Frequently Asked Questions.
What is Krav Maga?
Krav Maga is pure self defence for the average person on the street. It is designed to work off of natural human instincts. The techniques are simple and to the point. Students are able to use what is taught in class to defend themselves in real life situations very quickly. If your attacked in the street there are no rules and Krav Maga teaches you how to use this to your advantage.
What do the letters IKMF mean?
IKMF stands for the International Krav Maga Federation. It is the premier organization offering Krav Maga. IKMF is headed by Avi Moyal, its chairman and head instructor as well as Imi’s direct student. IKMF headquarters are located in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is IKMF’s ongoing desire to reach out to as many individuals around the world to provide them with self defence tools so that everyone may walk in peace.
I have no experience in any fighting system and am out of shape. is this ok?
No experience is required to start Krav Maga training and your fitness levels will rise as you train. As an instructor its my job to push you to do better every class. At the same time I encourage my students to pay attention to their bodies and don't do anything that may injure themselves.
What is the difference between Krav Maga and MMA / Martial Arts
There are a few differences but I would have to say the main one is focus. Krav Maga is a straight self-defence style. The focus in self-defence is not to win a fight but to avoid a fight and failing that to escape it by any means necessary regardless of the number of attackers.
The focus in MMA/ Martial Arts is to voluntary partake in a one on one fight with agreed upon rules where the winner is usually determined by number of points scored or by knockout.
What do I wear to class?
Wear comfortable pants and a T-shirt and it is advisable to bring wrestling boots or martial arts shoes if you have them. No other shoes are permitted on the training areas. You may go in bare or stocking feet if you wish but be advised that the floors can be slippery when wearing socks and some of the kicks can be uncomfortable with unprotected feet.
Will I need equipment?
Yes. It is advisable to bring a Jock or a Gill. You also may wish to purchase wrestling boots or martial arts shoes if you do not wish to train in bear or stocking feet. As running shoes are not permitted on the mats. Eventually as you progress you will need shin guards for practicing kick defenses. Boxing mitts, and a mouth guard will be required when you progress to sparing practice.
Why Krav Maga?
There are many reasons to study Krav Maga. Its fun, effective and easy to learn! Its a great workout and a chance to be apart of a community of really great people. But when it comes right down to it my personal answer would be that its study takes away many everyday fears that keep us from doing the things we love to do, and making the clear decisions needed for ourselves and our communities.
Right now some of you are nodding and the rest are wondering what the hell I'm talking about. Something I realized as I studied and trained was that the more I knew and the stronger I got the less scary this world became and the less others could use fear to convince me to do things that were against my best interests.
Before studying Krav Maga I was often afraid to speak my mind at work or in public for fear that a disagreement could lead to a physical confrontation. Now I know what to do if physically attacked and even how to deescalate a confrontation before it gets out of hand. Before studying Krav Maga I was leery of going out because of all the news stories about shootings, stabbings, rapes and other random acts of violence in the city. Now I know how to deal with a random attack or mugging and what to look for so that I can avoid getting into such a situation to begin with. Before studying Krav Maga politicians on T.V. Could convince me to vote for them with promises of protection from terrorist attacks and hijackings, even when their policies were against my best interests and the best interests of my community as a whole. Now I know that the likelihood of ever getting into one of those situation in Canada is minuscule and even if I did get caught up in one of these events, here or somewhere else in the world, I know what to look for to give myself the best chance to avoid an attack, and I know how to give myself the best chance to survive if caught in a hostage situation.
All of these common everyday fears suddenly went away as I learned how to deal with them. Knowledge is our greatest weapon against fear. This is why I study and why I teach, to give as many people as possible the weapons they need to combat their fears so that they might achieve their dreams and maybe help bring about a better world that we are all hoping for but cannot bring about alone.