hayseed
Member
I'm interested in Krav Maga but I havn't found anything near me (central IA). Are the dvds or books any good? I don't want any Tae Bo exercise video type stuff, but the real deal.
anybody use Krav Maga books/videos?
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pauli
Member
exactly. find a good instructor that trains for the same reasons you do. the quality of instruction dictates how good you'll end up, not what particular style they're teaching.
books and tapes can't tell you what you're doing wrong.
books and tapes can't tell you what you're doing wrong.
MedGrl
Member
A friend and I who practice martial arts together borrowed a Krav Maga book from a mutual friend and have been looking through it and testing the techniques described. We concluded that they are sound in theory but as with any martial art techmique they take a lot of practice and training and that you need to adapt them to yourself and each situation. It may be worth finding a class if you can just to get your own perspective and experience with it.
mikeb3185
Member
check out kravmaga.com (assuming you have not already) they have a location tab on the site. i dont see any for IA but maybe another state is close.
KriegHund
Member
If you cant afford classes, its better than nothing.
If you have a friend who'd be willing to try some things out with you it would help TONS.
100% of the stuff i learn in my class feels far different when you do it on a person AKA youre doing even a small thing wrong that throws it all off.
If you have a friend who'd be willing to try some things out with you it would help TONS.
100% of the stuff i learn in my class feels far different when you do it on a person AKA youre doing even a small thing wrong that throws it all off.
My .02
Krav is a good system in that it will work for you and it is relatively simple. I liked it because you didn't necessarily need to do it 100% perfect like other arts might require. You don't need the finesse or pinpoint accuract to do what you need. You don't necessarily train for belts, and you don't have the competitions. Its more "martial" than "art".
The longer you train with it, the more it becomes "art". Meaning we were taught some goofy things that I would never use in the street unless I felt like dying for soem reason. Its all about the instructor.
My point is that with a partner, you will be able to use the Krav DVDs and some pads to build yourself a pretty good basic combative system for not too much $$$.
Krav is a good system in that it will work for you and it is relatively simple. I liked it because you didn't necessarily need to do it 100% perfect like other arts might require. You don't need the finesse or pinpoint accuract to do what you need. You don't necessarily train for belts, and you don't have the competitions. Its more "martial" than "art".
The longer you train with it, the more it becomes "art". Meaning we were taught some goofy things that I would never use in the street unless I felt like dying for soem reason. Its all about the instructor.
My point is that with a partner, you will be able to use the Krav DVDs and some pads to build yourself a pretty good basic combative system for not too much $$$.
Autolycus
Member
Aikido or some other grappling art may be a good alternative. And perhaps you could find a Krav Maga instructor in the near future.
DontBurnMyFlag
Member
I took Krav Maga and I have the following to say about it. 
For my class we spent the majority of the day hitting pads with our knees and elbows. Basic stuff. We did alot of pushups and conditioning etc. It wasnt worth the money. The handgun and knife disarms were introduced but taught at seminars (which always cost more money)
Israeli FIGHT system is not that good either. If you can find a place that teaches it WELL, go for it. Just like Tactical guns is a new trend, military themed martial arts are as well. Suddenly everyone is an ex-navy seal teaching combat hapkido
Dont get taken in by propaganda. There are some good Krav Maga and F.I.G.H.T schools out there. But you have to do research.
The books and DVD's really only help if you learned stuff in the class.
Take up systema. First day we did gun disarms that were so simple and fast you mastered them by the end of the day.
www.russianmartialart.com
For my class we spent the majority of the day hitting pads with our knees and elbows. Basic stuff. We did alot of pushups and conditioning etc. It wasnt worth the money. The handgun and knife disarms were introduced but taught at seminars (which always cost more money)
Israeli FIGHT system is not that good either. If you can find a place that teaches it WELL, go for it. Just like Tactical guns is a new trend, military themed martial arts are as well. Suddenly everyone is an ex-navy seal teaching combat hapkido
Dont get taken in by propaganda. There are some good Krav Maga and F.I.G.H.T schools out there. But you have to do research.
The books and DVD's really only help if you learned stuff in the class.
Take up systema. First day we did gun disarms that were so simple and fast you mastered them by the end of the day.
www.russianmartialart.com
Rockrivr1
Member
I've been taking a Krav Maga type class for about 3 months now, but I was in the same situation as you. I couldn't find one listed in the Krav Maga web site that was close to me. A little research on Superpages.com found me a place that taught a mixture of Krav Maga, Thai Kickboxing and Kendo Karate. And it kicks my butt two to three times a week if I can get to class that many times. My experience has been opposite of DontBurnMyFlag. The class does use a lot of pads and "simulated" human bags to train. It also incorporates a LOT of push ups, jump ups, sit ups, crunches and stretching, I think though that it's important to do those things to build up your endurance. The one thing that may be different then DontBurnMyFlag's place is that at the end of every class you end up in a circle called Shark Bait. One person is placed in the middle while 5-6 other people circle him/her. The object of this circle is to continually attack the person in the middle using the techniques taught in the class that day. No reprieve, just someone coming at you always. If you didnt learn properly during class, you learned real quick this way. Or else you took a beating.
Edited to add: No way no how you get that kind of workout from books/videos. I think you always need someone pushing you to get the sweat factor needed to make it worth while.
Edited to add: No way no how you get that kind of workout from books/videos. I think you always need someone pushing you to get the sweat factor needed to make it worth while.
