6 month review of Krav Maga

Headhunter

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So I've been doing Krav Maga for over 6 months so thought I'd put down my thoughts on it.

Personally right now it's my favourite style. The moves are simple and effective. The training is always different and it covers multiple scenarios that you are likely to encounter on the streets. No a Krav Maga probably isn't going to look as nice on the pads as a boxer or kickboxer but it teaches you things like awareness, how to get out of a situation quickly and how to deal with multiple attackers. There is also a lot of ground fighting that uses similar principles to bjj but it adds things like punches and kicks from the ground. Also one of the main criticisms is there's no sparring. Well that's nonsense because there's 1 sparring class a week. I personally don't attend that because it's right after regular class so it'd be a 3 hour session which is to much for me after work and considering I always train the next morning at 10.

But yeah it's the one I really want to commit to now. I will still do 1 Thai boxing class a week just to keep it fresh and do 3 out of 4 Krav Maga a week.
 
So I've been doing Krav Maga for over 6 months so thought I'd put down my thoughts on it.

Personally right now it's my favourite style. The moves are simple and effective. The training is always different and it covers multiple scenarios that you are likely to encounter on the streets. No a Krav Maga probably isn't going to look as nice on the pads as a boxer or kickboxer but it teaches you things like awareness, how to get out of a situation quickly and how to deal with multiple attackers. There is also a lot of ground fighting that uses similar principles to bjj but it adds things like punches and kicks from the ground. Also one of the main criticisms is there's no sparring. Well that's nonsense because there's 1 sparring class a week. I personally don't attend that because it's right after regular class so it'd be a 3 hour session which is to much for me after work and considering I always train the next morning at 10.

But yeah it's the one I really want to commit to now. I will still do 1 Thai boxing class a week just to keep it fresh and do 3 out of 4 Krav Maga a week.

I'm sure there are Krav schools that do no sparring and also schools that spar in every class. Taekwondo is "just forms and sparring", but at many schools you also spend a lot of time on other stuff (probably half of what we do at my school is weapon skills or self defense). Sounds like you found a school that fits what you want.
 
I'm sure there are Krav schools that do no sparring and also schools that spar in every class. Taekwondo is "just forms and sparring", but at many schools you also spend a lot of time on other stuff (probably half of what we do at my school is weapon skills or self defense). Sounds like you found a school that fits what you want.


I didn't think TKD had weapons or are you meaning that you are doing defense against weapons ?
 
Taekwondo does not. But lots of schools have added various weapons stuff to their curriculum.


Oh ok thanks I was just a bit at a loss there as I couldn't see for example a sword being used in TKD forms

thanks
 
So I've been doing Krav Maga for over 6 months so thought I'd put down my thoughts on it.

Personally right now it's my favourite style. The moves are simple and effective. The training is always different and it covers multiple scenarios that you are likely to encounter on the streets. No a Krav Maga probably isn't going to look as nice on the pads as a boxer or kickboxer but it teaches you things like awareness, how to get out of a situation quickly and how to deal with multiple attackers. There is also a lot of ground fighting that uses similar principles to bjj but it adds things like punches and kicks from the ground. Also one of the main criticisms is there's no sparring. Well that's nonsense because there's 1 sparring class a week. I personally don't attend that because it's right after regular class so it'd be a 3 hour session which is to much for me after work and considering I always train the next morning at 10.

But yeah it's the one I really want to commit to now. I will still do 1 Thai boxing class a week just to keep it fresh and do 3 out of 4 Krav Maga a week.
But is it the system? Or is it who’s teaching, how it’s being taught, and who you’re training alongside?

I’m glad you found a good school. They should all be like that.
 
Krav has been something I’ve wanted to join for a while. Would you say it compliments a traditional system well?
 
