Can we all just come to an agreement about Krav Maga?

**Dr. Sleepless** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 1:53pm

And that it is utter bullshit? It's bad karate mixed with bad judo and bad jujutsu.

It's supposed to be wrestling + boxing, otherwise known as Pankration developed by a Persian who doesn't like wester europeans then it got to american and became some kind of bizarre "hardcore" angry white boy aikido/karate look-a-like.

WHY can't people just get over this?

**Devil** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:21pm

Krav Maga is ****.

It's a demo art. I did some Taijutsu training when I was a teenager and Krav Maga reminds me of that. Not necessarily the techniques, but the way it's trained. It looks cool as hell to someone who's untrained or lacks experience with alive training. But in reality, what you see is Uke freezing after one technique - usually a lunge punch or a big overhead stabbing motion or some ****. When people train like that, the techniques they're using are irrelevant. The bottom line is that they have no experience applying their techniques to a fully resisting opponent.

And then Krav Maga guys say, "but we train full contact." Maybe, but when they do, it looks like boxing and bears no resemblance to the techniques they're teaching.

A good friend of mine is becoming a cop. He just went through a few days of training and came back saying how badass Krav Maga is. I wanted to roll my eyes and sigh heavily, but I smiled and told him it was cool that he enjoyed it.

**RWaggs** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:23pm

I get the sense that you (Sirc) have a friend/acquaintance who is similar to a friend of mine who talks about Krav frequently, buys into all the sup3r d34d1y street hype surrounding this art and thinks that every Israeli former enlisted man/woman is some sort of super-trained killing machine. I know...it's annoying, especially since most Krav I've seen does pretty much look like crappy JJJ/Karate, except more choppy and aggressive.

I will say that the KM school near me, from what I've heard, seems to focus quite heavily on conditioning and fitness (people commonly vomit during training), and conditioning is a good thing, but I agree with you that there's nothing mystical or superior about KM and I'm frankly sick of hearing about it, especially from those who don't train in it....you know, like the people who saw it on Oprah or something and now think they can disarm a gunman.

Is it the worst art out there? No. Does it have anything on MT, BJJ, Cambo, Boxing, KK (and KK variations), Judo etc etc? Absolutely not.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:24pm

Once when Bullshido was down for maintenance I went over to sherdog to see what all the fuss was about.

When someone asked "what is the best style to defend yourself in prison" the general consensus on sherdog was that "krav maNga" was the best all around MA. What a bunch circkle jerking dumbasses. Obviously, if those turds knew anything they would have known it's krav maga not "krav manga". If they aren't informed enough to even know the correct name of the style why would they even recommend an art they know nothing about. Nevermind, how stupid the OP was.

**Snake Plissken** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:27pm

not true.
Krav Manga involves having innocent wide-open inviting eyes and white cotton panties showing from beneath a sailor or plaid schoolgirl skirt.

All fine qualities to survive in prison.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:30pm

I stand corrected!

**Gezere** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:36pm

Originally Posted by Sirc

And that it is utter bullshit? It's bad karate mixed with bad judo and bad jujutsu.

It's supposed to be wrestling + boxing, otherwise known as Pankration developed by a Persian who doesn't like wester europeans then it got to american and became some kind of bizarre "hardcore" angry white boy aikido/karate look-a-like.

WHY can't people just get over this?

Sadly Krav Maga is a pretty badass system. HOWEVER its one of those things where the people who circle jerk on KM's badassness do not train like the people who make KM badass. The KM course I took geared to professional security personnel was AWESOME! The KM at the ATA school....HORRIBLE! But people still think its all KM so they are just as uber deadly as an IDF Commando who trains is ass off on a regular basis while they go to a class once or twice a week.

**Devil** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:40pm

Gezere, can you point us to any videos on the internet that show the "good Krav Maga"? I have never seen any examples that weren't garbage. If there are people out there practicing it differently, I'd honestly like to see it.

**HereBeADragon** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:41pm

I'd have to say yes and no to this one. In America Krav is krap for the most part. BUT Krav Maga is also as I understand it an umbrella term like kung fu. Krav also covers Kapap and Hisardut. The "Krav Maga" classes in the US are basicly as much bullshit as a generic "kung fu" class is in the US. Now if your in Israel you stand a better chance of finding quality instruction but if you look for specific names like Hisardut you stand a good chance of finding a good school in the US. Like many other art it comes down to lineage. Are you training with someone who received their training in Israel and actually knows what he or she is doing or are you training from a karate guy that did a weekend cert so he could call is bullshit Krav Maga? Makes a significant difference.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 2/28/2011 2:48pm

I'd take krav maga fighting stance over a typical tkd one, and krav maga defenses over the inward, upward, downward and outward blocks with chambered fists that a lot of kempo/karate/tkd places teach. Also the boxing style punches over chambered punches. And how techniques actually have improvised elements instead of long set techniques.

Of course, being better than crap doesn't make it great, but I've heard krav maga get shot down from people defending styles with loads of bullshit. Glass houses, stones.

Also, Bas Rutten likes it.