The Birth of Krav Maga
Krav Maga is based on our most primitive and natural instincts. The Hebrew word "krav" means struggle and was first used in the Old Testament when Isaac wrestled with Gabriel, the angel of death. Although many Krav Maga building block techniques have existed for thousands of years, the self-defense system was developed, modernized, and fine-tuned during World War II and Israel's War of Independence by Emerich "Imi" Lichtenfeld (Sde-Or).
Born in 1910 in Budapest, Hungary, Imi grew up in Bratislava, Czechloslavakia. Imi's father, Samuel Lichtenfeld, joined a professional circus troupe, where he excelled in both wrestling and boxing. After developing extensive knowledge in fitness training along with wrestling, boxing, and mixed-skill fighting, Samuel joined the Czech police as a detective and led the force in arrests.
Samuel founded and ran the wrestling club and gym "Hercules," where he trained Imi and other young competitive athletes. Imi rapidly distinguished himself as a champion in judo, boxing, wrestling, gymnastics and ballroom dancing, among other athletic pursuits. Imi also became a world-class gymnast, trained a ballet-dancing troupe, and starred as a stage show thespian in "Mephisto".
In 1935 Imi visited Palestine with a team of Jewish wrestlers to compete in the Jewish Maccabi sports convention. Unfortunately, Imi fractured a rib during a training accident and could not compete. This accident led to Imi's fundamental training principle emphasized in his own words: "don't get hurt." Imi quickly concluded that only real necessity justifies a "win at all costs" approach. These two tenets eventually fused to create Imi's Krav Maga training approach.
Imi returned to Czechloslavakia to face increasing anti-Semitic violence. As Nazi hatred infected Slovakia, Jews were increasingly victims of near constant violence. To protect the Jewish community from marauding fascists and anti-Semites, Imi organized a group of young Jews to protect his community. On the streets, Imi quickly learned the vital differences between sport martial arts competition and street fighting. While serving on the front lines to protect his community, Imi began to combine natural movements and reactions with immediate and decisive counterattacks.
These community self-defense activities made Imi a wanted man by the fascist Nazi occupational authorities. Nazi intolerance soon quickly reached a crescendo as the Germans began their systematic extermination of European Jewry. In May 1940, the Beitar Zionist Youth movement invited Imi to join them on the riverboat, Pentcho, bound for Palestine.
Imi steamed down the Danube through the hostile, yet unoccupied banks of Hungary, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Romania and then into the open Black Sea through the Turkish Straits. He and other refugees survived the hardships of man and nature, including a quarantine intended to starve them while marooned on the Romanian delta. Imi showed his selflessness by plunging into the water and saving a drowning child. Consequently he developed an ear infection that would plague him throughout his journey.
Upon entering the Aegean Sea, the Pentcho's engines failed, grounding the boat on a desolate island. Imi and three other refugees took a life boat and rowed for three days. Imi's ear infection gradually worsened and became life-threatening. A British airplane spotted them and summoned a British warship to rescue them. After receiving treatment for his ear-infection, Imi enlisted in the British supervised Free Czech Legion. After exemplary military service in the Middle East, Imi was released from the British Army following the German Afrika Korp's defeat at El Alamain in 1942. Imi was granted permission to remain in British-ruled Palestine. His friends then introduced him to the leaders of the Zionist community's defense organizations. Although Imi escaped to Palestine, his family remained behind. They all died during the war.
Israel's early leaders recognized Imi's fighting abilities, innovativeness, and his ability to impart this training to others. Imi began training the Palmach (elite fighting units), the Palyam (marine fighting units), and the Hagana, which would merge into the modern-day Zahal or Israeli Defense Force. This training included fighting fitness, obstacle training, bayonet tactics, sentry removal, knife fighting, stave/stick fighting and any other military-oriented problems that required a creative solution.
In 1948 Imi became the principal authority in close-quarters-combat for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). He was in charge of training a disparate group of soldiers of all shapes, sizes, and abilities, many of whom did not speak the same language. He needed to develop a self-defense system that would work for not only spry eighteen-year-olds and elite fighting troops in prime physical condition, but also for middle-aged and graying reserve soldiers. He needed a system that soldiers could learn quickly, during their 3-week-long basic training. Finally, he needed a system that worked, one that soldiers could apply to any situation at any time intuitively and without hesitation.
