What is Krav Maga?

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A non-competitive martial art with a heady self-defence system developed in Israel that involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling, Krav Maga is one of the most difficult combat techniques to learn. Developed by Imi Lichtenfeld, a boxer and wrestler, the martial art is known for its focus on the real-world situations and brutal counter-attacks.

Eyal Yanilov, who studied under the personal tutelage of Imi says that the pillars of the art include self defense and protection. “It is a positive martial art and is extremely systematic,” says Eyal. He says that the focus is on all aspects of confrontation. “The idea is to not get confrontational. But if the person does cross his line, then you wrestle and strike in different possible ways. You don’t have to use a stick or any other weapon and is purely on the basis of your body,” says Eyal. He says that the students of Krav Maga train in four different aspects — technical, physical, mental and tact. “It is important to understand all aspects of the art. You need to understand the limitations of the space and moves that are ethical. You have to function with appropriate skills,” adds Eyal. Some of the challenges include being able to defend in any direction and keeping your mind alert from all corners.
Hemant Das, who underwent the training says the system made him more alert as a human being. “It has a very logical approach. You don’t feel like you’ve trained for it since it is so spontaneous. I enjoyed it immensely,” says Das.