What is Krav Maga?

UCL is the best way to learn Krav maga.

“Embraced by the FBI and SWAT teams alike, Krav Maga is also a staple of high-end gyms across the globe, where a faster-paced and less-combative version provides a workout that could literally save your life.” – TIME Magazine

Krav Maga (pronounced “Krav mahGAH”) is an effective, modern, and dynamic self-defence and fighting system. It is designed to be practical and intuitive for people of any age, shape, or size. The techniques expand on your natural instincts to develop skills quickly and effectively while enabling you to address attacks under any scenario. You will learn how to defend yourself and your loved ones while gaining increased awareness and instinctive reflexes.

Krav Maga (“contact combat” in Hebrew) was developed in the 1950s, combining the most effective techniques and philosophy from various martial arts and fight training. It was originally taught to the Israeli Army, and instruction for civilians began in the late 70s. Multiple forms of Krav Maga continue today: civilian (self-defence), law enforcement (arrest or detain), and military.

Why should I train in Krav Maga?

“‘Part of the Krav Maga philosophy is that the best way to win a fight is not to get into a fight. So we spend a lot of time figuring out how do you de-escalate situations and win through avoidance of conflict,’ [the CEO of PayPal] says. When conflict is unavoidable, Krav Maga teaches how to use everything at your disposal to neutralize a threat while remaining calm under pressure.” – Wall Street Journal article on Tactical Krav Maga Institute

Krav Maga is a pure self-defence and striking system. There are no competitions or showcases for self-defence scenarios. We train in Krav Maga to help us avoid and survive the worst case scenarios. If someone is threatening your life, we train on how to avoid that scenario, to begin with, and if it is already beyond the point of no return, we are trained to use the most effective strikes and techniques to prevail, while under extreme stress. There are no elaborate choreographies nor absolutes. There are no uniforms and no traditions. We do not train in Krav Maga to start fights or show off. We train to save our own lives and the lives of our loved ones. As quoted by the founder Imi Lichtenfeld, we train in Krav Maga “so that one may walk in peace.”

Training in Krav Maga

No experience is necessary to begin Krav Maga. In the beginning, you will learn basic stances, striking, techniques for falling and getting up safely, and basic defenses against common attacks including chokes and headlocks. In addition to learning how to deal with an attack, you will train to perform better under stress and learn awareness and prevention techniques that will help keep you from getting into problematic situations.

After mastering the basics, advanced students will train to deal with multiple simultaneous attackers, weapons, complicated situations, and learn advanced combative and weapon techniques (standing up or on the ground).

For beginners, Krav Maga P1 classes are the perfect class to take for your first class in Krav Maga. We rotate through the material constantly and do not have a set rotation or a set “introductory class”. We find that most students cover and practice all of the material sufficiently after about 4 months or 35 classes to be ready for the P1-to-P2 test. We know it’s sometimes intense to join in on an ongoing class, but this is a part of the training. Self-defense means training under intense and unsettling circumstances. If you want to be able to react calmly during the unexpected, it’s critical that you train under stress. Join in, and do your best. All ages, shapes, and sizes can learn life-saving skills from Krav Maga training.

For students coming from other martial arts: Since our material and purpose is different from other martial arts, we ask that you begin in P1 classes until you have received instructor approval to advance.

Why UCL Krav Maga Institute?

At UCL, we believe in providing the best in self-defense training, focusing on realistic scenarios with high-quality instruction and attention. Our classes are serious, but ego-free, safe, and fun. UCL’s Krav Maga Institute is your best source of authentic Israeli Krav Maga. All of our instructors are trained, certified, and professional, with extensive experience.

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