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Can You Learn Krav Maga Online? Here’s How to Get the Most Out of Your Practice

Krav maga is a self-defence system with a proven track record in real-world scenarios.

It emphasises simplicity and practical effectiveness over-commitment to a single fighting style. As a result, anyone can learn krav maga if they try hard enough.

With that being said, if you want to truly master krav maga you will have to face living opponents as a part of your training. But there is a lot you can learn on your own before you reach this level.

The web is a powerful ally for learning elements of krav maga in a safe context. Here is what you need to know to get started.

What Krav Maga Is All About

It’s rare for a combat system to reach its mature form only a couple of decades after its inception, but this is the case with krav maga.

To help you understand what krav maga is all about and the secrets behind its effectiveness, we have divided this section into two parts: the history and the theory of krav maga. Each will highlight one aspect of krav maga that you will need to learn before you can call yourself a krav maga practitioner.

The History of Krav Maga

Krav maga was originally developed during the 1940s by an Israeli fighter called Imi Lichtenfeld.

Lichtenfeld grew up on the streets of Bratislava in former Czechoslovakia during the rise of fascism and anti-Semitism in Europe. He learnt how to fight from his father, but he soon found on the street that classic boxing and wrestling moves were not that effective. He started working with his friends on a new way of fighting that, at its heart, had to be both easy to learn and effective in the regular street conflicts of the time. This system, just called ‘close combat’ in hebrew was taught to many jews in the area, and became a battle tested tool to help people protect themselves.

Krav maga was exclusively used by the military until the 1970s. During this time it has proven its effectiveness in battlefields across the Middle East. Once Lichtenfeld retired from the military, he began teaching krav maga to civilians.

The Theory of Krav Maga

As a system of self-defence, krav maga relies on a number of theoretical principles as its foundation.

These principles are not shrouded in mystery nor given esoteric names. They are instead based on the idea that you should end a fight as quickly as possible by using any means necessary.

Here are the main principles of krav maga you should keep in mind:

  • Use pre-emptive attacks when opponents are close
  • Attack and defend at the same time where possible
  • Strike until the opponent is no longer a threat
  • Use the environment to your advantage
  • Aim your attacks at the most vulnerable parts of the body (eyes, throat, groin, etc.)
  • Maintain composure throughout the fight

Krav Maga in Practise

There are three areas of krav maga you can learn and practise on your own.

The first area concerns movement and striking. Krav maga involves learning a number of techniques that help you understand your bodies range of motion and effective striking distance. The idea is that understanding the way the human body moves can help you predict how your opponent will strike, and provide you opportunities for effective counter-attack.

The second area concerns physical fitness and conditioning. In order to use krav maga techniques, it is nighyl beneficial to train your body to improve its capacity for strong motion. This is by far the easiest aspect of krav maga to learn on your own.

The third area concerns the mindset behind krav maga. The way you practise these is by honing your observation skills, as well as learning how to maintain composure in combat scenarios.

3 Ways to Learn Krav Maga Online

Now that you know what learning krav maga involves, we can examine our main question – can you learn krav maga online?

The answer is a qualified yes. You can learn quite a bit of krav maga just by practising on your own thanks to the power of the internet.

Here are the most common resources to consider to get a hang of krav maga.

1. Krav Maga Online Courses

If you don’t want to (or can’t) go to a krav maga school in real life, online training courses are the next best thing.

These courses will teach you the basics of krav maga movement, striking, and defence against attackers. You will also learn about the mindset of krav maga, and how to develop it on your own.

Before you start learning krav maga at home, make sure you have all the necessary krav maga training equipment. You don’t want to damage your home or hurt anyone during practice, including yourself.

2. Krav Maga Videos on YouTube

YouTube and other streaming sites have been a huge boon for aspiring martial artists, and for students of krav maga, it’s no different.

You can find videos on practically any aspect of krav maga online, including footage of actual encounters, legacy training videos by Lichtenfeld himself, move demonstrations, and more.

3. Krav Maga Communities on Social Media

Social media has done a lot to spread the popularity of krav maga around the world.

Thanks to features such as Facebook Groups, krav maga enthusiasts can easily find each other online, share resources, and talk about their krav maga training experiences. This kind of information is invaluable for solo krav maga practise.

Where to Go Afterward

You can learn a lot of krav maga from the comfort of your home, but if you want to take things a step further, you will have to start working with flesh and blood opponents.

There are two main ways you can do this:

Krav Maga Schools

Entering a krav maga school is the logical next step after you reach the limits of training online.

Krav maga exploded in popularity in recent years, and as a result, there are krav maga schools in most major cities around the world. Search your Google business listings to find one in your area.

Krav Maga Personal Training

You can also find krav maga practitioners living in your area if you want to spar with real partners at some point.

This allows you to test the skills you have learnt, as well as learn the ones that require an opponent to practise. The majority of the self defence scenarios, throwing and submission techniques fall under this area.

Start Your Self-Defence Journey Online

Self-defence is an essential skill in a time where street unrest is becoming increasingly common.

If you learn krav maga, you will develop the skills and the attitude needed to safely avoid a whole range of nasty situations. You will also improve your general fitness, which will benefit your overall health.

Make sure to check out our training courses. Your journey to understanding krav maga is only a few clicks away!

This article originally appeared on Krav Maga Classes Online and can be found here.