A Fighting System that Works for All
Until the World War II era, traditional self-defense techniques left soldiers ill prepared to defend against armed attackers. As the fledging Israeli state formed, Imi knew its soldiers needed to learn a type of close-quarters combat that could protect them against firearms, explosives, and other modern threats. Thus, Krav Maga-the world's most effective close-quarters combat system-was born.
As he developed the method, Imi worked tirelessly to ensure Krav Maga success was not dependent on a practitioner's strength or expertise in any one combative including punching, kicking, grappling or throwing. He took all aspects of a fight, both armed and unarmed, into account.
Imi had studied many different fighting styles in his youth including boxing, wrestling, judo, jiujitsu, aikado and fencing. In 1948, Imi melded his knowledge of these various fighting disciplines together and created the complete fighting system now known as Krav Maga.
Merging Self-Defense with Close Quarters Combat
Until the advent of Krav Maga, self-defense and close-quarters combat were thought of as two distinct methodologies. Self-defense usually included situations in which a defender was unaware of an impending attack. In close-quarters-combat, two opponents are aware of the other's respective movements and perceived violent intent.
Krav Maga fuses the two disciplines into one fighting system, giving the trainee the tools needed to defend oneself both when taken by surprise as well as when one is well aware of your opponent. In Krav Maga, you'll learn to quickly react under any situation. A trainee learns to both neutralize an attacker as well as develop a fight strategy that may include defensive posturing, and movements, coordinated attacks and counter-attacks, and overall tactics.
For the next two decades, Imi served as chief physical fitness and Krav Maga instructor for the Israeli Defense Forces. The vast knowledge acquired through Krav Maga training prompted the military authorities to recognize Krav Maga as a distinct self-defense-close-quarters-combat system. Later, the Israeli Ministry of Education also granted Krav Maga state recognition for training in public schools.
From Soldiers to Civilians
Imi's teaching skills were often sought abroad. His lessons extended beyond just self-defense-close-quarters-combat training to emphasize character and moral training. For example, in 1960, when instructing a Royal Police Guard unit in Ethiopia, Imi realized during a bayonet defensive tactics lesson that several trainees had attempted not to learn with him, but to actually bayonet him. At the next training session, Imi rectified this uncooperative attitude by sprawling his attacker with a full force kick, halting any further "tests."
This incident prompted Imi to reinforce proper student attitude: "be humble." Proving oneself is not necessary. Humility and respect, Imi emphasized, prevents injury, loosing face, or turning away from Krav Maga or any other demanding pursuit as a result of frustration. In 1964, after retiring as chief instructor Imi, began to adapt his system for civilian use. This civilian form of Krav Maga is the focus of this book.
In 1970, he began teaching a state recognized Krav Maga instructor's course. He encouraged the instructors to join military, security, and police units or to establish themselves as professional instructors within the civilian community. Imi focused both on teaching professionals and adapting his system to provide ordinary civilians - men, women, and children - with solutions to avoid and/or end a violent encounter. In 1978, Imi, along with his senior students including his successor, current Grandmaster Haim Gidon, established the Ha Agudah L'Krav Maga Yisraeli or the Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA) in his hometown, Netanya, to promote Krav Maga throughout the world for both civilians and the professional security community.
About Grandmaster Haim Gidon
Grandmaster Haim Gidon (10th dan and IKMA President) was born in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1944 and moved to Israel in 1961. Haim fought in the Six Day War, War of Attrition, and Yom Kippur War. Prior to the 1967 War, Haim resumed his competitive boxing and decided to learn more about the Krav Maga principals he had learned in the military. In 1978, Haim helped Imi co-found the IKMA.
In 1994, Haim was elected as IKMA president and opened his current gym and the main training center for the IKMA located on Ben Zion Street, Netanya, Israel. In 1995, Imi entrusted Haim to grant 1st dan Krav Maga black belt and senior blackbelt levels. In an IKMA public ceremony, Imi awarded Haim Gidon 8th dan, an honor that promised that 9th and 10th dans "were to come" and designating him as Imi's successor.
Imi approved of Haim's additions and modifications to the Krav Maga system, especially the development of retzev, the extensive groundwork and weapons defense modifications.
