Krav Maga

by Kevin Lewis, David Michael Gilbertson

Overview

Krav Maga, which means “contact combat” in Hebrew, is an easy-to-understand/remember aggressive system of self-defense. Idiot’s Guides®: Krav Maga will not only define what it is, but also review the principles and systems of techniques and training to ensure survival. Combining in-depth information and easy-to-understand illustrated instructions, this guide will be a wonderful tool to help train both men and women on how to protect themselves, deal with threatening situations, and reverse dangerous situations where they’re at a disadvantage.
 
Idiot’s Guides®: Krav Maga covers:

- The origination of Krav Maga: its history, birthplace, philosophy, and why it was created.
- The core essentials of Krav Maga’s theory and practice.
- A review of how to condition the body and mind to outside threats and violence.
- An understanding of not only the physical aspect of Krav Maga, but how it is part of the bigger picture of personal protection.
- The thought process of the attacker and how to avoid potentially dangerous situations, if possible.
- How Krav Maga differs from martial arts, primarily in terms of not following handed down fighting rules and techniques.
- A breakdown of the belts in Krav Maga (yellow, orange, green, blue, brown, black), what it takes to attain them, and the differences between them. 
- Step-by-step illustrated directions on the popular stances, positions, movements, kick/punch strikes, falls, joint locks, deflections, and techniques from the basics to advanced moves.
- How to use body weight, your most powerful muscles, and momentum to defeat an attacker.
- Instruction on protecting the body and weapons defense, in addition to mastering escapes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781465451163
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	08/09/2016
Series:	Idiot's Guides
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	524,186
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Kevin Lewis personifies the philosophy that the best teachers are lifelong learners. From martial arts to tactical weapons training to survival training, Lewis is forever the eager student. Fortunately for rest of us, he's also the consummate teacher. A Navy veteran with security and antiterrorism training, Lewis is known as one of the world's top instructors for military and private sector security teams and as an expert in the instruction of defensive tactics. His private training roster reads like a "who's who" list, encompassing many prominent directors, writers, and actors who he's prepared for action roles in more than 20 major motion pictures. He has worked in all aspects of the security field, including executive protection, celebrity protection, and high- and low-profile operations. He's a third-degree black belt in Krav Maga, a first-degree in Shudo-Kan Karate, and a 2010 Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee.David Michael Gilbertson is a black belt instructor in Krav Maga. He has been a fitness industry entrepreneur and consultant since his days as a collegiate athlete. Since coming to California to learn and train others in Krav Maga, David has run a number of successful functional fitness health clubs built upon the concept of incorporating fitness, nutrition, and restoration. Additionally, he partners with other entrepreneurs in a variety of outside ventures focusing on merging commerce with quality of life and leaving the world a better place. Currently on the Exercise Science Advisory Committee for Health and Fitness at a Southern California university, David has been involved in spreading the word about health, fitness, well-being, and Krav Maga for more than a decade. During that time, he's taught thousands of individuals worldwide, including first responders, celebrities, business leaders, and everyday people alike. While he loves the business of business, what drives him most is seeing positive transformational changes in his motivated clients every day. David is a natural mentor, and he loves helping people of all ages find and/or restore their missing mojo.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Introduction to Krav Maga 9

