Archive for the ‘Krav Maga Self Defense’ Category

Martial Arts Book Review: Krav Maga by David Kahn

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
Shawn Kovacich asked:




Being the author of several books on the martial arts and fighting, I am always looking for books of exceptional quality to add to my library. If I have a book in my library, it’s definitely worth owning. One such book is David Kahn’s, “Krav Maga.”

After a brief introduction, David gives you a good basic overview of Krav Maga including some of its history. From here he goes right into a section on philosophy, which is very good, and one in which I would have to agree with about 90% of what he has to say.

The next section in the book gives a good overview on the proper mindset needed in order for you to prepare yourself for combat. Something a lot of books fail to do, but not this one. David also gives you a basic understanding of the vital/vulnerable points on the human body.

David’s next section is rather brief to my liking, but still a good overview on the basic principles involved in striking correctly for maximum effect. This section covers such strikes as; punches, palm heel strikes, elbow strikes, and eye gouges. There is also a small section on blocks and parrying as it is called in boxing.

The following section covers various lower body strikes and kicks along with kick defenses, which include deflections, blocks and grabs. This next section was particularly interesting in that it discussed close combat fighting and techniques essential to this section. Such as; falling, crawling, clinching, takedowns, defenses against tackles, etc.

The escape section was very enlightening as David covered the basic principles of escape from basic grabs, chokes while standing, chokes while lying down, head locks, hair grabs, and bear hugs.

Like most books that try to cover too much in one volume, I feel that the sections themselves although very well done, tend to be too brief on the proper execution of each individual technique. However, having said that, this is to be expected as the scope of this book is intended as a basic overview of the complete system, not a single volume devoted to one particular technique.

The only fault that I have with this book is the fact that I would have preferred actual photographs for demonstrating the techniques, rather than illustrations. I felt that a lot of what David was trying to explain got lost with the use of illustrations compared to if he would have used actual photographs.

The book continues with a brief section on basic strategies, which I found to be very solid. It then finishes with a basic training section which covers stretching, training programs, a 12 week training routine, and sparring.

Overall, this is a very good basic overview on the art of Krav Maga, and one you definitely want to acquire, especially if you decide to join a Krav Maga class. And that is not a bad idea at all.

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Become a Free Fighter

Friday, May 14th, 2010
Jerry Garcia asked:




When learning techniques from your instructor, you can pretty much be sure that they were developed for self defense. Though they work perfectly in the studio, that’s not the case when it comes down to really using them in a real fight. You don’t know what the other person is going to do. How do you over come this? By training yourself to become independent from your techniques, what we in San Soo call a “Free Fighter”.

In Kung Fu San Soo I’ve learned thousands of different techniques for self defense, yet when involved in a real confrontation I never used a complete technique exactly the way I learned it. Don’t get me wrong you will still fight within the teachings of your art, the way you move and strike etc. It has been my experience that after you learn so many techniques you brain will naturally tend to mix, match them. And I think this is a normal reaction to whats being learned, a learned response or reaction to what is happening to you in training. So when involved in a real fight you will use bits and pieces of what you have in your arsenal of techniques. You have in your brain probably millions of combinations to use and they come out as you react to the situation. Not being restricted to using or having to think, if he does this I have to do that technique, causes your response to become automatic.

Again don’t get me wrong you still have to control where and how hard you strike. But that comes with training. So how do you become a free fighter? If your in an art like San Soo you practice and learn as many techniques as you can. Have your training partner come at you and throw everything thing he has or can think of at you and sharpen your reactions. See what you come up with, and when your actions become automatic reactions you will be a “Free Fighter.”

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How to Disarm a Thug With a Gun

Thursday, March 25th, 2010
Dean Walsh asked:




It is the kind of situation we all pray that we will never find ourselves in – a dangerous criminal threatening you with a handgun. But nevertheless it is something that does happen to people, and there is a very real possibility that one day it could happen to you. It always pays to be prepared, so with that in mind this article will describe a technique that you can use to disarm a thug threatening you with a gun.

But Before I describe the technique itself it is important to know in exactly which situations it is appropriate to use it. The most important piece of advice I can give you is simply this: it’s not worth dying over a few dollars. If you are being robbed, either in the street or in a shop or other workplace, your preferred option should always be to cooperate; give them the money, don’t antagonize them, and hope that they leave quickly without it ever getting violent. We all love to hear about ‘have a go heroes’ who stand up to criminals, and we admire these people greatly, but when you here news stories like this there is a tendency to forget about those people who tried and failed, and ended up getting themselves killed.

Unfortunately, however, it is not always possible to just cooperate. So here are the kind of situations in which you should consider trying to disarm a thug with a gun:

- If the main purpose of the thug is violence, such as a rape or assault rather than a robbery.

- If they are behaving very erratically, if they are very nervous and jumpy, or if they are obviously out of their minds on drugs. In any of these situations they are more likely to turn violent suddenly or for no apparent reason.

-If a thief, during a robbery, displays violent behavior, such as striking people, this can indicate that they are more likely to use their weapon.

Once you have made the decision to try to disarm the aggressor the first thing you must think about is whether or not they are within your range. It may be that they are standing right in front of you holding the gun in your face, in which case you can use the technique from where you are; otherwise you will need to close the gap and get within reach of the gun without being shot. To do this you should hold your arms up in front of you with your palms facing outwards – this looks like an appeasing and submissive gesture, but it is also the perfect position from which to begin the technique. Do not just walk towards a thug with a gun without any apparent reason, as they will immediately perceive you as a threat. A good idea is to talk to them, perhaps pretending to negotiate or to plead and beg, as you close the gap.

