5 Reasons To Learn Krav Maga

Krav is probably more effective than boxing IF it is practiced the same way. Which is pretty much never is. For any self defense “system” to be effective, it needs to be practiced realistically. Which means sparring. And sparring. And sparring. Against opponents that WILL hurt you if you blow it. If you can find a Krav school that relies heavily on sparring, I’m sure you will indeed become pretty badass if you stick with it. Or crippled.

So much of “martial arts” are being marketed to the suburban yoga set (which, after all are the ones with money……) And as a consequence, is softened up to the point where it gives very little preparation for what to do when your nose is broken and you’re groggy enough to be less than entirely aware of what’s going on.

Boxing, with it’s roots on real mean streets (as did Krav originally, but rarely aymore), often don’t have such hangups. I once trained at a boxing gym in a hispanic “part of town” where dads would send their bloodied up and beaten 12 yo sons back into the ring until they wobbled visibly even at the start of a round. And not just a few. Hundreds of kids. By the time these guys are 16-18, they are ready to fight for prize money, sometime several bouts a week for what is pretty much chump change. You’ll never, ever, find some suburbanite trying to “boost his self confidence” by learning some martial art get even remotely the same realism in training. Which is why they will be leveled in about a punch or two by most any boxer.

In Thailand, MT camps are run the same way, producing what is possibly even more effective pound for pound street fighters than boxing, but again, most MT in the west is rather tame by comparison. UNLESS you progress to the point of competing in MMA. If you make your living (even par of it) in MMA, you are badass by any standards. I’m guessing Krav may be taught similarly in Israel. And i’m sure there are places in the West where it is as well. But if you compare a graduate of your average air conditioned, high rent Krav dojo with his colleagues from an average inner city boxing gym, my money would be on the boxer every time.

All the boxer really need to pick up from Krav to be a real handful, is to not present his groin, and to throw punches with his palm instead of fist when targeting hard parts, like the head.

Still, since most people reading internet sites probably have more in common with suburban yoga dads than inner city prize fighter wannabes (I know I do if someone takes my guns and knives away), Krav may well be the most time and effort effective martial art out there. But very few practicing it should harbor any illusion about their badassness compared to some diminutive looking, 5’6″ “illegal”, that has a dad who wants his kid to be the next Julio Cesar Chavez.

That’s all well and good, but it’s impractical. Please tell me how many guys will actually put in the time and effort to “master” 4-5 disciplines?

Krav is one stop shopping. It’s quick and effective. AND can be learned quickly.

I don’t give a fuck how many arts you studied- I’ve ended fights in less 10 seconds because of krav training. And I had 2 last year.

You want fighting validation- get into the red and try to talk him down because you know what you’re capable

Compared to what system of “knife defense”? Do you know a better way of dealing with someone thrusting a knife your way than what Krav teaches?

Or are you insinuating that Krav should be more realistic, tom make sure some 6 month student doesn’t think he is prepared to stand up to a knife wielding assailant because he now knows some “badass fighting system”? If that’s the point you’re trying to make, I’d certainly agree with you. But that has more to do with the way Krav is sometimes marketed, than Krav itself.

I’ve been training in level one Krav for the better part of 8 months now on an almost regular basis (As in I drive my ass out there whenever I can, for at least two hours per session). Now I love it and I love the exercises. And even though I’m happy and willing to put all this hard work in…like Danny above, I often think to myself, “Man, I’d rather just end it with one of my guns, if it came down to it.” Usually that thought comes to mind during the more challenging drills.

In the end, the discussion about which system is better will never end; it’s like Ford vs Chevy or 9mm vs .40 vs .45 Auto, etc. I think it’s just best to go with one of the “proven” ones and stick with it. Remaining in “condition yellow” IMO is still the best foundation of any self-defense strategy. One should be able to maintain situational awareness and bounce if the need arises.

So we can agree that most belligerents that want to start shit on the streets aren’t looking for someone to fight back, right? It means that for us guys who train have some element of surprise if the altercation got to that point. (*Shit, I’d say even just having the mindset of not being a victim would help). Before I get into a stream of consciousness post about self defense and other shit, let me just spit out my points:

*People that start shit generally pick on those whom they perceive to be weaker and won’t resist.

*If someone that had training in any decent “system” got to the point in the altercation where things get physical, I’d argue that this person has the element of surprise with him. (Because I doubt the aggressor would have gone there if he knew what his “victim” was capable of).

*So if the would be victim has knowledge of a reputable “system” and the element of surprise, it won’t matter whether those were Muay Thai strikes or Krav strikes or whatever the aggressor gets hit with. He’s getting hit and the defender can GTFO.

My main point is that aggressors aren’t expecting a throwdown. So just pick any reputable fighting system and practice it. When the unlucky aggressor gets hit because he decided to fuck with you, it’s not gonna matter in which continent that technique originated.

I chose krav as my “system” because I like the rationale and simplicity behind it. I think it is like the AK-47 or the GLOCK of hand to hand fighting. (I mention those guns because both are well know for their dead nuts reliability and simplicity; these things get to the point immediately, like krav).

I hope my post makes sense, it’s late at night.

Funny that because when the Gracies brought BJJ to the masses and were challenged after publicly denouncing Krav Maga they refuse to this day to settle the score ;), must be something up there eh?