Krav-Maga

Source:
- Krav Maga; The Original Israeli System of Self-Defense and Practical Fighting Skill, Author; Imi Sde-or and Eyal Yanilov
- Complete Krav Maga, Author; Darren Levine and John Whitman.


Krav-Maga (pronounced KRAHV muh-GAH, which means “Contact Combat” in Hebrew).

Imi Sde-or (Lichtenfeld), founder of Krav Maga, was born in 1910 n Budapest, which at the time was one of the centers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He grew up in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.

Samuel Lichtenfeld, Imi’s father was undoubtedly quite a unique figure, at age 13 he joined atravelling circus and for the next twenty years engaged in wrestling. After leaving the circus, Samuel Lichtenfeld moved to Bratislava (then known as Presburg). He later joined municipal police department where he rose to the position Chief Detective. During his year of service in this post Samuel gained a reputation as the officer who apprehended and brought t trial the highest number murders andviolent criminals.

As a child, Imi was trained by his father in various fields of physical education and sport, including gymnastics, and participated in the raining given to the group f detectives that Samuel Lichtenfeld taught regularly. With his father encouragement, Imi became active in wide range of sports, swimming, gymnastics, wrestling and boxing.In 1928 and 1929 Imi won the Slovakian Wrestling Championship and that year he also won Boxing Championship and also Gymnastic Championship.

Between 1939 and 1940 Imi took part in countless violent clashes and street fight with the anti-semitic thugs, both alone and with his group. He and his companions were oten confronted by angry crowds of hundreds and even thousands quarter; and sometimes t only was one or two hecklers again Imi or one of his friends, who had to be put in their place. Though space is insufficient to describe the myriad of incidents that occurred during that period, suffice it to say that they molded Imi’s mind and body turned him from sportsman into a determined hand-to-hand, practical fighter, It was these events that planted in him the seeds that later grew into the self-defense system that originated, Krav Maga.

In 1942 Imi joined Czech Legion under command of British Army during World War II, he served for about a year and a half. At that time several of Imi’s friends and former pupils were serving in the Hagana resistance, the pre-IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). They introduce Imi to General Itzchak Sadeh, Head of the Haganah, who immediately accepted him into the organization in light of his special talents in hand-to-hand combat. Bear in mind that before Imi joined Haganah organization, The organization already had self-defense and fighting system such as Kapap (Krav Panim el Panim) and Lotar since 1930's.

In 1948, coinciding wih the birth of the State of Israel and founding of the Israel Defense Forces, Imi became Chef Instructor for Krav Maga at The School of Combat Fitness. He served in the IDF for about 20 years, during which time he developed and refined his unique method for self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. Imi personally trained the top fighters of Israel’s special unit, and qualified many generations of Krav Maga instructors, for which he gained the recognition of Israeli’s most senior commanders.

In the early nineties, Grandmaster Imi expressed his wish to establish an International Krav Maga Federation, aiming to spread his special knowledge to people worldwide. Eventually founded, it was warmly welcomed by Imi, who viewed it as hi life’s dream coming true. In 1996 Imi awarded Eyal Yanilov, the originator and Head Instructor of the Federation, the ultimate rank of Master level 3/Expert level 8 for all his accomplishment.

Guiding Principles of Krav Maga system;
- Techniques should be movements based on natural instincts.
- Techniques must address the immediate danger.
- Technique must defend and counter attack simultaneously, shortest & direct way possible.
- One defense must work against a variety of attacks.
- The system should be made integrated with other movement.
- Strike correctly at any vulnerable point.
- Use any tool or object available nearby.
- Techniques must be accessible to the average person, not just athletes.
- Techniques must work from a position of disadvantage.
- Training must include the stress experienced in real attacks.
- Krav Maga strongly emphasizes the use of defense technique.
- In Krav Maga there are no rules.

Krav Maga is heavy on the “Martial” and not much into the “Art”. Krav Maga aren’t always pretty, but get the job done. Krav Maga prefer to describe as “Self-Defense” – “Defensive Tactics System” – a tactical and logical sound approach to dealing with violent confrontations.

"si vis pacem para bellum"

If you want peace prepare for war