KRAV MAGA

The Best Guide to Over 50 Self-Defense Moves

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1–KRAV MAGA FUNDAMENTALS

#1. Weapons are Everywhere!

#2. Never Stop Moving

#3. Simplicity is Everything

#4. Pressure Points and Soft Tissue make good Targets

#5. Physical Balance is Essential

#6. Mental Balance is just as Important

#7. Positioning

#8. Timing

CHAPTER 2–KRAV MAGA BASIC TECHNIQUES

#9. Fighting Stances

#10. Striking Principles

#11. How to Make a Fist

#12. The Hammer Fist

#13. The Palm Strike

#14. The Knife Hand Strike

#15. The Elbow Strike

#16. The Knee Strike

#17. Head Butt

#18. The Thumb Strike

#19. Kicking

#20. Grappling and Wrestling

#21. Throws/Takedowns

#22. Breakfalls

CHAPTER 3–KRAV MAGA BLOCK AND COUNTER TECHNIQUES

#23. Kick the Groin

#24. The Prevention Kick

#25. Defend Against an Outside Strike

#26. Overhand One-Handed Strike Defense

#27. Punch Defense into Hip Throw

#28. Interception - Front Knee Kick

#29. Stepping Side Kick

#30. Front Kick Counter

#31. Roundhouse Kick Counter

#32. Kick to Defend against a Punch

CHAPTER 4–KRAV MAGA HOLD ESCAPE AND REVERSAL TECHNIQUES

#33. Defending against a Wall Push

#34. Defending the Double-Hand Front Choke

#35. Defending the Two-Handed Rear Choke

#36. Throw from Rear Choke

#37. Shoulder Dislocation from Rear Choke

#38. Counterstrikes to Rear and Frontal Choke

#39. Front Bear Hug Defense

#40. Escaping a Rear Bear Hug

#41. Escaping a Headlock

#42. Defending the Single Hand Shirt Grab

#43. Wristlock from Collar Grab

#44. Wristlock from Arm Grab

#45. Elbow Lock against the Body

#46. Knee Lock/Break

#47. Rear Strangle Takedown

CHAPTER 5–KRAV MAGA TECHNIQUES FOR DEFENDING AGAINIST WEAPONS

#48. Unarmed Defense against Melee Weapons

#49. Defense against a Straight Stab

#50. Defense against a Two-Handed Overhead Attack

CONCLUSION

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© Copyright 2016 by Gloria Evans - All rights reserved.

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INTRODUCTION

Krav Maga is a self-defense combat system, known for being the official self-defense system of Israel and used in training Israeli armed forces. It was created by a man named Imi Lichtenfeld around 40 years ago. The founding principle of Krav Maga is that it provides a simplistic system for anyone, regardless of physical prowess, age and experience, to use to defend themselves against a wide range of attacks. Owing to its effectiveness and efficiency, Krav Maga has been adopted by a number of military organizations around the world, as well as police forces and security agencies.

‘Krav Maga’ loosely translates as ‘Contact Combat’ from the Hebrew. It is commonly taught in Israel, and has spread around the world since 1964 as a style of self-defense for civilians to learn. It has evolved through lessons learned by its application, and continues to strive to find the quickest, simplest ways to overcome any type of attack, and has passed countless tests on the battlefield. It differs from most other popular martial arts because it is not used competitively; there are no rules in Krav Maga, so any form of attack and defense is acceptable.

Most of the movements and techniques of Krav Maga are borrowed and adapted from other martial art styles such as Ju Jitsu, Aikido, Karate, Judo and boxing, as well as a number of lesser-known but equally-effective styles. It is designed to allow practitioners to become highly proficient in a short space of time. There are no ‘katas’ to learn; every technique is simplistic and practical, as anything goes when you are fighting for your life.

Krav Maga students will learn tried-and-tested techniques for swift, powerful strikes with the arms and legs to vulnerable target areas, such as the groin or the eyes. They will learn the important techniques and considerations for fighting multiple opponents, as well as skills for both attack and defense involving weapons like knives, bayonets, batons and even guns. There are also a number of important defenses and reversals against submission techniques like chokes, full nelsons, bear hugs and shirt grabs; these are common self-defense situations that can be handled by swift and appropriate responses.

Learning does, of course, start from the basics, but students can rapidly progress to full-speed sparring with one another, using protective equipment that guards the most vulnerable areas that Krav Maga so frequently targets. This way, students can get some extent of an experience of what combat is like, and their technique can be examined without risk of serious injury. Ultimately, in Krav Maga, we have a system for personal safety, designed to enable anyone to potentially eliminate any conceivable threat they may face from another human being.

Krav Maga is widely regarded as a highly refined street fighting system, best utilized against muggings, street brawlers and sexual assaults. It emphasizes the efficiency of knowing and using exactly the type and severity of response that a situation requires. Its popularity in modern society is down to its myopic focus on realistic combat situation that anyone might face, and it’s practical and efficient approach to dealing with them.

In this book, you will gain a basic knowledge of many of the principles and fundamental techniques of Krav Maga. Through detailed step-by-step written tutorials, you will be introduced to some simple techniques to deal with common self-defense situations, as well as detailed descriptions of how to correctly apply the strikes, locks and throws each technique requires, and the target areas of your attacker that will be most vulnerable. This book is no substitute for formal Krav Maga training in a controlled, co-operative environment with teachers and students. It will serve as an introduction to the style, and offer a glimpse of the possibilities for personal safety should you attempt to learn this powerful self-defense system.

CHAPTER 1 – KRAV MAGA FUNDAMENTALS

The fundamentals are what separate Krav Maga from other fighting styles. This Israeli fighting style stands out as a great self-defense system because it revolves around simplicity and efficiency, and analyses realistic combat situations to offer effective techniques to survive them. The growing popularity of Krav Maga as the foremost self-defense style is no co-incidence. Its fundamental principles are what make it so accessible and so effective, so that even a complete novice can swiftly progress to being proficient in the style. This chapter introduces you to some of the key fundamentals that the Krav Maga style is constructed upon. Gain an understanding of these fundamentals to give yourself a solid base to your Krav Maga journey. Only through mastery of the fundamentals can one achieve mastery of the advanced techniques, so he harder you work to understand the concepts in this chapter, the stronger you will be as a student of Krav Maga.

#1. Weapons are Everywhere!

When the need to improvise arises, you can use your keys, pen, credit cards or belt as weapons to defend yourself. These items are all commonly carried by the average person, as they are essential for getting through the day, so they are always readily available if the need to defend yourself arises. You will need to consider how you could use them as weapons should the need arise.

Keys and pens can easily be wielded as basic stabbing implements, while a belt can serve as a ballistic weapon for whipping and striking, particularly if it has a large buckle. Credit cards, or even combs, can be employed as weapons for slashing and swiping at an opponent.

Wherever you are right now, take a look around at the items that surround you and see if you can identify some potential weapons. How could you hold them? What sort of striking motions could you use with them? Get into the habit of being able to swiftly identify potential improvised weapons.