What Is Krav Maga? 10

Defining Krav Maga 10

The Purpose of Krav Maga 11

The Origin of Krav Maga 12

Imi Lichtenfeld 12

Timeline 12

Krav Maga in the West 13

How Krav Maga Differs from Other Martial Arts 14

The Primary Goal 14

Sport vs. Real-World Application 14

Traditional vs. Open System 15

Benefits of Krav Maga 16

Low Cost 16

Increased Mental Fitness 16

Improved Physical Fitness 17

Types of People Who Practice Krav Maga 18

Law Enforcement/Security 18

First Res ponders 18

Civilians Who Want to Defend Themselves 19

Levels 20

Belt and Patch Systems 20

Patch and Belt Level Progressions 21

Finding a Krav Maga Instructor 22

Doing Your Research 22

Krav Maga Certifications 22

Checking It Out 23

Krav Maga FAQs 24

Part 2 Getting into the Right Mind-Set

Having Situational Awareness 28

What Is Situational Awareness? 28

Visual Cues 29

Cooper's Color Codes 30

OODA Loop 31

Attack Cycle 32

The Four Parts of the Cycle 32

Your Body's Response to Stress 34

Physiological Responses to Stress 34

Psychological Responses to Stress and Reaction Time 35

Understanding Human Predatory Behavior 36

Personality Subtypes of the Aggressive Personality 36

Dealing with Unbridled Aggressives 37

The Importance of Aggression 38

The Benefits of Aggression 38

How to Become Aggressive 39

Use of Force 40

Legal Use of Force 40

How to Act 41

Employing Krav Maga Principles 42

Krav Maga Foundations 42

Action and Reaction 44

Training 47

Dealing with the Aftermath of a Fight 48

What You Should Do 48

The Eight Basic Aftermath Steps 49

Part 3 Krav Maga Techniques 51

Fundamentals 52

Positions 54

Passive Stance 54

Fighting Stance 55

Control Position 56

Movements from Fighting Stance 58

Forward Movement 58

Backward Movement 59

Left Movement 60

Right Movement 61

Movements from the Ground 62

Back Position 62

Side Position 63

Getting Up from the Ground 64

Fall Breaks 66

Back Fall Break 66

Side Fail Break 68

Sprawl 70

Basic Defenses and Blocking 72

Inside Defense 72

Outside Defenses 74

Covering Defense 78

Inside Defense Against

Punches on the Ground 80

Outside Defense Against Punches on the Ground 81

Striking 82

Straight Punch 82

Hammerfist Forward 84

Hammerfist to the Side 86

Palm Strike 88

Eye Strike 90

Throat Strike 92

Elbows 94

Knees 100

Kicking 102

Front Kick to the Groin 102

Front Kick to a Vertical Target (Defensive) 104

Stomp Kick 106

Back Kick Standing 108

Ground Side Kick 110

Ground Stomp Forward 112

Defense Strategies 114

Mastering Escapes 116

Choke from the Front 116

Choke from the Side 118

Choke from Behind 120

Choke Against the Wall (From the Front) 122

Choke Against the Wall (From Behind) 124

Headlock from Behind (Rear Naked Choke) 126

Headlock from the Side 128

Bear Hug from the Front (Arms Free) 130

Bear Hug from the Front (Arms Caught) 132

Bear Hug from Behind (Arms Free) 134

Bear Hug from Behind (Arms Caught) 136

Hair Pulls (Front, Side, and Back) 138

Purse or Backpack Snatch 140

Multiple-Attacker Situation 142

From the Ground 144

Buck, Trap, and Roll 144

Choke on the Ground 148

Headlock While Mounted 152

Kick Off from the Guard 156

Escape from the Guard and Getting Up 160

Weapons Defense 162

Edged Weapons 164

Overhead Knife Attack 164

Underhand Knife Attack 166

Impact Weapons 170

Side Baseball Bat Attack 170

Overhead Baseball Bat Attack 174

Handguns 176

Handgun from the Front 176

Handgun from the Back 180

Part 4 Krav Maga Training 185

Protective Gear and Equipment 186

Hand Wraps 186

Boxing Gloves 186

Mouth Guard 187

Groin Protector 187

Grappling Gloves 188

Focus Mitts 188

Kick Shield 189

Tombstone Pad 189

Training Weapons 190

Training Gun 190

Training Knives 190

Rattan Stick 191

Solo Training 192

How to Train 192

Warm-Up 192

Stretching 192

Shadow Boxing Solo Drill 192

Partner Training 198

Attack Drill 198

Focus Mitts Drill 200

Inside and Outside Defense Drill 202

Stress Training 204

Ways to Increase Stress in Your Training 204

Stress Drill 206

Aggressiveness Training 208

What You Accomplish with This Training 208

Aggressiveness Drill 209

Conditioning 212

How It Works 212

Jumping Rope 212

Bodyweight Training 214

Glossary 216

Index 220