What is a Martial Art?A Martial Art can be defined as a system of techniques, physical andmental exercises developed as an effective means for self-defense andoffense, both unarmed and with the use of weapons. The origin and history of Martial Arts is a controversial issue. We can see signs of Martial Arts in Greek, Egyptian, African, Japanese,Chinese, Thai, as well as other cultures. There is a clear trail leading from the Southern China-regions up to Korea, Okinawa and Japan. The details before that, and the exact details of that transfer, are greatly debated by historians and Martial Artists.
How do I choose a School?A couple of things that are important parts to look at in the process of choosing a school:
The environment where you'll learn and train
The people that will be your partners
The instructor
The logistics of the school
This guy says that his style will make a Full Certified Warrior & Killer out of me in 3 months---is it serious? In short: NO.
First off, while many people enter the Way of the Martial Arts trying to be the deadliest people in the world, it is not true that the final objective of most, if any, Arts is this. Many Masters say that the best battle someone can win is one that he doesn't fight. Most martial arts are not designed to make you an instant killer. Secondly, don't expect any miracle to come down on you, any light to come through your window in the night and make you the most skilled fighter- it all depends on your dedication, on your objectives, and on the amount of training you get. Any school that promises to teach youto be an "expert" in less than two years (at the lowest minimum) is probably a scam. General net consensus seems to be that results can be seen within a few months but the elusive "MASTERY" is the product of YEARS and YEARS of dedicated work. Don't be fooled by falsepromises.
Should children study Martial Arts?In general, yes. Some of the possible positives would be control of agressiveness, instilling self-respect and self-control, as well as self-defense. The style that a child should take is a totally different question, and is directly influenced by the style, if any, of the parents. It will of course be convenient if the child can practice with, or at least in the same school as, the parents. The major issue with children in the martial arts is the integrity and trust worthiness of the teacher and the school. The joints and connective tissues of children are more vulnerable to injury than those of adults. Keep this in mind when selecting a style and school for a child, and discuss it with the instructor. Schools which allow agressive joint locks to be applied to children or don't train them to refrain from snapping/hyper-extending elbows on strikes and knees on kicks should be avoided. (It is for this same reason that good baseball coaches will not allow young pitchers to throw pitches which require hard snapping of the arm - like curve balls).Throws, however, are quite different; the small size of children makes them naturals for arts which require falling down.
Rankings/Color Belt SystemsMany arts have a ranking system. A typical ranking from beginner to most experienced master is: 10th kyu, 9th kyu, ..., 2nd kyu, 1st kyu,1st dan, 2nd dan, ..., 10th dan. "kyu" and "dan" are Japanese words; Korean systems use the word "gup" instead of "kyu". 1st dan and above frequently wear black belts. That being said, do not put too much stock in rankings, and put evenless in belt color. Belt colors are HIGHLY dependent on the art, school, and instructor. Some arts don't have any belts. Some have only white and black. Some have white, brown, and black. Some have a rainbow. Some instructors hand out rank/belts like candy, others are very stingy. A given color will frequently signify different ranks in different arts. Rather than rank or belt color, what will determine an individual's skill are how long and how intensely they have studied, the quality of instruction they have received, and (to a lesser extent) their"natural" ability.
Frequently Asked Questions In Krav MagaDefinition - What is Krav-Maga?
A practical and tactical system which teaches how to prevent, deal and overcome all kinds of violence and attacks. KM prepares the trainees in the subjects of self-defense, self protection, fighting and combat skills, as well as skills to defend others, all in unique and comprehensive teachings and way. Krav-Maga was developed in Israel, under realistic demands and conditions. Founded and formed by Imi Lichtenfeld (Sde-Or) and continues to advance and be modified by Eyal Yanilov, assisted by the top instructors of IKMF.
Krav-Maga is a horizontal system with a unique and logical approach. It is easy to learn and retain, performed naturally and intuitively, and practically be use under stressful conditions. An essential part of KM is its teaching process, methodology and ways of training. Krav-Maga includes the subjects of:
Prevention, avoidance, escape and evasion.
Dealing with throws and falls to all directions and angles.