#2. Never Stop Moving

A core principle of Krav Maga is the concept of ‘retzev’, which is the Hebrew word meaning ‘continuous motion’. It means that in a combat situation, you should be constantly moving, either towards or away from your opponent. Of course, this continuous motion shouldn’t be random; the endgame is always to reach a point where your opponent ceases to be a threat to you.

Neutralizing the threat could simply mean escaping the situation, but it could also mean disarming, immobilizing, rendering unconscious or even killing your opponent. The extent of action you need to take is completely subjective to the situation.

#3. Simplicity is Everything

The acronym KISS is never more appropriate than it is in Krav Maga; it stands for “Keep It Simple, Stupid!” and is a strong mantra to train by. Essentially, Krav Maga is a system for street fighting with all the frills and flashy movements stripped away, leaving only the most efficient and effective techniques.

On this principle, the first thing to do is look for a weakness or vulnerability. If your attacker has a limp, target that weaker leg with your strongest attacks. If he is wielding a knife, but looks unsure of how to use it, seek to exploit that weakness – a weapon can actually be a disadvantage to an inept user.

Similarly, if you can force your attacker to stay a certain distance from you by throwing things at him, then do it. Once you have identified the best way to minimize or neutralize the threat, do the simplest thing possible to make it happen. Trying too many fancy or complex techniques and movements means there is a greater margin for error, and in a life or death situation you shouldn’t be taking any chances.

#4. Pressure Points and Soft Tissue make good Targets

There are a number of widely-known weak points on the human body. The eyes, throat, groin and shins are all highly vulnerable areas, and you can inflict painful and incapacitating damage on these areas very easily.

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This means that in a combat encounter where your life is in danger, these weak points should be your main targets in your attempt to neutralize the threat as swiftly as possible. There are no rules, and there is no need to be a good sport; gouge the eyes, chop the throat, and kick to the groin and shins as hard and violently as you can. You will find that your opponent quickly changes from being feisty to being face down.

Remember that in a self-defense scenario, the only thing that matters is that you survive; it is not your responsibility to also look out for the safety of your attacker. So long as you don’t use excessive force beyond the point where your opponent ceases to be a threat, then you are acting in self-defense.

#5. Physical Balance is Essential

‘Balance’ literally refers to one’s ability to maintain equilibrium, enabling them to remain in a stable upright position. It is vital that a hand-to-hand combatant maintains their balance throughout a violent encounter in order to form an effective defense and launch worthwhile attacks. If balance isn’t there, defense loses its stability and there is no longer a base from which to launch any kind of counterattack. There are two aspects of balance every fighter must comprehend:

How to maneuver one’s own body to maintain or regain balance. This becomes instinctive through experience, but it generally involves keeping the feet around shoulder-width apart, with the knees slightly flexed. Lowering one’s centre of gravity provides increased stability.

How to recognize and exploit weaknesses in the opponent’s balance. Through training and experience, a fighter can learn how to move in a fight to expose the enemy’s vulnerable targets and execute a neutralizing technique.

#6. Mental Balance is just as Important

To be successful, a fighter must also possess the ability to maintain a mental and emotional balance under stressful circumstances. Fear and anger can be powerful, destructive emotions that compromise one’s ability to focus, or to react appropriately in a close combat situation. Krav Maga, like most martial arts, emphasizes the importance of keeping one’s composure to be able to remember what they should be doing in a fight. Too often, anger or fear strike and a person forgets to use proper techniques, opting instead to yell and swing wildly, or become preoccupied with escaping before making a reliable escape route.

#7. Positioning

This concept refers to how you locate yourself in relation to your opponent; the attacker. Good positioning can make you as safe as possible in a fight, and can prepare you to execute the required technique if the opponent launches an attack. Krav Maga practitioners aim to keep their body out of the range of their opponent’s attacks as much as possible, and also keep away from the line of an opponent’s attack as it comes. Doing these things forces your opponent to change his own position in order to launch their attack against you, and this can enable you to manipulate their body position to make them vulnerable to a certain type of attack.

It is generally safe to remove yourself from an opponent’s line of attack at approximately a 45-degree angle. At this angle, you can move away from, or advance towards, your opponent without exposing yourself to the risk of their attack. It also affects the alignment of their body position, which can compromise their ability to counterattack and expose weaknesses in their guard. Moving into advantageous positions can only be learnt through experience, whereby you can learn accurate timing and distance perception.

#8. Timing

A Krav Maga practitioner must be able to judge the perfect time to change their position in order to gain an advantage. If that move is made too early, the enemy will be able to anticipate it and adjust his own attack to compensate for it. Too late, and the enemy’s attack will land and instantly place you in a vulnerable position. Similarly, the Krav Maga practitioner must launch attacks and counter-strikes at precisely the right moment; when the opponent is at his most vulnerable.

CHAPTER 2 – KRAV MAGA BASIC TECHNIQUES

Most of the advanced techniques of Krav Maga involve combining basic techniques and fundamental principles to swiftly avoid attacks and then nullify them. Only by learning and practicing the fundamentals and the basics can you progress towards becoming an advanced-level practitioner of Krav Maga. This chapter takes you through a range of basic techniques that you will need to know for when you learn the self-defense maneuvers in the later chapters, so read them carefully and make sure you understand them.

#9. Fighting Stances

A fighter’s stance is the body position he adopts to be ready for all that may happen in an unarmed fight. From this stance, he will be able to swiftly and effectively launch an attacking or defensive maneuver.

A Krav Maga fighter’s stance places his body in a good position to attack and defend, but it also has some influence on him psychologically. By adopting the right fighting stance, a fighter’s mental attitude and aggression can enter the right kind of mode to allow them to fight to the best of their ability.

The Krav Maga combat stance means standing side-on to your opponent, with your stronger side at the rear. The hands are held at head height, so that they are ready to defend the head and face. The fists are in a clenched position, but the fingers are relaxed while they are coiled in the neutral stance. The elbows should be tucked in close to the torso, and the bodyweight should be evenly distributed between the two feet. This creates a stable, strong base as the foundation. Stay on your toes and remain light on your feet, with the knees slightly flexed to allow quick movements to be made in any direction.

#10. Striking Principles

Attitude – An appropriate mental attitude is an essential component of a fighter’s ability to successfully strike an opponent. In hand-to-hand combat, the correct attitude for a fighter is to believe that he will defeat his opponent and live to fight another day, no matter what. If a fight is potentially one that will only end when one person is killed, survival must be the paramount consideration; there can be no consideration of the prospect of losing. Success requires a full commitment to neutralizing the opponent with a continuous barrage of powerful attacks; if you aren’t prepared to wound your opponent or drive him to the ground, you are immediately at a disadvantage. A common Krav Maga colloquialism is the phrase ‘Thump him and dump him!’

Fluent Shock Wave – Delivering a strike effectively should mean that the striking body part or weapon remains on the impact site for a minimum of 1/10th of a second. This way, the full extent of the kinetic energy will be transferred into the target region, resulting in a fluent shock wave that rocks the affected tissue and causes maximum damage. With this knowledge, the Krav Maga practitioner should keep this principle in mind whenever he strikes a vulnerable area on his opponent. The memory aid for this principle is ‘Hit and stick!’

