HOW IS KRAV-MAGA DIFFERENT?
How is KravMaga different from traditional martial arts?
KravMaga is a ‘horizontal system’ which combines elements of various fighting systems. One will find –
o Kicking & Punching elements of Boxing, Karate & Muay Thai
o Ground fighting & Grappling like Judo & BJJ
o Holds & Takedowns like Aikido
o Defence against Knife attacks like in Kali
o And also defence against stick attacks, fire-arm threats
We can say KravMaga is a MMA (Mixed Martial System)
KravMaga is NOT a martial art. It’s NOT a Sport.
KravMaga is a combat system for street survival
Why do you say KravMaga is NOT a martial art?
There are some major differences in the approach to Self-defence by KravMaga
o There are NO choreographed movements like katas.
Intricate and contrived movements fail during an un-predictable street situation. KravMaga is based on natural reflex and fast direct attacks using gross motor skills. NO Cosmetics.
o Kravists DON’T practice with outdated weapons –like Swords, Spear, Sai or Kama
In KravMaga we practice defending from normal weapons a street criminal carries – like Knife, Stick and Pistol.
In Military & Police KravMaga, more relevant weapons like small arms and long fire arms are included
o The learning curve is steep in KravMaga. Right from day 1 techniques are taught.
In KravMaga we are pragmatic to the reality that, in 21st century, very few have the time and inclination for sustained and long drawn out practice.
o In KravMaga, there is NO stress on zen elements
KravMaga is designed for survival in the streets or war-zone. We concentrate in equipping the trainee only for those crises.
For that purpose, there is lots of training on anger management, handling stress and being aware in a crisis.
o Traditional martial arts were designed mostly for warriors. Why teach them to ordinary civilians?!
Why teach hard killing techniques to a Banker or a Computer Programmer?!
Its enough they are taught how to handle a road rage situation or an eve-teasing scenario.
Why do you say KravMaga is NOT a Sport?
Some more key differences in the approach to Self-defence by KravMaga
o A Sport training gives wrong tactical thinking while facing a real threat on the street.
Sport is all about scoring points and winning. Real life is about survival.
* Suppose I chased away a criminal who was wielding a knife, but got stabbed in the tummy in the process, have I won or lost ?!
* There is NO referee to intervene and stop the fight if situation goes beyond your control. For instance if you fall down during a sport, the other fighter is asked to stop till you get up. Imagine what will happen if you fall down in a street fight!
o The ugly repercussions of violence is not registered in the mind of a sports practitioner
* Suppose a girl is caught alone with a rapist. She is 50 kg and the rapist is 110 kg. Should she get into crane stance and wait for him to approach!
* What should I do if I am road rage situation, when I am with with my wife and kid. Four unsavoury characters, smelling of liquor get down from the other car.
KravMaga prepares you for these extreme situations.
o KravMaga prepares the mind and body for these ugly scenarios.
When suddenly exposed to unprovoked violence the mind goes into a shock. KravMaga training factors this and prepares the body to react like a reflex action.
To know more about what happens to the system in shock read WHY SOME FREEZE IN A CRISIS AND HOW TO AVOID IT.
o KravMaga principle is "End the confrontation asap!"
Heroics look good only in movies. In real life, AVOID an issue if you feel you cannot SOLVE that issue ... and QUIT the place asap.
Especially if its not your area / you are outnumbered / the opponent is armed / bigger / fitter / aggressive / drunk / drugged.
So what's KravMaga?
KravMaga is a fighting system, designed for the common man, who may not be ideally fit. KravMaga absorbs the essence of various martial arts from all over the world and breaks it down to the essentials.
The common man is not a professional fighting machine - he is student, a bank manager, a computer programmer, house wife or anybody like you and me. We are just interested in taking care of ourselves when exposed to an ugly situation. As simple as that!
And what's today’s street scenario - road rage, drunken brawls, sexual harassment, carjacking, mugging, armed robbery, dealing with addicts and so on. That’s what KravMaga equips one to deal with.
So in a typical KravMaga session, apart from basic skills lots of stress is given in training the mind to - handle the sudden shock of irrational violence,
polishing the reflexes to cope with unpredictability,
adapting oneself to neutralize the situation as early as possible
and look for safe exit.
polishing the reflexes to cope with unpredictability,
adapting oneself to neutralize the situation as early as possible
and look for safe exit.
Some basic principles of KravMaga are -
No rules - since on the street there are no rules
No injuries - since it can curtail the productivity of the trainee
Using available objects - since one's body is to be used as the last resort to prevent injuries
No ego - One doesn’t escalate an ugly situation if the possibility of diffusing it is available; the logic is, why get into a situation and then try to solve it?!
KravMaga is very pragmatic. It trains one to –
ACCEPT REALITY
ADAPT FAST &
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