When you are close enough to reach out to the gun you will need them to be momentarily distracted to give yourself the best chance of success. Even a blink can be enough, or alternatively you can try to make them glance away towards something or someone else in the room. Don’t worry about directing their attention on to another person – they will probably keep the gun pointing at you as you are so close, and if they move you can take the chance to disarm them before they get the chance to aim it at another person.

When you see your chance you need to move quickly and confidently, completing the whole technique in one unbroken movement. The following directions apply to a right handed thug, just reverse everything if they are holding the gun in their left hand:

Step diagonally forward and to the side, out of the line of fire. You can step to either side, but the direction you go in will influence which foot you lead with and which hand performs each function. If moving to the left is easiest then lead with your left foot while simultaneously pivoting on your back foot so that you are facing towards the thug with his arms outstretched directly in front of you. At the same time as doing this you should grab hold of the thug’s wrist with your left hand, while bringing your right hand up to grab the barrel of the gun from underneath. Simultaneously push down on the thugs wrist with your left hand whilst twisting the gun and pushing the barrel to point upwards with your right hand. This will break the thugs trigger finger. Now simply push downwards towards the ground with your right hand and the gun will slip out of their grip. As soon as you have the weapon it is important to step back out of their reach before taking a proper hold of the weapon and using it to subdue the thug, otherwise they may be able to wrestle it back off you.

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Kimbo Slice Fights Ken Shamrock

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Warren Frump asked:




Kimbo Slice, the Internet marvel who transformed from backyard brawler to MMA fighter and whose fights were on YouTube to mixed martial artist, to whose fights are on Showtime and pay-per-view, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and an interesting name came up as a potential future opponent. When Kimmel asked, “Is Mike Tyson someone you would like to fight?” Slice said, “Yeah.”

Undoubtedly Mike Tyson really is retired — not just “retired” like so many fighters who aren’t really finished — but I must say, if he ever wanted to fight Kimbo Slice, it would be one of the all-time greatest freak shows in the history of sport. And that means it would make everyone a lot of money.

As for the prospect he’s fighting next, former UFC star Ken Shamrock, Kimbo Slice said, “I don’t think nothing about Ken.”

The congregation also got a little personal. Kimmel asked Slice if he conditions his beard, and Slice said, “I take care of it because it takes care of me.” Kimmel told Slice, “It really is one of the shiniest, cleanest-looking beards I’ve ever seen.” And then it got insane personal. Kimmel said to Slice, “Have you ever had a romantic relationship with a man? Be honest.” Slice replied, “No, man.” But I think we know better!

Ken Shamrock will have his hands full with Kimbo Slice, but only because of his age and confidence. Shamrock has the skills, the experience in the ring, and the name, but nobody’s giving him much of a chance. Hopefully he’ll believe in himself.

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Krav Maga Instructor – Which One Will You Choose?

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Steve Chi asked:




When looking for a Krav Maga (KM) instructor, who should you listen to? Moni Azik with Commando Krav Maga or David Kahn with Israeli Krav Maga? Or should you follow the Alain Cohen or Darren Levine style of Krav Maga?

Each one is a master in this field, but each one has a different method of instruction. Let’s take a closer look at the top instructors so that you can decide which one is right for you.

1.) Moni Azik with Commando KM is certainly one of the most famous experts. He has a very polished web site and has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, Fox News, and a whole host of nationally syndicated magazines.

Commando Krav Maga (CKM) is unique in that it provides training through traveling classes in most major American cities as well as Canada and European venues. These bootcamps are for certified instructors as well as the general public. You can even schedule some private lessons with Moni Azik the day before or after one of his CKM Boot Camps.

2.) Another expert and instructor is David Kahn with Israeli KM, a school in New Jersey. David Kahn trained under Grandmaster Haim Gidon, who is the highest ranked KM black belt ever promoted by founder Imi Lichtenfeld. It has been said that “David is quite possibly the most connected with honest to goodness Israeli special ops guys of anyone in North America.”

David Kahn has written one of the essential books for the for the method called Krav Maga: An Essential Guide to the Renowned Method – For Fitness and Self-Defense.

3.) There’s also Alain Cohen, who heads the KM Federation. His specialty is security and close protection. He is a security consultant for large firms and has written several books including Israeli Defense System Krav Maga.

Alain Cohen also has a DVD course and a seminar that travels around the United States.

4.) Darren Levine is probably the most well-known instructor in the United States and has a center in Los Angeles, California. He has one of the largest studios in the world called KM Worldwide Training Center. He also has the largest reality based self-defense organization in the world with over 240 licensed schools and claims to have trained over 500 law enforcement and government agencies.

Darren Levine is a prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and was awarded a Founder’s Diploma by Imi Lichtenfeld for Special Excellence in KM. Imi awarded this diploma to only 2 individuals in the world: Darren Levine and Eyal Yanilov. These diplomas were given to the people that Imi wanted to be the future leaders in the field.

5.) Eyal Yanilov with the International KM Federation is another Master and holds the unique “Founder’s Diploma of Excellence,” which was given to only one other instructor, Darren Levine.

Offering one of the first classes for American citizens, Eyal Yanilov has been teaching instructors’ courses around the world, under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF). Eyal Yanilov is the key force in spreading the method throughout the world.

Hopefully, you can now identify the major players in the Israeli self-defense method. Each expert has his own personal style of instruction, and each instructor appeals to a different demographic.

Whoever you choose to follow, realize that Krav Maga is a “no holds barred” method of real-world self defense on the street.

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