Target Selection – As many of your strikes as possible should be aimed at the opponent’s weakest points. Effective strikes to these areas can have a number of damaging and disabling results in the opponent, and these are exactly what you need to eliminate the threat. Effects such as mental stunning, due to a strike that over stimulates a certain nerve, can render an opponent completely defenseless for three to seven seconds, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks and allowing you to gain complete control of a situation. Some such strikes can even cause unconsciousness, while others can render affected body parts to become temporarily immobilized, once again compromising the opponent’s ability to defend himself. In any case, correct target selection for your strikes can swiftly gain you the upper hand in a combat situation.

#11. How to Make a Fist

It is very easy to make the mistake of throwing punches with the hand in an improper fist. The consequence of this can be that if you land a punch, you do as much damage to your hand as you do to your opponent’s body. Any wagging thumbs or crossed fingers could cost you big time in a combat situation.

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The technique: Start by bending your fingers at the middle set of knuckles. Follow this by bending the knuckles at the root of the finders, so your finger tips are tucked into the palm of your hand. Once in this position, place your thumb across the index and middle fingers, resting just below the middle knuckles. Maintain a neutral (straight) wrist position at all times.

Quick Tip: When you strike a blow with a clenched fist, you should be aiming to make contact with the two biggest knuckles; those of the index and middle fingers. Successfully landing a strike with this region of the fist will do maximum damage whilst minimizing the damage done to your hands. You should also be aiming to utilize the strength of your entire body when throwing a power punch; do this by rotating at the hips and pushing through your knees as you execute the technique.

#12. The Hammer Fist

This technique is short-ranged and quite brutal, involving a very natural movement reminiscent of our primate ancestry. Essentially, it consists of making a fist, raising it above the head, and bringing it rapidly downwards to impact with the fleshy, outer area of the hand. The hips, core and shoulders all combine to drive maximum power into this technique, and the weight of your body comes into play as you follow through for that little bit extra force. The swing of the hammer fist can be adapted to strike at many angles, but you will achieve the most power with a vertical plane of movement. In MMA, for example, the hammer fist is most commonly applied when a fighter mounts his/her opponent and goes in for the finish, raining down hammer fists to the opponents head for the knockout.

Source: http://criticalcombat.info/

The Hammer Fist is a short-ranged combative technique that involves a very natural, primate movement. The fist is brought down and out, like a hammer. Contact is made with the fleshy part of the bottom of the fist. Your feet, hips, core, and shoulders drive the strike, with your body weight pulling the strike through and back. You’ll most likely deliver this either on the vertical or horizontal plane, but you can also strike at various angles.

The hammer fist is fast, powerful, and feels extremely natural. When executed at full speed, it all happens in a blur, but there are actually three distinct stages that need to be executed properly for effective delivery of a hammer fist blow.

Step 1 – Twist your body away from your opponent with the arm raised, loading energy for the move.

Step 2 – Rotate into the strike as you swing the fist into your target, dropping as much of your bodyweight as possible into the move.

Step 3 – Recoil sharply along the same line to return to the starting position, ready to execute the next blow.

#13. The Palm Strike

This technique is very efficient and widely used in Krav Maga, as well as many other combat styles. It is used in the same way as a straight punch, but with one exception: instead of striking with a closed fist, you keep your hand open and aim to impact with the meaty part at the base of the palm. This area is hard and strong, and less likely to take damage from landing a blow than the knuckles and fingers are when connecting with a punch to the chin or skull.

Palm strikes are most effective when thrust upwards into the chin or nose. If you follow through, as if trying to lift the opponent off the ground, you will have a good chance of a knockout. It doesn’t require great strength to knock someone out this way; the sudden jolt of the head backwards from a palm strike to the chin can be all it takes to render someone unconscious, or at least heavily dazed.

The palm strike is considerably less effective if you use it to strike the body, however. The shape of the open hand really lessens the impact, so a palm strike to the body is really a wasted move; better to use a fist for a body shot. But palm strikes to the head are more efficient than punching, mainly because you can protect yourself against taking damage to the hands.

#14. The Knife Hand Strike

The knife hand is, essentially, the same as the ‘karate chop’ you will have seen in any number of movies. Simply extend your fingers, as if you are reaching to shake someone’s hand, but keep the thumb pressed against the index finger rather than extending it upright. Keep everything tightened – this should not be a relaxed hand position – and when you strike, aim to make contact with the meaty part of the hand between the little finger and the wrist.

Aside from the area used in the palm strike, this is the toughest part of the hand. Be careful not to hit with the little finger, because this will lack power and risk breaking your finger! The knife hand can be effective against almost any part of your attacker’s body, but will be most devastating against either side of the neck or head. Also, if you find yourself behind your opponent at any point, a knife hand to the base of the skull is very effective.

#15. The Elbow Strike

Although not as powerful as the knee, the elbow is the sharpest and hardest weapon of the human body, and as such is probably the most dangerous. Krav Maga teaches us to use the hardest, toughest body parts as weapons against the softest, most vulnerable ones of your opponent. This gives you the maximum chance of neutralizing a threat in the shortest amount of time.

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There are several ways we use the elbow in Krav Maga:

Vertical Strikes – In a swift sweeping thrust, raise your bent arm from its neutral position at your side directly upwards, so that it ends next to your head. With your hand tucked in close to your body, it should start in front of your shoulder and finish up next to your ear, ensuring your elbow protrudes and whips upwards with great force. The target should be your opponent’s chin for a swift knockout.

Horizontal Strikes – These elbow strikes can be performed as swipes from the outside inwards, or vice versa. Your arms should be horizontal, with the hand tucked in close to the chest and the elbow protruding outwards. You can then engage the powerful muscles of the chest and upper back, as well as rotation from the hips, to exert a huge amount of force through the technique. Aim to hit any part of your attacker’s head; if you make a solid contact, you will do some serious damage.

Diagonal Strikes – Similar to a chop or slash with a sword, the diagonal elbow strike can start high and swing downwards across the body, or it can start from low and slash diagonally upwards. Again, the chief target should be the head, and again, this is a devastatingly powerful attack.

Any elbow strike you perform must be followed by other Krav Maga moves to ensure your assailant is neutralized. You can repeat the same technique, or combine it with other techniques to keep the intensity up, but never assume that landing a single blow will be sufficient to stop an attacker.

#16. The Knee Strike

There are few attacking motions the human body can perform that pack as much of a punch as the knee strike. If you are training with a partner equipped with 8-inch thick Thai pads, you will still see them wince when you land a well-executed knee strike. Even if you are not the most muscular or powerful of people, with correct technique you can generate a lot of force focused on a small area of impact, and that can do some serious damage.

In Krav Maga, we take a note from the Thai clinch by grabbing hold of both sides of the opponent’s neck, in order to pull him down sharply as you drive the knee hard into his solar plexus. In truth, you will do plenty of damage if you land the blow anywhere in the abdominal area, and even more if you manage to land it to the face.

Wherever you strike the blow, the idea of this basic technique is to strike some devastating blows against your attacker, and as many as you can in succession until he becomes immobilized and unable to threaten you any further.

