Is krav maga a reliable defense system?
A short time ago my life was threatened during an altercation at work. While no one was injured, I have since become more interested in realistic self defense. After doing some research into the subject I was told to check out Krav Maga and Kung Foo San Soo, as both had very realistic approaches. However, are these systems honestly as fool proof as they claim (with enough training) and what kind of physical shape do you need to be in for them to be effective?
Comments
First of all, no system is fool-proof.
Second, a good self-defense system should not rely on the training/physical condition of the student. There are many techniques that *will* work, regardless of your size, strength, or gender. These are the techniques you want to rely on, should you ever wind up in a situation where you have to defend yourself.
You should not have to be able to do 300 push-ups before you can perform a technique correctly.
Third, there are many more layers to personal safety than physical self-defense. For this, I would recommend this site: http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/
With that cleared up, I would consider Krav Maga to be a better alternative than Kung Fu San Soo. It was originally founded for military combatives. Nowadays, given the reasons that other answers mentioned, you want to be careful about finding Krav Maga classes.
You also want to make sure that what you are being taught falls within the legal parameter of reasonable force.
Check out this page: http://www.useofforce.us/ for a introduction to the use of force.
Also, go to this link to check your state's laws on what is considered self-defense and what is not.
http://www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm/
Good luck, and be safe.
First of all, there is no such thing as a fool-proof system. You can become better at a martial art and more proefficient at unarmed combat, but nothing will make you invincible. There are people out there who have been training for 30 years or more. Obviously, there's nothing you can learn in a few months that will make you better than they are.
Secondly, today's world involves the high possibility of firearms, or criminals working in groups. While martial arts may help you with the latter, it won't do much to protect you against someone wielding a gun.
So the best defence is to avoid those kinds of situations if you can.
As for Krav Maga, it is the official system of the Israeli special forces. So I trust it's effective. Krav Maga is a no-nonsense eyes, nose and throat approach. The only question is whether you can find a good instructor. Unfortunately, Krav Maga has been infiltrated by many Rambo wanna-be types who seem more interested in looking tough in their advertisement than in teaching anything. So if you're going to take up Krav Maga, I suggest you make sure you enroll in a good school. Ask if you can sit in on a class and if you like what you see, you may then want to sign up.
Second, you don't necessarily need to look for the "best" system. Most major martial arts survived today because they are tried and true. I know a judoka woman who succesfully defended her business from roberry from a man twice her size with a knife. He threatened her and before he knew what was happening, she flipped him over, disarmed him and put him in an armlock. She had been training for about 20 years, though. Generally speaking, I think you should go with something you are comfortable with, something that suits you. Your real concern should be making sure you enroll in a good school with a good instructor.
And sadly, people who are trying to tell you they have the best system around are more likely than not trying to exploit your fears.
Krav Maga is a very brutal and effective system. However I believe that no system is complete. MA in the real world is a bit like rock paper scissors. One method is easily defeated by another and that one also has it's weekness that can be defeated by another method.
For this reason mixed marshal arts (MMA) is the only way to be secure that you can respond to whatever comes at you. There are hard arts or striking art and there are soft art that emphasize locks and throws. There are ground arts like Brazzilian JuJitsu and there are stand up methods like Muay Thai. I do not believe that you need to pick one and master it like some will suggest rather if you learn the basics of three or four styles you will be well equiped to face a threat from a well trained assailant.
The styles I have chosen are a mix that I believe is well ballanced. Muay Thai for standup and clinch fighting, Filipino stick fighting for using short sticks, knives and improvised weapons, Jujistu for locks, throws and disarms and Brazilian JuJistu for those ugly times when you end up on your back.
There are several MMA systems that distil these down into one prepackaged mix. Combat Jeet Kune Do is one that has helped me immensly Krav Maga is also a mixed combat method that I have studied but there some real weaknesses in its methods.
Don't overlook handgun training as a integral part of the idea of self defense. Self defense is a way of life you can't just do it you must live it.
Non Violent threat resolution, tatics, and situational awareness could very well be more important to self defense than any martial arts.
Good luck on the path!
Yes and no.
There are three forms of Krav: American, the actual style, Israeli, and Israeli civilian. In America, it can almost be said with total confidence that the Krav taught here will not be nearly as effective as that straight from the source. America, like most other arts, has manipulated and mutated the martial art to fit in with our Western wishes.
That said, Krav, if taught correctly, is the definition of a defense system, probably the most effective non-combat sport system ever. Brutalizing low kicks, quick and sneaky punches, and punishing strikes, not to mention grappling and groundfighting basics, the most reliable disarming methods since Jujutsu, and unconventional warfare tactics. Military Krav is even more lethal, with kickboxing sparring, survival skills, and more Mortal Kombat-like Fatalities.. well maybe not so much....
So yes, if trained properly, meaning frequent sparring with realistic resistance and pinpoint muscle memory drills, Krav is king. As far as life or death hand to hand, Krav is unmatched, even, sadly to say, by our Modern Army Combatives program. I guess we prefer the art of Smith and Wesson Jujtutsu...
Krav Maga is the Israeli special forces trinaing system. It isone of the most deadly hand ot hand combat styles today. It includes weapons use and defence as well as hand to hand.
Hard to learn and harder to do properly and consistantly. You would need to train often and for a fairly long time tomaster it. Much like any style but Krav is very much focussed on injuring or killing your opponant/attacker...
That's a good question!