Haim is a member of the Wingate Professional Committee (Israel's national sports institute). Haim has taught Krav Maga tactics for the last thirty years to Israel's law enforcement, security and military personnel. He has received special commendation from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies worldwide for his specific Krav Maga law professional training curriculum and his teaching expertise is requested worldwide.
A generous American philanthropist and supporter, Daniel Abraham, trained with Haim Gidon's partner and suggested that it be developed in the United States. Imi traveled to the United States with several English speaking senior instructors to promote the KRAV MAGA system. The first international KRAV MAGA assistant instructor's course was held in 1981 in Netanya, Israel. Three American instructors from the 1981 course, Rick Blitstein, Alan M. Feldman, and Darren R. Levine returned to the United States to become instrumental in KRAV MAGA's American expansion and development.
About The IKMA Professional Committee
The Israeli KRAV MAGA Association (IKMA) Professional Committee now assists Grandmaster Gidon. This professional committee includes the highest-ranking Israeli IKMA instructors, including Ohad Gidon, Yoav Krayn and Yigal Arbiv.
Ohad Gidon, 6th dan, is one of the highest-ranking instructors in Israel. Ohad began his training under Imi and other senior IKMA instructors. Ohad is now instrumental in it's development and curriculum, along with his father, Grandmaster Gidon. Ohad is recognized as a "senior coach" by Wingate.
Yoav Krayn, 5th dan, is one of the highest-ranking instructors having also trained with Imi and other senior instructors. Yoav has trained under Grandmaster Gidon since 1985 and serves as general secretary for the IKMA.
Yigal Arbiv,4th dan, is one of Grandmaster Haim Gidon's top instructors. After serving in an elite paratroop unit as a weapons specialist, Yigal attended Wingate to receive his "senior coach's" certification. Yigal is a professional security specialist and instructor.
Noam Gidon,4th dan, is Grandmaster Haim Gidon's third son and one of his top instructors. After serving in an elite unit in the Israel Defense Forces, Noam attended Wingate to receive his KRAV MAGA "senior coach's" certification and will graduate from the ultra-prestigious Technion University with a degree in computer science.
Using One's Head
Imi was once asked why he did not concentrate and commercialize blackbelt training materials into two years of study and charge a high fee. In response, Imi recalled a time he forced himself to learn a German poem verbatim knowing in advance he would be tested in the next twenty minutes. He recited the poem, received a well done from the teacher, and, subsequently, forgot the poem one minute later, for good. Rather than promote short-lived learning by rote, Imi emphasized developing a lasting ability. To accomplish this, he incorporated mental imagery into the training program. Imi often said, "it comes from the head." In other words, your training comes from your brain absorbing, retaining, translating, and combining your instincts and learning into action.
KRAV MAGA's Belt Ranking System
To help separate the KRAV MAGA system into manageable learning segments for civilians, Imi created a belt-ranking system and focused the system on the most common types of unarmed street attacks. KRAV MAGA's self-defense phase includes the first four belt levels of yellow, orange, green and blue, including more than one hundred joint lock and chokehold variations. After blue belt, it begins to emphasize advanced close-quarters-combat phases including weapon-against-weapon techniques. The most advanced black-belt levels (dans) focus on professional security and military applications along with teaching. A blackbelt kravist has mastered the seamless integration of the following non-exclusive categories:
Combatives (all manners of strikes, take-downs, throws, joint locks, chokes, ground fighting) and the corresponding combative defenses
Advanced rolling and fall-breaking
Weapon defenses, weapon retention and attacks
Third party hostage rescue situations and other professional applications.
When faced with a hostile situation you have the option: fight or flight. I cannot overstate the importance of avoidance, retreat, and escape. Escape from potential a confrontation is usually the best option. Escape, however, is not always possible. When you cannot escape, you fight. The self-defense techniques you will soon learn will help you to repel or neutralize an attack, causing minimum injury to the attacker, but preserving the option of more debilitating moves.
The Israeli Defense Force, National Police, and Security Agencies now train their personnel in KRAV MAGA. Such personnel use KRAV MAGA techniques nearly everyday to safeguard personal weapons, defend against unarmed and armed attacks, apprehend suspects, and perform other security-related activities. Since its inception, KRAV MAGA has helped to make the Israeli military one of the most feared and effective fighting forces in the world. As a result, the self-defense system continues to expand internationally, both among professionals and civilians. At the time of this writing, it was taught in more than two dozen countries.