#17. Head Butt

A head butt can be launched from as both a forwards and a backwards strike. It can be a risky attack, and is therefore usually reserved for situations where the hands and feet are not free to land any meaningful strikes. In this case, the move is repeated until the opponent either releases the hold that has trapped the arms and legs, or falls unconscious. Either way, it can be extremely damaging to an opponent, and can swiftly enable you to gain the upper hand in a fight. Here are the two main situations where you might utilize a head butt:

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The attacker grabs you in a front bear hug, locking your arms at your sides and lifting your feet off the floor. Slam your forehead vigorously into the opponent’s nose or cheek, trying to keep the eyes open in order to stay aware of everything that happens. This strike causes the attacker to let go, and perhaps become stunned. At this point, follow up with a kick or knee strike to the groin, to ensure the attacker is rendered harmless.

The attacker grabs you in a rear bear hug, once again locking your arms down by your sides. Quickly cock your head forward, then slam it backwards so that the back of your head strikes the opponent’s face; hopefully in the nose or cheekbone area. As the opponent lets go, quickly turn towards him and simultaneously execute a spinning elbow strike to the head. The sooner your attacker is neutralized, the better, so continue following up with strikes to vulnerable areas until you can see that he is no longer a threat.

#18. The Thumb Strike

This attack can be devastating if used in the right way, but can also be completely ineffective for the majority of potential uses. It also carries something of a risk, because the thumb is not a strong body part and could potentially be broken. The right areas to attack with a thumb strike are the softest areas of the head, such as the eyes or temple, and anywhere in the throat.

To execute the thumb strike, make a fist with the thumb extruding, as if you’re giving a ‘thumbs up’ motion. Swing your arm at your opponent to jab that extruding thumb hard into the target area. The small surface area of your attacking weapon will mean the pressure on the target region will be significantly increased upon impact; if your thumb is strong enough to withstand this impact, then the result will be severe pain in your opponent. This is why you must target softer areas of the opponent’s body; ones which are known vital areas to cause pain and damage.

#19. Kicking

In a hand-to-hand combat situation, the best way to incorporate kicking is to direct your kicks at low targets, using simple but effective technique. In a self-defense situation, which arises unexpectedly, you may not be wearing footwear or leg wear that lends itself to throwing kicks higher than waist level. Moreover, you will not be warmed up, and there are other risks associated with high kicking. It is a complex skill in itself, taking a lot of training to master, and Krav Maga essentially teaches that high kicking is not worth the effort of learning when considered on balance with the risk associated with using them in life-or-death combat.

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Low kicks are powerful and low-risk, and can be learned and executed easily without requiring any stretching beforehand. Krav Maga utilizes low kicking extensively, targeting areas such as the shin, knee, outer thigh, hip and groin. Kicking these areas can be very effective and easy to mask during a fight.

#20. Grappling and Wrestling

Grappling is a familiar concept to anyone with an interest in MMA or wrestling; it is when two or more combatants engage in close-range physical combat, either armed or unarmed. In this scenario, a fighter must be supremely aware of how to move and position his body in order to gain the upper hand. He must also know the mechanics of how the human body moves and balances, in order to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses.

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Grappling typically becomes an intense struggle of strength against strength, but in Krav Maga we learn how to take on people that may be considerably stronger than we are. The only way to grapple with someone stronger than you is to utilize skilled movements to gain leverage and balance over your opponent, perhaps turning their own strength against him.

#21. Throws/Takedowns

Throws and takedowns are techniques that enable a fighter to force his/her opponent to the ground, where they can be controlled further with follow-up techniques. All throws and takedowns are based on principles of manipulating the opponent’s balance; you will learn to use your opponent’s momentum against him, and execute techniques through leverage and body position to throw him to the ground.

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It is very important that a fighter remains in control of his opponent throughout the process of a throw; otherwise said opponent might counter the throw or make an escape as they fall towards the ground. One way to maintain control is to manipulate the opponent so that he falls onto his head. It is also of paramount importance to maintain control of one’s own body position and balance throughout the execution of throws and takedowns.

After the successful execution of a throw or takedown, while the opponent is grounded, a fighter must maintain control of the opponent by any means available. He can utilize gravity, and his own bodyweight, to drop powerful knee and elbow strikes onto vulnerable areas of the body. The downed opponent’s limbs can be controlled by stepping on them, or pressing the knees into them under your full bodyweight. More advanced methods of control include chokes, joint locks and downward kicks. The fighter must maintain his advantage without exposing himself to risk in order to disable the opponent after flooring him.

#22. Breakfalls

A valuable skill in Krav Maga is learning how to fall in a way that minimizes damage taken. The only way to learn this skill is to practice falling over, so make sure you train by falling onto a padded mat or soft grass. There are four types of breakfall to learn:

Backward roll

Forward roll

Side breakfall

Back breakfall

The common theme between the four types is that they all involve rolling into (and sometimes out of) a fall to lessen the impact with the ground. You should never allow yourself to fall and land with a flat, full-body crash; instead aim to land on or around the back of either shoulder, and let the rest of your body roll gradually into the landing. With enough practice, you will find that performing the appropriate breakfall becomes instinctive and automatic, and you can rely on your body to find its own way to avoid taking major damage from a fall.

CHAPTER 3 – KRAV MAGA BLOCK AND COUNTER TECHNIQUES

Blocking and countering are the techniques required to defend yourself against an attacker who attempts to strike you. Their attempted strike might be a punch, a slap, or maybe even a kick. If you train yourself to recognize and identify and attack as it is initiated, you can give yourself the time necessary to execute defensive maneuvers to ensure you remain unharmed and eliminate the threat your attacker poses. Learn some of the common striking attacks you are likely to face in a combat situation, and how some of the fundamental Krav Maga principles can be applied to keep you safe from the damage those strikes can inflict. Furthermore, learn to counterattack in order to eliminate the attacker’s threat as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

#23. Kick the Groin

There’s a reason why a kick to the groin is an illegal move in competitive martial arts. In self-defense, there are no rules, so kick to the groin with all the speed and power your have at your disposal!

Source: http://www.kravutah.com/

Begin in a staggered stance, side-on to your attacker, with your dominant leg – the one you’ll be kicking with – to the rear. To initiate the kick, engage the hip flexors and quads of your kicking leg, with the knee slightly bent, to thrust it straight outward and upward into the target area. Allow yourself to lean backward slightly at the waist, as this will help with balance. Aim to connect the lower shin with the target area for maximum damage, and straighten that knee on impact for a little extra power.

Don’t try to hit the groin with your foot or knee, because you risk injuring yourself or allowing the opponent to grab hold of you. Hit with your shin, and kick as if you are trying to follow all the way through the body towards the chin. Following through in this way will ensure you impart maximum pain and damage to your opponent.

#24. The Prevention Kick

There is a timeline to the unfolding events of every violent encounter, and Krav Maga teaches a general pattern to expect and the strategies to employ at various stages. Where possible, avoidance is always the best option; not getting into a violent encounter is vastly superior to fighting your way out of one.

The next best option is prevention, and can be put into action if avoidance is simply not an option. Prevention strikes are used to keep an attacker at bay, and the prevention kick is the weapon with the longest range; in other words, it will keep your attacker as far away from you as your own weapons will allow.