Krav has been something I’ve wanted to join for a while. Would you say it compliments a traditional system well?
Sure I mean there probably won't be any brand new moves that you haven't seen before. The techniques are the main learning point but the main difference is the stress drills where they put you under pressure. Pushing you with the kick pads in different directions, surrounding you and making you fight your way out, have attackers sneak up on you and put you in a choke so you don't know when it's coming
 
From the videos I've watched online, krav maga looks really efficient and straight to the point. Are there any katas? Do they give names to the moves their teaching? If you're familiar with Ed Parker kenpo, does krav maga teach "techniques?" in a similar way?
 
From the videos I've watched online, krav maga looks really efficient and straight to the point. Are there any katas? Do they give names to the moves their teaching? If you're familiar with Ed Parker kenpo, does krav maga teach "techniques?" in a similar way?
No katas at all and the names are even simpler. Inside defence is blocking a straight punch outside defence is blocking a hook and there's none of the theoretical nonsense that's in kenpo. For example in kenpo there's a number of moves that don't work but if you ask about them they say they're in there for category completion which is nonsense because kenpo is a self defence system yet they're still teaching stuff they know doesn't work. That's one of the reasons I've become put off by the style
 
No katas at all and the names are even simpler. Inside defence is blocking a straight punch outside defence is blocking a hook and there's none of the theoretical nonsense that's in kenpo. For example in kenpo there's a number of moves that don't work but if you ask about them they say they're in there for category completion which is nonsense because kenpo is a self defence system yet they're still teaching stuff they know doesn't work. That's one of the reasons I've become put off by the style
Which moves in kenpo are you referring to? I know that not every instructor and school follows the same "curriculum" The school I train at now is constantly revising stuff so that it works better or is more efficient. I guess it just depends on who your instructor is and how stuck they are in that "everything must be taught just as Ed Parker taught it or wrote it" mindset.
 
Which moves in kenpo are you referring to? I know that not every instructor and school follows the same "curriculum" The school I train at now is constantly revising stuff so that it works better or is more efficient. I guess it just depends on who your instructor is and how stuck they are in that "everything must be taught just as Ed Parker taught it or wrote it" mindset.
There are techniques that simply do not work and can't be adjusted and should just be thrown out altogether. A few examples are gift in return, desperate Falcons and unfolding the dark
 
So I've been doing Krav Maga for over 6 months so thought I'd put down my thoughts on it.

Personally right now it's my favourite style. The moves are simple and effective. The training is always different and it covers multiple scenarios that you are likely to encounter on the streets. No a Krav Maga probably isn't going to look as nice on the pads as a boxer or kickboxer but it teaches you things like awareness, how to get out of a situation quickly and how to deal with multiple attackers. There is also a lot of ground fighting that uses similar principles to bjj but it adds things like punches and kicks from the ground. Also one of the main criticisms is there's no sparring. Well that's nonsense because there's 1 sparring class a week. I personally don't attend that because it's right after regular class so it'd be a 3 hour session which is to much for me after work and considering I always train the next morning at 10.

But yeah it's the one I really want to commit to now. I will still do 1 Thai boxing class a week just to keep it fresh and do 3 out of 4 Krav Maga a week.

Awesome to hear bro, great you're enjoying it :)

There are techniques that simply do not work and can't be adjusted and should just be thrown out altogether. A few examples are gift in return, desperate Falcons and unfolding the dark

Ohhh those are about the coolest names ever! Have never heard those!
 
No katas at all and the names are even simpler. Inside defence is blocking a straight punch outside defence is blocking a hook and there's none of the theoretical nonsense that's in kenpo. For example in kenpo there's a number of moves that don't work but if you ask about them they say they're in there for category completion which is nonsense because kenpo is a self defence system yet they're still teaching stuff they know doesn't work. That's one of the reasons I've become put off by the style
This is part of the reason for all the divisions in kenpo...styles in kenpo have gotten rid of those techniques that don't work. Then you have other schools that say all of it is necessary. But none of the schools I've been to teach techniques knowing they do not work (advantage of only going to offshoot schools maybe?).
 
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