follow us:
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Krav Maga?
Krav Maga (pronounced krahv magah) is not a traditional martial art. It was developed in an environment where the Israeli military couldn not devote many hours to hand to hand combat training. Therefore, the Krav Maga system was created to bring students to a high level of skill in a relatively short period of time. There are no forms (katas) or rules or set combinations as reactions to attacks. Instead, Krav Maga training focuses on teaching simple self-defense techniques which specifically cater to reality based attack situations. The art of Krav Maga deals more with personal safety issues and is considered to be a modern, highly refined,self-defense system, designed to be used against armed and unarmed attackers.
Krav Maga is comprised of two main parts: combatives and self defense. With combatives, you learn how to neutralize an opponent quickly and effectivly. It embodies elements related to the actual performance of the fight including tactics, feints, powerful combinations of different attacks, the psychological dimensions of the fight, and learning how to use the environment to your advantage. Different types of combatives used in Krav Maga including punches, kicks, eye gouges, elbows, knees, headbutts, biting, etc.
Defending against attacks such as punches, kicks, chokes, bearhugs, headlocks, grabs, as well as defenses against object using instinctual techniques based on the body's reaction to stress with simultaneous attacks. Students apply the relevant Krav Maga principles and techniques in a multitude of situations, even in unfamiliar or adverse circumstances, such under extreme stress and/or fatigue. Krav Maga includes specialized training methods that not only challenge students physically, but also instill a special, mental discipline meant to strengthen the spirit and to develop the ability to deal with violent confrontations under intense stress. In fact, the techniques taught in our classes also incorporate the self-defense techniques taught to law enforcement personnel.
Because of Krav Maga's combat-orientation, there are no competitions or tournaments. Krav Maga training is quite different from other types of martial arts or self-defense training. It stresses defense and fighting under worst-case circumstances such as facing several opponents, defending yourself while protecting someone else, defending with a physical impairment, when disoriented, or against armed opponents.
Training in Krav Maga is an aerobic workout. Stress drills are used to simulate real life attacks in a high intensity, fast-paced environment. This training provides an excellent workout that improves both cardio conditioniong and agility.
All training is done with simulated attacks using knives, baseball bats, clubs or guns to teach students how to deal with an armed attacker. Students learn confidence in dealing with attacks, while getting into shape and building strength.
- What are the dress requirements to practice Krav Maga?
- Krav Maga by its very nature is a real world self defense system. The only clothing requirement is that you wear comfortable clothing and shoes. At Krav Maga and Fitness of Arkansas, the only uniform requirement is that a registered student wear a Krav Maga T-Shirt.
- I am a member of law enforcement or military personnel. Can I train in Krav Maga?
Krav Maga was originally developed for the military and is still used by military and law enforcement agencies across the U.S., including government agencies such as the CIA and FBI. Local law enforcement agencies should contact Krav Maga and Fitness of Arkansas to discuss training.
- How much does it cost?
We have various membership rates based on length of membership desired, class type, etc. Please contact us directly for more information.
- My spouse wants to try a class also. Are the classes co-ed?
Men and women take the same class. It makes training more effective to have people with all different body types and levels of fitness in the same class. See class schedule.
- How long will it take me to notice results from Krav Maga training?
Since each class is different from the last, you will constantly progress. It is recommended that you attend twice a week, but even if you only attend one class per week, it is common for you to see a difference in yourself in a relatively short amount of time. The most noticeable results at first are an increase in strength, cardio endurance and punching power.
- Will I lose weight taking Krav Maga?
If you eat healthy and attend class regularly, then you should see benefits similar to that of participating in a group fitness class. Students usually begin to notice a change in their health within the first two months of training. Remember, though, everyone is different and you may lose weight faster or slower than those around you.
- How does Krav Maga training differ from other Martial Arts?
Krav Maga focuses on the martial and not the art. We train for REAL attacks. There are no forms or katas. We try to simulate the stress of an attack by having students perform as close to real attacks as possible. This places the defender under stressful conditions, which is what you would feel in a real attack. Therefore, when you learn and train a self-defense technique under stress, with full adrenaline and heart pounding, you will be prepared to use those techniques in a real life situation, where the stress, adrenaline, and fear levels are high
- What is a typical class like?