The prevention kick is very subjective to a situation. First, you must make a judgment as to whether or not your target has committed to attacking you. This decision must be made in an instant, as must the next stage; choosing a target region to kick. You will need to identify which of the weak points – knee, groin, solar plexus, hips, etc – will be the easiest for you to attack. As your opponent advances on you, launch that attack on your chosen target and land with force to stop them in their tracks.

Try to make contact with the heel or ball of the foot, as these areas are hard and enable you to get maximum power behind your strike. Keep your hands up at face level to ensure you continue to protect your head from any unexpected outcome to the situation. Once you have landed your kick successfully, follow up if necessary to make your attacker stop. At this point, scan your surroundings to ensure the danger has subsided, then escape to a safe place.

#25. Defend Against an Outside Strike

One basic defensive move can protect you from swinging strikes, such as slaps and punches, as your attacker advances towards you from the front. Through practicing defensive man oeuvres, you can change the way your body reacts to violent attacks; taking a hit on the arm can hurt, but it’s always preferable to taking a hit to the face.

As the attacker advances, raise your arms with the elbows slightly bent and fingers extended. As the attacker swings at you, intercept their attack by raising your forearm between the attacking arm and your head, thus protecting your face from harm. Simultaneously, make a fist with your other hand and fire a punch at one of his weak points - the jaw, nose or throat – to turn defense into attack in one fell swoop! Remember, attack IS the best form of defense, so try to revert to attacking as quickly as possible to maximize your chances of coming out on top.

#26. Overhand One-Handed Strike Defense

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Leaning forward in combat, though not always an instinctive maneuver, can be helpful for two reasons: it can intercept an attack, and it can actually protect your head against an incoming strike. By advancing towards an attacking opponent at speed, with the same-side arm and leg leading you, you can swiftly close a distance while deflecting their attack and preparing a counterstrike.

Think about your blocking arm’s movement by standing in a neutral stance and extending it directly outwards to intercept an imaginary attack. There should be a slight curve in your hand, with the fingers held tightly together and the thumb pressed against them; you don’t want to leave it extruding and expose it to the risk of getting broken. If you get the blocking technique correct, and time it appropriately, you will redirect your opponent’s overhand strike harmlessly along your arm and over your head. If you also manage to perform this defense and the counterpunch simultaneously, you will catch your attacker when they are most vulnerable; during the execution of their own attack.

So as you extend your blocking arm to redirect the attack, you should be stepping and leaning forwards with your lead leg to close the distance between yourself and your attacker. Lead with your hands, keeping your head defended at all times. Your forward momentum will add power to your counterpunch, which will inevitably knock your opponent off balance, perhaps even stunning him. After the counterpunch has landed, use your blocking arm (which should still be in contact with the opponent’s attacking arm) to loop over and thrust down to trap the attacking arm the opponent used against you. Once you have secured this arm, and the opponent is stunned from your counterpunch, you are free to execute any desired combination, targeting the opponent’s weakest points to swiftly nullify the threat.

#27. Punch Defense into Hip Throw

The opponent throws a straight right punch. In response, the defender steps forward with his lead foot; simultaneously, he parries the punch with his left forearm and launches a reverse punch to the opponents face or knife hand strike to the throat. As the opponent is disorientated, the defender grips his right elbow with the left hand, while the right arm wraps around the opponent’s waist, grabbing hold of his belt or pants. With a 180-degree pivot, the defender thrusts his hips into the opponent and pulls him over the right hip. Keep feet shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent but locked out. As the opponent topples over the hip, utilize the right arm to slam him to the ground. By maintaining that control over the opponent’s arm, the defender now opens up the option of executing kicks or stomps to the face, neck or ribs.

#28. Interception - Front Knee Kick

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/

As the attacker shapes to attempt an advancing movement, the defender immediately shifts to a position around 45-degrees off the line of the opponent’s attack. As he moves, he drives a kicking foot into the nearest vulnerable target, which will invariably be the kneecap. For the kick, the foot will be turned outwards and the kicking action will be a straight line, so that the surface area of the striking area is as large as possible and the kick has the maximum amount of power possible. If the kick is timed and executed properly, the attacker’s advance will be forced into an abrupt halt, and the knee joint will hyperextend, potentially resulting in a break of the joint.

#29. Stepping Side Kick

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This is a very long-range attack, and will be very familiar to fans of Bruce Lee. Standing side-on to your attacker, at a distance of 1-2 meters, the fighter will step the rear foot across the front one (this can be either behind or in front of it) to close the distance between him and his opponent. This step should be swift, and executed more like a skip than a mere step. Utilizing the forward momentum, the fighter should raise the knee of the kicking leg, then thrust a pushing kick outwards into the opponent, aiming for the abdomen or kneecap. With good timing and execution, tremendous power can be generated through this type of kick. It can be enough to push the opponent backwards and off their feet, sending them tumbling uncontrollably to the ground.

#30. Front Kick Counter

For this maneuver, the attacker attempts a front kick and the defender parries in by intercepting his opponent’s foot with his own. The defender rotates his foot 45-degrees outwards as this increases the likelihood of making contact with the opponent’s kicking foot. This counter requires sharp reflexes and good timing in the defender, but doesn’t necessarily require great movement speed.

During a fight, don’t necessarily look directly at the feet to watch for kicks, as this will make you less likely to spot other attacks. Use your peripheral vision to identify movements from the opponent’s lower body. When you see that front kick coming, step off the line of the incoming attack to get on the outside of the attacking leg. As the attacker’s leg begins to descend back to the ground, swing an upward kick directly into the calf of the opponent, aiming to impact with your shin. With a solid connection to the calf, this impact will be very powerful and could even render the opponent’s leg unusable. Your execution of this technique will rely not on your technique, but on timing. You could also throw a heel kick at the same target if you sidestep to the inside of the opponent’s kicking leg, but a heel kick is usually less accurate.

#31. Roundhouse Kick Counter

As you observe your opponent preparing to launch a roundhouse-type kick, move away from the line of attack by side-stepping to the inside of the attacking leg’s knee. Rotate your body to receive the momentum of the kick when it strikes. By shifting your position to the inside of your opponent’s knee, you will receive far less than the full power of the kicking leg. Furthermore, the harder the attacker attempts to hit, the more chance there is that he will hyperextend his knee joint against your body, while you remain unharmed. It is important to get to the inside of the attacker’s knee, because if you don’t quite get your positioning right then an experienced opponent could change their kick into a knee strike, and you will feel its full force then.

As you absorb the kinetic energy of your opponent’s kick, continue turning to roll with the kick’s momentum. From this position, it will be simple for you to sweep the attacker’s standing leg with a low kick of your own, swiftly gaining control of the situation by placing your opponent in a vulnerable position on his back.

#32. Kick to Defend against a Punch

As your opponent throws a straight punch or jab towards you, step off the line of attack to position yourself on the outside of the punch. From here, you can turn towards your attacker whilst raising your knee to your chest. Swiftly launch a downward heel kick to the outside of the opponent’s thigh or knee, knocking him off balance and potentially rendering his leg useless.