Founder Imi Lichtenfeld established the non-profit Israeli KRAV MAGA Association (IKMA) in 1978 to promote KRAV MAGA throughout the world. After Imi's retirement in 1964 as the military's chief instructor of physical training and self-defense, he focused on adapting his system to provide both professional security agencies and ordinary civilians - men, women, and children - with solutions to avoid and/or end a violent encounter. Haim Gidon, the highest-ranking individual in the world at 10th degree black-belt, heads the organization as Imi's appointed successor. The IKMA sponsors worldwide programs and courses are available at the Association's main training facility in Netanya, Israel.
Grandmaster Haim Gidon, (10th dan and IKMA President) is a member of KRAV MAGA founder Imi Lichtenfeld's first training class in the early 1960's. Along with Imi and other top instructors, Haim Gidon co-founded the Israeli KRAV MAGA Association (IKMA) which he now heads as President. In 1995, Imi nominated Haim as the top authority to grant 1st dan KRAV MAGA black-belt and up. In an IKMA ceremony, Imi awarded Haim Gidon 8th dan and stated 9th and 10th dans "were to come" designating Haim as the highest ranking KRAV MAGA instructor. (Video clips of the ceremony are available at http://www.kravmagaisraeli.com ).
Imi approved of Haim's adding extensive groundwork modified weapons defenses and other additions/improvements to the KRAV MAGA system.
Haim Gidon is also a committee member of the Wingate (Israel's national sports institute) professional committee representing the self-defense style of KM. Haim Gidon, as President and Grandmaster of the IKMA, has taught the Israeli Police defensive tactics for the last thirty years to Israel's security and military agencies
The Competing KRAV MAGA Organizations
Unfortunately, competing personalities split the IKMA into different camps and in 1994, after Grandmaster Haim Gidon was elected President, the other senior ranked belts left to form their own associations teaching their own interpretations. While Imi tried to maintain and support good relations with each of his competing instructors, Imi stood by his original organization. The International Federation (IKMF) run by Eyal Yanilov was formed in 1994. Worldwide Enterprises (KMWE) run by Darren Levine was formed in 1998 while the KRAV MAGA Association of America severed all ties with the IKMA in 1995 and teaches its own version of KRAV MAGA. Haim Zut formed his own association, in 1993 now known as Haim Zut Richard Douieb founded his own European association in the mid 1980's. Master Kobi Lichtenstein formed the South American Association in 1990.
The Israeli government recognizes the non-profit IKMA as the governing body for KRAV MAGA. Imi Lichtenfeld remained with his original KRAV MAGA organization, the IKMA, until his final days. Haim was duly elected President of the IKMA in 1994. After Imi awarded Grandmaster Gidon his 8th dan in 1996 announcing publicly that 9th and 10th dans were to come and, several members left the IKMA to form their own competing KRAV MAGA organizations. These organizations instruct KRAV MAGA according to their own interpretations and imitations.
Imi formally approved of Haim's modifications and additions to the curriculum which were not made available to these new competing KRAV MAGA organizations. Imi's designation of Haim Gidon as his successor indicates Imi's faith in his original organization while Imi and Haim's hometown, Netanya, Israel serves as the hub of learning and development. Many non-affiliated organizations use and have registered the IKMA's distinct kuf-mem logo without the IKMA's permission. The IKMA strongly opposes this and is challenging this misappropriation of its logo and goodwill.
The IKMA's representatives in the United States fought and defeated the attempted trademark of the name KRAV MAGA. We had to preserve the IKMA's ability to teach Israeli KRAV MAGA in the United States. We recognize this opened the floodgates to anyone claiming to be a KRAV MAGA instructor to teach his or her imitation of Israeli KRAV MAGA. This, indeed, may well lead to the degradation of KRAV MAGA's stellar reputation. However, as the original and longest standing KRAV MAGA organization founded in 1978, given the choice of the ability to teach in the United States using the name KRAV MAGA or being prohibited by an attempted trademark of the name KRAV MAGA, the choice was obvious. We fought and won.
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