A normal one-hour class consists of students made up of brand new students training along side those who have been there several weeks. Everyone does a warm-up consisting of stretching, plyometrics, and shadowboxing to get the heart rate up and then the class goes right into training.
Students will learn combatives and self-defense techniques and then perform those techniques in a high energy drill that reinforces what they just learned. Situations may include defending a choke from behind, being attacked while lying on your back, or even defending against someone holding a gun to your head. Whatever the scenario may be, it is practiced very realistically using different attackers and several different drills to put more stress on the defender. All this is done to send the students home feeling confident in the technique they just learned and knowing that they now have a better understanding of how to defend themselves against someone bigger and stronger.
Training methods range from employing a speaker system blasting loud music to turning the lights out and performing the technique with minimal lighting. Whatever the method, all scenarios are meant to train the student to ignore extraneous input and focus on getting out of a dangerous situation and, if possible, causing as much damage to their attacker as they can. Additionally, we also cover physical and verbal methods to avoid violence whenever possible.
- Is Krav Maga just for people who are worried about personal safety?
No. Krav Maga is also used by people who are more concerned with physical fitness. Because of its high energy classes, Krav Maga is an excellent workout program that will increase a students overall fitness level.
- What is the meaning behind the Krav symbol?
The Krav Maga symbol consists of the Hebrew letters K and M surrounded by an open circle that represents the system is open to improvement by adding techniques, exercises, and training methods.
- What is the history of Krav Maga?
Krav Maga was first developed in Hungary-Czechoslovakia in the 1930s by Imi Lichtenfeld, a champion expert in wrestling, boxing, and gymnastics. Lichtenfeld was born in 1910 in Budapest, Hungary, and grew up in later Bratislava.He was influenced by his father who was Chief Detective and Self-Defense Instructor in the police force.
During the 1930’s, Imi honed his fighting skills on the streets of Bratislava, protecting himself and his Jewish neighbors from local fascist thugs. He took part in numerous fights in order to prevent anti-Semitic groups from terrorizing the Jewish community in the city. These fights sharpened his awareness of the basic difference between sport and street fighting. It was at this time that the seeds of Krav Magas principles were planted in his mind. When Imi Lichtenfeld came to Palestine prior to the establishment of the state of Israel, he began teaching hand to hand combat to the Haganah, the Jewish underground army.
After the establishment of the state of Israel, the government asked Imi to develop an effective system of self-defense and fighting, which later became the Krav Maga system.Imi became the chief instructor for the military school for physical training and Krav Maga. Imi continued to refine and improve the Krav Maga system throughout his 20 years serving in the army. Because Israel was at constant war with its neighbors the techniques were continually being tested on the battle fields in the Middle East.
After Mr. Lichtenfeld retired from a long career as chief instructor of close combat in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he began teaching Krav Maga to the civilian population, adapting it so that ordinary men, women, and children could use it to handle aggressive encounters.
In 1981, the Krav Maga Association of Israel and the Israeli Ministry of Education held the first International Instructors Course at Wingate Institute for Physical Education. This course was supervised by Imi himself and taught by Krav Maga lead instructors Shike Barak, Eyal Yanilov, and Ruevin Moimon.
Darren Levine was selected to be part of the delegation of internation candidates to attend this instructors course because of his martial arts and boxing background and his involvement in the physical education at Heschel Day School near Los Angeles, California. The course was strenuous and at the end, Darren was one of a few that passed. During the course Imi befriended Darren and came to visit him in the U.S. the following summer. After that, Imi or one of his top instructors continued to return to the U.S. every summer to train Darren. After his return from Israel, Darren began teaching Krav Maga as an elective class at the day school.
In 1983, at Imis request, the Krav Maga Association of America was created to promote Krav Maga in the US. In 1984, Darren received his first degree black belt in Krav Maga. At the ceremony, Imi passed on his own black belt to Darren.
In 1987, Krav Maga was introduced to law enforcement in the US. Under Imi's guidance it was adapted to U.S. law enforcement and military personnel. In 1997, the Krav Maga National Training Center opened with a full schedule of Krav Maga self-defense, fighting, and fitness classes and became a training ground for civilians, law enforcement, and military units. The Krav Maga National Training Center is located in Los Angeles, California.
In 1999, Darren and several of the organizing members of Krav Maga formed Krav Maga Worldwide Enterprises to help the Krav Maga Association of America expand and promote Krav Maga in the United States and around the world.