Turn your foot outwards as you drive your heel into the opponent’s leg, to give yourself maximum chance of getting a true and significant strike.

CHAPTER 4 – KRAV MAGA HOLD ESCAPE AND REVERSAL TECHNIQUES

In all probability, the most common way in which you will find yourself coming under attack will be via some kind of hold. A hold is a situation where your opponent grabs hold of you in some way that gives them control over you. Common holds include front and rear chokes, shirt/collar grabs, bear hugs and arm grabs. All of these situations can be very frightening, particularly if your attacker is larger and stronger than you, but if you act fast in the appropriate way, any hold can be escaped and even turned against your attacker. This chapter outlines numerous common holds you might find yourself in when an attacker tries to adopt a dominant position over you. Learn the mechanics of each hold, and the simplest movements you can make to escape and reverse the hold, or to gain an advantage and nullify the threat of your attacker. With practice, you can develop the quick thinking and reflexes needed to defend yourself against holds.

#33. Defending against a Wall Push

It is common for an attacker to throw their victim into a wall before proceeding to slam their head into it repeatedly for serious damage. To avoid succumbing to this tactic, you will need to react quickly and follow the steps provided here.

When thrust towards a wall by your opponent, extend both hands in front of you to absorb the impact, as if you were performing a push up against the wall. Immediately turn your head to the side to prevent your opponent from following up by smashing your face against the wall.

At the very first available opportunity, spin rapidly to either side with a high elbow strike to catch your opponent in the head, throat, arms, or any available target; the spinning elbow is an extremely powerful strike. Allow the momentum of that spin to continue, so that it carries you out of that position between the attacker and the wall, allowing you to escape. If your attacker is still attempting to grab you at this point, follow the spinning elbow with some powerful close range strikes to target areas (elbows, knees, hammer fists to the nose, eyes, throat, etc).

Once the attacker’s threat has diminished or expired, create some distance between the two of you, then take a quick scan of your surroundings before escaping the area to safety.

#34. Defending the Double-Hand Front Choke

In cases of domestic violence, for example, one of the most common attacks is a choke from the front. This attack can be devastating for the victim as it threatens their life by blocking the windpipe, and it opens them up to a number of follow up attacks that they have little chance of defending themselves against.

When an attacker closes both hands tightly around your throat, your number one priority has to be relieving your blocked windpipe. Within 10 seconds you will lose consciousness, due to the blood flow to your brain being severely hampered. The damage to your trachea from such a tight grip can be irreparable, and has the potential to cause death even if the attacker releases his grip.

Krav Maga encourages us to follow our instincts in such a situation, but modifies them just enough to make your natural response as effective as possible. When someone chokes you from the front, you will instinctively move your hands to the source of the problem; the opponent’s hands.

Shape your hands into a strong ‘hook’ by bending the fingers, tightening them and pressing them all together, including the thumb. Use these hooks to pluck explosively at your opponent’s wrists and forearms. Try to raise your elbows high and pull the shoulders backwards, giving you maximum space to swing your strikes.

With both hands occupied, your attacker won’t be able to defend himself against your strikes, so make them count. The plucks at his wrists should be executed downwards and across the arms, impacting with the fingers to make each strike cause as much pain as possible. As his forearms hurt more, his grip will loosen.

Continue the defense by arching your back, leaning away from your attacker or, at the very least, moving your pelvis closer to him. As you arch, throw in a simultaneous knee to the groin or abdomen – again, his preoccupation with his attack will leave him open. As his focus dwindles, take the opportunity to execute palm strikes to the chin, knife hands to the throat, hammer fists to the nose and even scratches to the eyes. Whatever opportunities you get, do what is necessary to force your attacker to release his grip on your throat.

As he lets go, push him away then follow with prevention kicks if necessary. As soon as there is adequate distance for you to do so, make your escape to safety and seek help. If there has been damage done to your throat, you may need medical assistance.

#35. Defending the Two-Handed Rear Choke

If you feel a pair of hands grip around your throat from behind, you don’t have a lot of time to act. The risks, as in the front choke, are severe, and without swift action you could find yourself losing consciousness and becoming completely at the mercy of your attacker. Fortunately, you can escape the situation and nullify the threat at the same time.

Raise the arm that is on the same side as the leg that is furthest behind you; if your feet are perpendicular at the time of the attack, place one foot behind you and raise the arm on the same side. For this example, we’ll say the right leg is behind, so raise your right arm directly upwards, pressing your bicep against your right ear.

Step your right leg (the rear one) behind the left, then spin vigorously in the direction of your raised right arm. Put as much speed and bodyweight into this turn, as you want to create pressure on your attacker’s wrists to force him to release his grip.

The speed of the spin, coupled with the placement of your raised arm, should force the attacker to release his grip. At this point, if there is enough distance between the two of you, take your opportunity to escape. If not, then follow up with power strikes to vulnerable target areas to nullify the threat, then make your escape when the danger is clear.

#36. Throw from Rear Choke

You feel an arm wrap around your throat from behind. Your first move should be to swiftly bend your knees, lowering your center of gravity as if executing a fast squat. Keep the feet around shoulder-width apart. Next, reach as far back as possible over your shoulder to grab the opponent’s shirt collar, or even hair, with your right hand. Press your chin as hard as possible down into the ‘V’ of the opponent’s arm which is wrapped around your neck. Grab the clothing on that same arm around his tricep with your left hand and rapidly bend forward from the waist. Lock out your knees, and use a combination of your momentum and the strength of your arms to force the opponent over your shoulder and slam him to the ground. As soon as he is grounded, take control of the situation by standing over him and dropping powerful stomps and knees to the vital areas, to immobilize your attacker.

#37. Shoulder Dislocation from Rear Choke

An alternative to executing a throw from a rear choke is to place the opponent into a damaging arm lock that will dislocate his shoulder. As the attacker initiates the rear choke, place the back of your hand against the inner side of the opponent’s forearm. Bring the other arm over the top of the opponent’s elbow and press the fingers down so that they can clasp with the other hand’s fingers, between the opponent’s arm and your throat. Keeping the hands clasped together, abruptly move around the opponent’s body so that you pull his arm across his own chest, with the upper arm aligned with his shoulders. The opponent’s arm, as you hold it, should be bent 90-degrees at the elbow. You can take advantage of this by pulling the elbow up sharply whilst simultaneously pulling the wrist downwards. This will completely undermine the opponent’s balance and easily dislocate his shoulder.

Only good body movement will allow you to properly position your opponent; upper body strength will not be sufficient. You should drop your body weight with a bend of the knees to get the desired amount of bend in the opponent’s elbow. You must also keep your own hands and elbows close to your body to prevent the opponent from being able to escape.

#38. Counterstrikes to Rear and Frontal Choke

Another defense against the rear choke is to break the opponent’s grip with a sharp rear-elbow strike to the solar plexus region. This can be followed up with a foot stomp that scrapes down the shin bone, then onto a series of follow-up strikes once the opponent has released the grip around your throat.

If the opponent initiates a frontal choke, you can rotate your body and drop one arm between the opponent’s arms from above. Sink your bodyweight by bending at the knees and drive that hand to the ground with great force, then reverse the action by exploding upward with an elbow strike or uppercut aimed at the opponent’s chin, groin or stomach.

