Israeli Hand to Hand Combat

"Contact combat" or "close combat" is an assorted hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel which means wrestling, snatching and striking executions, mostly known for its greatly decisive and brutal counter attacks, as it is also taught to exclusive special forces around the world. It was extracted from street fighting dexterity cultivated by Imi Lichtenfeld, who made use of his training as a boxer and wrestler, as a means of protecting the Jewish quarter during season of anti-Semitic motion in Bratislava in the mid- to late 1930s. In the late 1940s, following his immigration to Israel, he brought out to support hand-to-hand combat training to what was to become the IDF, expanding the tactics that evolved as Krav Maga. It has since been refined for both civilian and military uses.

Krav Maga is an Israeli army method of unarmed combat now gaining popularity all over the world. It is felt a “no-nonsense” method of self-defense for a variety of scenes. Primarily developed during the liberation fighting of Israel, Krav Maga is now practiced by the entire Israeli military - especially its elite forces.

Krav Maga merges elements of boxing, Judo, and Jujitsu as well as the use of weapons such as knives and sticks. This weapon technique is educated to handle with modern day street situations where guns and knives are often involved. There are no kata or other traditional martial arts training exercises.
The techniques of Krav Maga are exceedingly realistic and effective for the street. Individuals can accomplish a high level of proficiency within a relatively short period of instruction.

The Krav Maga is not a general martial art system; instead, it was developed with the discernment that the classic martial arts were incomplete of various elements. The defense needs in the eras that the classic martial arts were developed were different than those of today. New unique techniques for defense against pistols, guns and hand grenades were viewed as needed, and as a result developed.

Students use the basic moves in concurrence with any one of a number of other moves to beat off an attack, the key idea being adaptable to new situations through improvisation. Emphasis is put on speed, stability, strength, accuracy and coordination especially for intensive Krav Maga training.

Since the Krav Maga by translation is for self defense, it does not have any constitution and constitutional rules and accordingly there are no contests and exhibitions. The training is for practical usage in the everyday reality. There is a colored belt system with a Black Belt typically granted after 8 to 10 years of practice. Spiritual and philosophical aspects are studied only at the Black Belt level.