Attacks and counterattacks, performed to all targets, distances, ranges, heights, angles, directions and in all rhythms. Executed from all positions and postures. Use of all sorts of common objects for defensive purposes.
Defending all unarmed attacks: punches, strikes and kicks. Releases from all sorts of grabs and holds. Defending all armed attacks and threats of knife and sharp objects; of sticks bars and other blunt objects; of all kind of firearms.
Dealing with the above attacks when sent from all possible directions and places; When are performed by a single or multiple attackers; When occur in all possible places, positions and postures. Including in confined or open areas; in an ally, staircase, car; On all types of grounds; In water; When free or in limited space of movement; While standing, on the move, sitting down, laying down on the back, side or facing down.
Physical and mental control and disarm.
KM prepares the trainees to function in all circumstances and scenarios, in all combat and fighting environments, according to their needs, risks they are facing and job descriptions. KM enables and brings technical, tactical, physical and mental growth and improvements.
Krav-Maga contains special approaches, tactics, techniques, subjects, drills and training methods for the different sectors: Civilians of all ages, men and women, young and old; Law-enforcement officers; Military personnel and units; Correction service officers and wardens; Security officers; As well as: Close protection officers; Undercover agents; Antiterrorists groups; Air-marshals; Special and commando units.
Eyal Yanilov Netanya 2004
What sorts of people participate?
Krav Maga is suitable for men and women of all ages and all levels of fitness. People who practice and study Krav Maga are those seeking to challenge themselves, find their limitations and go beyond them. Krav Maga offers the student a comprehensive package of self-defense, fitness and a great deal of fun in a friendly training environment. Our students range from those who have no previous martial arts experience, to those who have practiced for more than 20 years.
What happens in class? Will I get injured?
Classes begin with a thorough warm-up. Then, depending on which class is being taught, we will decide what techniques to practice. Krav Maga is taught in an atmosphere as realistic as possible — and in any physical activity there is always the danger of accidents — but safety is always the main priority. Sparring is closely supervised at all times.
Is Krav Maga suitable for women?
Unfortunately, in today's violent society, women are often the victim of attacks. Krav Maga has proved popular with women in the United States and Europe because it does not rely solely on size or strength to be effective. Additionally, the realistic methods of training have given many women the confidence to react effectively, even under the stress of an attack.
Will I be intimidated when start training?
New students — men and women — sometime feel uncomfortable at the beginning of training, but classes have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and beginners are made to feel welcome. New students move at their own pace until they are confident with the basic techniques before advancing.
Are there belts or a grading system?
A core belief of Krav Maga is that the ability to remain safe and effectively execute self-defense techniques under pressure matter far more than receiving a new color belt. However, we do recognize that aiming for a higher grade can motivate people to train harder, and therefore improve.
Practitioner 1-5
Beginner levels. The equivalent of yellow- to green-belt grades.
Graduate 1-5
Intermediate and instructor levels. The equivalent of blue- to brown-belt grades.
Expert 1-5
Advanced, police and military-instructor levels. The equivalent of 1st- to 5th-Dan black belts grades.
Master 1-3
The equivalent of 6th-Dan black belt to Superman.
What should I wear to class?
Trainers, jogging bottoms and a T-shirt are all that is required to start. Eventually you will want to purchase a Krav Maga uniform, consisting of a grey T-shirt and black trousers, which are available through your instructor.
How long will it take for me to become proficient at Krav Maga?Krav Maga, unlike many other martial arts, is a very fast-progressing system. Part of its design was driven by the need to train people very quickly and very efficiently. Consequently, it typically takes a person of average physical ability perhaps only several months before significant progress is achieved and noticeable.
I want to spar, is that available?You bet! Krav Maga offers classes that include sparring and boxing (with all equipment- gloves, shin guards, mouthpiece, and head protection). In these classes, we focus on movement, combinations, technique, and mindset.
I'm a small person with little strength, what good is Krav Maga to me?
Krav Maga was designed to benefit the average person. The system is not about sheer strength or power. As a matter of fact one of the basic tenets of Krav Maga is that one should not oppose power with power. Rather, Krav Maga blends a combination of physical skill with mental self-defense determination. Consequently Krav Maga, is more accessible to more people of either sex, shape or size than many other martial art forms.