#39. Front Bear Hug Defense

The bear hug is a common tactic used by attackers of superior size and strength to squeeze the breath out of you. It can also be used to simply establish a hold, prevent you from counterattacking or establish a dominant position on top of you. In any of these cases, the bear hug can do a lot of damage and lead to you being placed in an extremely vulnerable position; one which could be very difficult for you to escape from.

Source: http://ak.c.ooyala.com/

Your attacker will need to be close to initiate a bear hug. They will reach around your torso, form a tight grip around your lumbar region and pull you in towards their body. If you don’t react quickly enough to create space for yourself, you will be almost guaranteed to find yourself being lifted off the ground, thus losing much of your ability to counterstrike.

Once again, by using both his arms to establish the hold, your attacker has rendered himself incapable of defending his head. So, once he grabs you, your first move should be to use your free hands to attack his face.

Spread your fingers naturally over his face to establish control. Look to get the thumbs under his chin, index fingers on or under the nose, middle fingers pressing into the eyes and the ring and pinky fingers on the forehead. With this grip established, aggressively tilt his head backwards so that he can’t see, and is completely distracted from his attack.

As his grip loosens, ground yourself and find some space to move your legs and hips. As soon as possible, execute multiple knee strikes to the groin and abdomen to immobilize your opponent. Once he lets go, create distance while keeping your guard up. Scan your surroundings, and escape to safety as soon as possible.

#40. Escaping a Rear Bear Hug

This type of bear hug is when an attacker approaches you from behind and wraps their arms around your torso from the rear, pressing your arms against the sides of your body. Attacking the face is not so easy in this scenario, so a different defense must be enacted to escape the danger.

The first step is to drop your bodyweight swiftly downwards by mimicking the action of a fast squat. Your center of gravity will be immediately lowered, making you much harder to pick up or maneuver.

With a wide stance (feet wider than hip-width) you should now be able to shift your hips to one side. This will create the space required for you to execute single-handed strikes to your attacker’s groin. Use open palm strikes to do so as hard as you can, until his grip loosens.

Take this opportunity to lunge forward slightly, creating space for you to throw a spinning elbow into his abdomen, turning to face your attacker as you do so. At this point, continue to attack his weak points if necessary to nullify the danger, but take the earliest opportunity to create more distance, scan your surroundings and escape to safety.

#41. Escaping a Headlock

If you are placed in a headlock, the first thing to do is turn the chin in towards your attacker’s body to prevent you from choking. Next, slide your hand up the opponent’s back and reach around to his face, aiming to apply pressure directly into the eyes or the sensitive spot underneath the nose. Avoid letting your fingers go into your opponent’s mouth, or you will find yourself getting bitten painfully on your fingers.

Source: https://i.ytimg.com

From here, you will gain some control over your attacker, as well as distracting him from his attack. Take advantage by pushing him backwards and tipping him down across your own knee and onto the ground, maintaining control by persistently applying that pressure under the nose or into the eyeballs. Complete the technique by dropping a hammer fist or elbow strike to the opponent’s groin or throat, immobilizing him and giving you the opportunity to escape.

#42. Defending the Single Hand Shirt Grab

If an opponent grabs your shirt in the chest area with one hand, this is more than likely a precursor to throwing a punch with the other hand. You will want to be conscious of this as you attempt to escape the shirt grab as quickly as possible.

With this in mind, keep your hand that is on the opposite side to where he has chosen to grab you free, and keep it raised to defend your head. With your other hand, form a strong hook by bending the fingers and pressing them tightly together, then use this hook to vigorously pluck at the opponent’s wrist. Repeat this attack rapidly to peel the hand off you, then hold on to the attacker’s arm close to your chest, keeping it under control.

With your free hand, you can simultaneously counterattack. Keep the shoulder high to protect your head as much as possible, and execute clawed attacks to key targets on your opponent’s face. Stab at the eyes and aim to grab facial bits like the nose and cheeks.

Once you have established a grip on part of his face, step towards your attacker and vigorously tilt his head backwards to disorientate him even further. He will now be at his most vulnerable, allowing you to follow up with knees, elbow strikes and hammer fists until the threat is nullified.

When possible, separate and create distance between yourself and the attacker. Scan your surroundings and make your escape to safety.

#43. Wristlock from Collar Grab

When an attacker grabs hold of you by the collar, or chest, of your shirt, your first reaction must be to reach up and grab his hand. At the same time, step backwards to pull him off balance. You can then peel his grabbing hand off you by crushing his thumb and bending it backwards towards the wrist in a straight line motion. Keep that tight grip on the opponent’s thumb by keeping your hands close to your own body, where your control is at its strongest. From this point, turn your body so that you have your opponent in a painful wristlock. Achieve the wristlock by rotating your opponent’s wrist about a 45-degree angle and pushing it in towards the elbow. In this position, you can manipulate your opponent to the ground by pushing his palm downwards, and from there you can stand on that hand and follow up with various strikes to vulnerable areas.

#44. Wristlock from Arm Grab

When an attacker grabs your arm, you should quickly rotate your arm in order to grab the opponent’s forearm. At the same time, place your other hand onto the opponent’s gripping hand to secure it in place, preventing him from moving away. Take a step in towards your attacker, maintaining that grip on his hand and forearm, to form a ‘Z’ shape with his arm and wrist. This is a very effective wristlock, which can be intensified by trying to push your opponent’s fingers into his own eyes.

#45. Elbow Lock against the Body

With this technique, and attacker can find his elbow locked against the side of his body. When you have the opponent’s arm in your grip, turn your body to force his elbow into an unnatural position; one in which it was not designed to move. From here, apply extra leverage on your opponent’s wrist to gain total control – this elbow lock causes intense pain, and will have your opponent at your mercy. If necessary, you can easily break the elbow from here to incapacitate your opponent and render his arm completely ineffective. To ensure success, this technique needs to be executed with maximum force and speed, so that the opponent has no chance of escaping or reversing it.

#46. Knee Lock/Break

You can target an opponent’s knee to execute a knee lock, or even a break. This is achieved by forcing the knee to bend in the opposite direction to that in which it was designed to bend! The way to make this happen is by using your strongest weapons (kicks or knees) against the opponent’s knee when the leg is straight, putting all your bodyweight behind your attack to force the opponent’s knee to hyperextend and possibly break. Such a break is a catastrophic injury for someone to suffer, so only try one of these attacks if the situation really calls for it.

#47. Rear Strangle Takedown

If you are able to position yourself behind your opponent, you can make use of this technique. You begin by striking the rear of your opponent’s neck with your forearm/wrist (this attacks the carotid artery, and will stun your opponent). Follow up by wrapping your right arm in a ‘V’ shape, bent at the elbow. Grasp your left bicep with the right hand, then wrap the left hand around the back of the opponent’s head. Now squeeze the hold, pulling and flexing the right arm whilst simultaneously pushing the opponent’s head forward with your left hand. Jump and kick your legs backwards, allowing your full bodyweight to pull down and backwards against the opponent’s neck. He will be compelled to tip backwards and fall to the ground. This attack is extremely powerful, and can result in the breaking of the opponent’s neck if you don’t loosen your grip. This is not something you want to do, unless the situation absolutely requires such a drastic conclusion.

