs this type of attack, and then I will have someone attack me, I will apply the IKI principles and concepts, and either the old technique will reemerge, or perhaps an improvement.
I have written about the One Thread that runs through all our techniques, be they standing, ground, defense or offense, but there is more to it than that.
Here lies a key difference, The way we learn - the way we can remember - the way we can retrieve information real time.
We are not "most systems", we are inherently different.
We see patterns, connections, we see them visually and we feel them physically.
Concepts, not memorization. Understanding concepts rather than memorizing details. The brain does not work that way, the brain is not designed to memorize like a computer and spit out information, it processes experiences, ideas, patterns of behavior, rather than memorizing codes or texts. Memorization serves very limited purposes, a few clever phrases here and there, but not true wisdom our understating. "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred and ninety-two." Great, but a collection of phrases does not a scholar make.
We need to simplify the learning process. We need to speed up the learning process. We do not believe it should take years to become proficient in self defense. We believe if it does take that long most people will lose interest, become discouraged, and quit.
Reality - There are an infinite number of violent possibilities, but only a finite number of concepts for defense. Our way is to learn a few basic techniques and learn how to apply the concepts, realtime, adjust, adapt, modify, to stop the violence at hand.
We see Complex situations (that often seem impossible at first glance) and we need to discern the simple patterns of thought and movement that compose them.
There is a structure to our training, and this is why one can learn it quickly. You will not be memorizing techniques, nor will you have a notebook full of "Knife Defense", "Gun Defense" etc. We begin with a stance, and then basic movements, how to move, how to always maintain your balance when defending or attacking. We continue with patterns of movement, such as what we call the Ginga. We work on footwork and arm movement. Once you learn these basic patterns of movement you quickly learn how to apply them to numerous types of attacks. Much like Daniel San in the first Karate Kid movie, at first you will feel like you are not really doing very much, but very quickly, within the first day, or even hour, you will see that the basic patterns you have learned can quickly be applied to a diverse range of attacks. The learning process suddenly speeds up, especially if you are at a two-day seminar, or our Five-Day training Camp or our Tour and Train program. When it is only a lesson twice per week, this will take a little longer as there is the disconnect of time.
IKI Krav Maga is not a collection of greatest Hits (pun intended, ha ha), not a "combining of arts", but one logical tread, one brain pattern that connects all our defensive patterns. A pattern of thought, a pattern of movement, a way of seeing things, and of reacting to them.
What separates us from other systems? The way we understand how the mind can quickly process the material and use it effectively, find paths that connect easily, not brain freeze, not "remembering", not memorizing.
Moshe Katz, 7th 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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