One way in which Krav Maga differs from some of the more traditional martial arts is that Krav Maga focuses on the “martial” part, and changes are made to the system whenever it makes sense to do so.

There is an ongoing debate among Kravists about the best techniques. With little emphasis on having a fixed “art,” so-to-speak, Kravists have little difficulty discarding any technique as long as there is something that better serves the practitioner's specific needs, purposes, and/or principles. They therefore acknowledge that combative situations, like life, are never exactly the same.

The perfect fighting system would be one that has only one very simple but effective technique that works against every single attacker, every single time. The problem is that every attacker, environment, situation, and the standard of what is considered an appropriate use of force will not always be the same. As a result, no single technique will work every time for every attacker in every situation.

The Mindset of Krav Maga

Krav Maga, as a system, encompasses self-defense as well as offensive hand-to-hand combat techniques against both armed and unarmed attackers. The training is designed to offer simulated situations that are as close to the real thing as can be safely practiced.

Along with the physical skills, Krav Maga training develops your ability to control your aggression on an emotional level, meaning that it will train you to release your aggression in controlled bursts when and if needed.

Since the majority of people are not familiar with Krav Maga, the easiest way to explain it is to compare it with other more commonly known martial arts. Most martial arts come from the countries of the Far East and are the result of thousands of years of spiritual and historical tradition. However, they all stem from a common thread — the need to defend oneself, one's country, or one's family from a perceived threat.

Not Your Grandfather's Karate!

The people of Okinawa, a small island off the coast of Japan, first developed what is now known as karate in response to being forbidden to carry weapons by the ruling samurai class. However, it was a violent world, and the Shurite bodyguards of Okinawa's royal family had to face that world unarmed.

To make matters worse, the Okinawan people were charged with the responsibility of keeping any and all foreign naval vessels off of their island, an unbending law that was set upon them by a military dictatorship. They were ordered to turn back all foreign sailors at the shore and they had to do so without the benefit of weaponry.

If It Works, Use it!

Similar to the situation surrounding the founding of karate, Krav Maga was created from a survivalist situation in which it needed to work. While some of the older, more traditional martial arts, such as karate, are now studied as a way of preserving certain martial traditions of the past, Krav Maga is less of a tradition and far more a constantly evolving system meant for use in combat.

The Krav Maga system is not set in stone because all things change. Nothing ever stays the same forever. Krav Maga is designed to be effective in an ever-changing and sometimes violent world.

The Rise of MMA and NHB in America

Most recently, the emerging popularity of no-holds-barred (NHB) and mixed martial arts (MMA) gyms, reality shows, and competitions — such as the Lion's Den Gym, the reality show The Ultimate Fighter, and the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) — have done a lot to increase interest and awareness among the general public.

In contrast to what is often portrayed in today's action and martial arts films, few one-on-one fights last more than 30 seconds. The reason for this is simple — both people may attack, but usually it only takes one person connecting one blow to one target in order to end a fight.

In professional fights, the length of the encounter depends upon the fighting styles, physical fitness, amount of training, past experiences, and skill levels of one or both fighters. These fights tend to have a wide range of possible time durations, lasting anywhere from just a few seconds to as long as an hour or more.

In the MMA/NHB ring there are often rules in place to reduce the risk of fighters suffering permanent damage such as blindness, infections, or even paralysis.

There are few rules in MMA/NHB, and the most common are no biting, no hair pulling, no attacks to the neck/throat, kneecaps, or groin, and no eye gouging. Aside from these targets, next to nothing is taboo, leaving fighters with a broad range of combative and strategic possibilities.

In a real-world situation, one attacker can become two or more very quickly, and they rarely have any qualms about attacking the vital areas of your body that could permanently damage, paralyze, or even kill you. While Krav Maga training will definitely increase your odds of being able to win (or at the very least survive) a one-on-one confrontation, such training will also teach you the tools and endurance needed to defend against multiple attackers.