CHAPTER 5 – KRAV MAGA TECHNIQUES FOR DEFENDING AGAINIST WEAPONS

One of the most frightening prospects, in terms of potential scenarios in which you would need to defend yourself, is that of being confronted by an attacker wielding a weapon, with the clear intent of using it on you. In most cases, particularly for the unskilled civilian, the best option is to co-operate with the attacker, or flee the scene if it is possible to do so safely. Sometimes, however, escape without setting up an escape route is not possible, and yielding to an attacker’s demands will not necessarily end the threat of serious harm that you face. If there is nothing you have to hand that can be used as a weapon, then you may be forced to tackle the armed attacker’s threat empty-handed. This chapter introduces you to a few simple techniques you can use to defend yourself against attacks with weapons.

#48. Unarmed Defense against Melee Weapons

Facing an armed opponent with no weapon of your own should only be a last resort. If you find yourself in a position where you have no other option, the following options are available to you:

Repeatedly move your body away from the line of the opponent’s attacks. Swiftly step off that line, every time it becomes apparent, and even parry the opponent’s arm if necessary, just to make sure the weapon clears the body.

Take control of the weapon. You can seize control by trapping the arm that holds it in a joint lock on the shoulder, elbow or wrist. An inexperienced opponent will focus all their attacks through the weapon, which makes them vulnerable to attacks on other parts of their body.

Use an effective counterattack to stun your attacker. Any counterstrike should be fast and devastating. Low kicks and extreme joint locks that cause breakages are extremely effective, as are strikes to nerve centers and other vulnerable targets such as the eyes, groin, throat and temple. Another possibility is to sabotage your opponent’s balance, placing him in a vulnerable position. Anything goes, so don’t hold back when your life is in danger.

Ground your attacker. If you take him to the ground, his weapon offers him virtually no advantage as he has no foundation to direct it from. Once he is grounded, you can follow up with numerous powerful attacks to disable your attacker.

Disarm your attacker. By breaking his locked joints, or targeting some nerve centers that affect his grip, you can cause your attacker to drop his weapon and thus completely lose his advantage.

#49. Defense against a Straight Stab

Starting in your orthodox left stance, your left arm is at the forefront to parry your attacker’s thrust as you sidestep off the line of attack. The arm should be bent at a little less than 90-degrees, allowing it to safely deflect-redirect the attacker’s straight stabbing attack while swiftly stepping to your left. The parrying movement only needs to be a small one, as Krav Maga teaches that the limb that leads a defensive movement only needs to move subtly, the main defensive maneuver being to evade.

The deflection-redirection motion must not be an uncontrolled swipe or slap towards the incoming arm (this is a common mistake in the inexperienced and unconfident). The defending arm makes use of the entire stretch between the pinky finger and the elbow; this compensates for any variation in the height of the opponent’s attack.

The hand of the defending arm should be in a knife hand strike position, and the movement of your sidestep will rotate your wrist outward so that the thumb rotates towards the attacker’s leading arm. Once you have made contact with the arm carrying the edged weapon, try not to allow that contact to be broken.

Even if you can’t fully secure the arm, keep it pinned to the attacker’s torso so that he can’t execute any more stabbing or slashing attacks. In this position, you can proceed with attacks to your opponent’s head and neck, or low kicks to key areas of the legs. The opponent will, of course, attempt to escape this position. Ensure you remain away from any potential attacking line, and stay close enough to your opponent that you are within the arc of any attack, such as a backstab or backslash, that he might launch if he manages to free his arm.

#50. Defense against a Two-Handed Overhead Attack

Swiftly close the distance between you and your attacker, as this type of attack requires space and distance to execute. Align your lead defense hand along with a forward body lean, and tuck your chin into your shoulder as you advance. Push off your rear leg for a burst of forward momentum straight towards your opponent. If you get close quickly enough, you will find that your lead hand passes over the opponent’s whilst his overhead attack passes harmlessly beyond your head and down towards your back.

Keep your lead deflecting hand in contact with your opponent’s arm, and continue advancing powerfully forward by pushing off that rear leg. This will ensure that the attack continues to pass harmlessly down your back and ends without causing any damage. At this point, rotate your lead deflecting hand and snake it around the arms of the assailant. This arm can be used to gain control of the weapon.

Simultaneously, execute powerful counterattacks in the form of punches and elbow strikes with your free arm. Add in some knee strikes and low kicks as well. If you aren’t able to trap both his arms at the same time, your priority should be the attacker’s far-side arm. Place it in a tight overhand grip.

CONCLUSION

Krav Maga is a dangerous and powerful fighting system that is relatively easy to become proficient in, but it does take practice. The words in this book, the videos on the internet and the diagrams on a page are no substitute for guided practice with other students in a safe environment. There are certain dynamics to combat that can only be grasped through experience, and even sparring is no match for a real fight when it comes to the intensity and the level of the stakes.

This is why your number one, go-to strategy should be to avoid combat at all costs. No good can come of it, and there is no martial art that teaches a person to go out and seek violence simply because they now have the weapons with which to defeat an opponent. “Self-defense” is a somewhat undefined concept, and even people who have acted in what they considered to be self-defense, and emerged unscathed from combat, have found themselves plunged into further troubles based on the extent of the force they used on their attacker.

Generally, ‘self-defense’ means actions you take to negate the threat of an opponent who has demonstrated clear intent and actions to inflict bodily harm upon you. This could be the drawing of a weapon, the swinging of a punch, or the attempt to grab someone in a combative or non-consensual sexual fashion. Under these circumstances, use of reasonable force to defend yourself is generally justified when it comes to the legal considerations. The problem is in defining (and proving) exactly what that ‘reasonable force’ is.

Without witnesses on hand, no-one will know exactly what went down in a violent encounter except for the people involved. These people are generally on opposing sides of the conflict, and thus have separate agendas when giving an account of what happened. If an attacker attempts to throw a punch at you, but you evade or parry it and counterattack with strikes that break the opponent’s teeth or bones, it may fall upon you to prove that the damage you inflicted was justified and necessary. If you are completely unscathed, and your opponent is badly injured, you could find yourself in for a difficult time proving that you were not the offender.

This is the danger of learning a deadly fighting system like Krav Maga. You will gain the skills and knowledge to inflict serious damage – even death – to any person with whom you enter a violent encounter. Unless you are a soldier, it is generally a good approach to never use techniques that you know could cause death or spinal damage to someone; only in the most extreme self-defense scenarios will such techniques be needed. The biggest responsibility every martial artist should maintain is that of not abusing the power their skills afford them. Defending yourself means neutralizing a threat so that you are safe; it does not mean turning that threat back on an attacker and punishing them for attacking you.

Hopefully, this book will have given you a compelling introduction to the combat system of Krav Maga. If you want to expand your knowledge and become a capable practitioner of the art, you should strongly consider looking for a good Krav Maga class or school near you. Work hard, train diligently, and practice your skills responsibly, and you will feel safe when you are out and about in the big wide world.