What does the Krav Maga logo mean?The Krav Maga logo consists of the letters K and M written in Hebrew, artfully combined to form the symbol of Krav Maga. The K and M are surrounded by an open circle because the system is open to improvement by adding techniques, exercises, and training methods and by eliminating. techniques from the system when there is a better approach. Imi Lichtenfeld, the Grand Master of Krav Maga, said of the logo's open circle: Good things can continue to flow into the system and flawed exercises can flow out.
Why is Krav Maga suddenly so popular?Other forms of martial arts such as Karate or Tae Kwon Do have been more popular in the world even though Krav Maga has been around for approximately forty years. Krav Maga is only now beginning to reach mass popularity. Once reserved for special military, police and protection units, it is now accessible to just about any individual of any ability. This is because Krav Maga was designed for the general public as well. Krav Maga has also been more in the public eye due to media exposure, from movies like Enough, Terminator 3, and Tomb Raider 2, with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Shannon Elizabeth, and Angelina Jolie training. Now more than ever, people want to feel safe and Krav Maga is one of the most efficient ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Kali/Escrima/Arnis
Intro:
Kali, Escrima, and Arnis are all terms for the native fighting arts of the Philippines, specifically the arts that use weapons.
Arnis is a Northern Term, Escrima more Central, and Kali is from the South. In this view, the terms just refer to indigenous weapons fighting systems. Arnis would be the term used in Northern Luzon, Escrima from Manila through the central islands, and Kali on Mindanao. People who use this definition tend to say that the words don't matter - every village, and often every master, has a distinct style, and that's what the important thing is - "do you study Illustrisimo, Caballero, or Cabales style?" Not "do you study escrima or kali?"
Origin:
Phillipines.
History:
Kali is an older art than Escrima or Arnis, and more comprehensive. Escrima and Arnis were developed as streamlined, simplified ways to teach people to fight the Spanish invaders. Hence, Kali is more of a "warrior's art" while Escrima and Arnis are "soldier's arts". Kali is usually considered to have 12 areas of combat, with Escrima containing 8 or 9 of them, and Arnis 4 to 6.
Description:
The "full" coverage alluded to above usually contains the following:
Single Stick (or long blade)
Double long weapon
Long & Short (sword & dagger, e.g.)
Single dagger
Double Dagger
Palm Stick/Double-end Dagger
Empty Hands (punching, kicking, grappling)
Spear/Staff, long weapons (two-handed)
Flexible weapons (whip, sarong, etc.)
Throwing weapons
Projectile weapons (bows, blowguns)
Healing arts
A further distinction that some people make is to say that Kali is, at its heart, a blade art, while Escrima and Arnis are designed to work with sticks. This is a matter of some contention among practitioners of the various styles and schools.
A distinctive feature of all of these Filipino arts is their use of geometry. In strikes/defenses and movement, lines and angles are very important. In addition, the independent use of the hands, or hands and feet, to do two different things at the same time, is a high-level skill sought after a fair amount of experience.
Training:
Filipino styles normally classify attacks not by their weapon, or their delivery style, but by the direction of their energy – for example, a strike to the head is usually analyzed in terms of "a high lateral strike." A punch to the gut is treated much the same as a straight knife thrust to that region would be. Students learn how to deal with the energy of the attack, and then apply that knowledge to the slight variations that come with different lengths and types of weapons.
Filipino arts place great emphasis on footwork, mobility, and body positioning. The same concepts (of angles of attack, deflections, traps, passes, etc.) are applied to similar situations at different ranges, making the understanding of ranges and how to bridge them very important. The Filipinos make extensive use of geometric shapes, superimposing them on a combat situation, and movement patterns, to teach fighters to use their position and their movement to best advantage. Some styles emphasize line-cutting (a la Wing Chun), while some are very circular (like Aikido). Some like to stay at long range, some will move inside as soon as possible. These differences are hotly debated, as are most things, but they all work differently for different people.
Most Filipino arts, but Kali in particular, stress the importance of disarming an opponent in combat. This is not usually done gently, but by destroying an attacking weapon (break the hand, and the stick will fall.)
Sub-Styles:
Latosa Escrima
Serrada Escrima
and others
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