You might be wondering why I’m writing a post about Krav Maga. I got interested in this self-defense and fighting system while researching for my post Badass Skills To Learn.
It’s really after seeing this awesome video called Krav Maga in real life situations that sparked my interest.
>>> There are 3 Krav Maga Wallpapers at the end of the post<<<
If you’re reading this post, I’m pretty sure you’re already familiar with Krav Maga, but for those few of you that don’t know what it is, let me tell you in a few sentences.
According to Tactica Krav Maga Institute:
Krav Maga is an effective, modern, and dynamic self-defense and fighting system. It is designed to be practical and intuitive for people of any age, shape, or size. The techniques expand on your natural instincts to develop skills quickly and effectively, while enabling you to address attacks under any scenario. You will learn how to defend yourself and your loved ones, while gaining increased awareness and instinctive reflexes.
Contact Combat (Krav Maga in Hebrew) was developed in the 1950s for the Israeli Army. Multiple forms of Krav Maga continue today: civilian (self-defense), law enforcement (arrest or detain), and military.
Krav Maga is taking what is useful from available systems, for example:
- Strikes – as per karate, and boxing,
- Take-downs and throws – per judo, aikido and wrestling
- Groundwork – per judo and wrestling
- Escapes from chokes and holds- per judo, aikido, wrestling
- Empty-hand weapon defenses-per aikido
The most prominent figure in Krav Maga history is Imre Lichtenfeld (also known as Imi Sde-Or) who was born in 1910 in Budapest and grew up in Bratislava.
In 1948, when the State of Israel was founded and the IDF was formed, Lichtenfeld became Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the IDF School of Combat Fitness. He served in the IDF for about 20 years, during which time he developed and refined his unique method for self-defense and hand-to-hand combat.1
The principles of Krav Maga:
- Stop the immediate threat
- Respond with immediate, aggressive combatives
- Disengage from the threat as quickly as possible
- Scan for the next threat
Krav Maga Quotes
“Do it over and over again until it becomes a part of who you are”*
“Krav Maga so that one may walk in peace”
― Imi Lichtenfeld
“Krav Maga – the art of folding clothes with people still in them”*
“The more you sweat in practice the less you bleed in battle”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“Remember there are no rules in Krav Maga. Always defend and attack at the same time. Always fight with aggression. And never go down.”
― J.A. Redmerski
“Krav Maga – touch me, and your first lesson is free!”*
“Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong”
― Roger Gracie
“Krav Maga – we do bad things to bad people”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“A master has failed more times than a beginner has even tried”*
“It’s not the size of girl in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the girl”*
“You have to commit. There’s no turning back. You’re going in to fight for your life so you have to go as fast as you can from the first movement you make”
― A. J. Draven
“It’s better to be a weapon than to just have a weapon”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“All women were created equal. Then some learned Krav Maga”*
“You must be so good that you don’t need to kill”
― Imi Lichtenfeld
“You can only fight the way you practice”
― Miyamoto Musashi
“There’s only one rule in Krav Maga. There are no rules”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“Attackers don’t care if you’ve found your spiritual center. Honestly, neither do we. No rules. No fancy poses. No Katas. Only street effective techniques designed by the Israeli Defence Forces. Knowing how to defend yourself in any situation, now that’s our idea of good karma.”*
“Bruises go away and broken bones heal but death is permanent. That’s why we practice Krav Maga”*
“Krav Maga heightens perception and transforms fear into something more productive.”
― Imi Lichtenfeld
“Don’t fear the man who does 1000 techniques. Fear the man who does one technique 1000 times”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“I train because somehow choking someone out is the most relaxing part of my day”*
“If size mattered, the elephant would be the king of the jungle”
― Rickson Gracie
“No dear, I didn’t get these bruises from being beat by a man. I got them during Krav Maga when I was beating the shit out of some guy…”*
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good and go for the great”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“Of course I know the rules. Simple. You hit him and don’t let him hit you”*
“When it comes to self-defense, it is better to have the power and not need it than to need it and not have it”
― Kevin B. Shearer
“Life is going to beat you up. It wouldn’t be fair if you didn’t throw some punches back at it”
― Bradley Bowman
“Work until your brain forgets and your body remembers”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“Learning Krav Maga is like masturbating your whole life and then finally getting laid”
― Madonna
“Krav Maga is like poker. You don’t drill for the cards dealt. You react to the hand you’re given!”
― Adrian Volenik
“Training Krav Maga is an important part of my life… It gives me great skills, strength and power”
― Jason Statham
“Beware the fury of a patient man”*
Krav Maga Quotes
“Krav Maga. Because all some people really need is a palm strike to the face and a knee to the groin”*
*Unknown author. If you know who the author of the quote is, please tell me in the comments and I will add them to the post.
What got you into Krav Maga? Tell me in the comments.