DontBurnMyFlag
Member
I admit some of Krav Maga can be helpful and it is indeed an overall good martial art. I have just had bad experience.
However, in systema, we do not use similated persons. We hit each other, with bare fists. We learn to take punchs and give punches. Hard stuff is done with pads. We circle up and have anywhere from 5 -12 people attack one guy. Sometimes its done with 2 guys back to back fighting off a group. We focus on groundfighting, knifefighting and knife defense, handgun disarms etc. Ive been doing it for about 6 months and I can already hang with the best of em. Its easy to learn because its all natural.
However, in systema, we do not use similated persons. We hit each other, with bare fists. We learn to take punchs and give punches. Hard stuff is done with pads. We circle up and have anywhere from 5 -12 people attack one guy. Sometimes its done with 2 guys back to back fighting off a group. We focus on groundfighting, knifefighting and knife defense, handgun disarms etc. Ive been doing it for about 6 months and I can already hang with the best of em. Its easy to learn because its all natural.
Rockrivr1
Member
Hummmmm, DontBurnMyFlag. Your class sounds pretty interesting to. I signed up for 6 months with the class I'm taking now. At the end maybe I'll look into the type of class your taking and see what it offers. Can never get to much diversity when it comes training.
Roundeyesamurai
Member
Here is the problem with Krav Maga:
The overwhelming majority of "Krav Maga" instructors in the US and Canada are affiliated with the American Tae Kwon Do Association, and conduct their training in ATA schools.
In other words, Krav Maga (as taught in these circumstances) has been diluted enough to be palatable to as broad a potential student base as possible. To be perfectly frank, you won't get much more out of most Krav Maga classes than you will out of any other commercial martial arts, simply for the fact that commerical Krav Maga has been made to be easy enough and safe enough to appeal to Joe Q. & Jane Q. Public.
This isn't a problem unique to Krav Maga, as most of the martial arts community is similarly commercialized.
I wish I had a convenient, 5-minute answer to "how and where to find GOOD martial arts instruction", as I am asked the question quite a bit, but I don't. You have to look at a particular instructor individually, and make assessments based on that.
The overwhelming majority of "Krav Maga" instructors in the US and Canada are affiliated with the American Tae Kwon Do Association, and conduct their training in ATA schools.
In other words, Krav Maga (as taught in these circumstances) has been diluted enough to be palatable to as broad a potential student base as possible. To be perfectly frank, you won't get much more out of most Krav Maga classes than you will out of any other commercial martial arts, simply for the fact that commerical Krav Maga has been made to be easy enough and safe enough to appeal to Joe Q. & Jane Q. Public.
This isn't a problem unique to Krav Maga, as most of the martial arts community is similarly commercialized.
I wish I had a convenient, 5-minute answer to "how and where to find GOOD martial arts instruction", as I am asked the question quite a bit, but I don't. You have to look at a particular instructor individually, and make assessments based on that.
JMusic
member
Learning how to fight and defending yourself takes a LONG time. Endurance certainly helps but you must be willing to devote time, years! No matter what class I've taken I always found the sparing part the most benificial.
I believe that self defense classes as a whole do people little good because they don't invest the time. Most people would be much better served if they learned how to stay out of a fight. How to evade and flee. Yep sounds chicken sh
but bottom line even if you are very proficient at whatever sport you have practiced you are risking your life. My belief is you would be better off learning how to use a high intensity light and pepper spray and how to get away. Awarness training and trusting your instincts. These are what people could use with smaller investments in time and over all keep you safe.
Jim
I believe that self defense classes as a whole do people little good because they don't invest the time. Most people would be much better served if they learned how to stay out of a fight. How to evade and flee. Yep sounds chicken sh
but bottom line even if you are very proficient at whatever sport you have practiced you are risking your life. My belief is you would be better off learning how to use a high intensity light and pepper spray and how to get away. Awarness training and trusting your instincts. These are what people could use with smaller investments in time and over all keep you safe.Jim
All I can say is that the two Krav Maga schools in the greater Portland area are competent, well-run and don't mix it with other systems.
Krav Maga is military combatives. Like any other military combatives course it is designed to produce quick results for physically fit people in a short time. What I've seen by certified instructors has been good solid stuff although it lacks the depth that longer-term systems may provide. You'll learn a lot more in the first couple years. If you're in it as a lifetime pursuit there are other things that will take you further ten years down the road.
Krav Maga is military combatives. Like any other military combatives course it is designed to produce quick results for physically fit people in a short time. What I've seen by certified instructors has been good solid stuff although it lacks the depth that longer-term systems may provide. You'll learn a lot more in the first couple years. If you're in it as a lifetime pursuit there are other things that will take you further ten years down the road.
asiparks
Member
Find some kind of lessons,something that involves a good bit of contact. Problem with books and videos is that you don't get used to having someone whale on you. Practising with friends you get into a routine and don't try to really, really hurt each other and a big part of surviving a fight, when you actually have no other choice, is how you react after, say having your nose or ribs broken. Some people curl up, some people explode with aggression, you might think you'd know what you'd do, but I've seen "trained" people just stand there, dazed, not really aware of what just happened to them, trying to recall some routine they learned... I would try boxing first because you'll have to deal with someone trying to actually beat you unconsious and that will sharpen your reflexes and teach you distancing rather quickly. Even in some of the X against 1 classroom situations mentioned, there is still a level of withholding and safety, because you don't actually want any students killed, so people tend to back off and you can end up with a dangerously false sense of your abilities...
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