5 Facts About the History of Krav Maga
Krav Maga is a self-defence system highly regarded for its effectiveness. Its practicality and realistic moves have made it popular all over the world. This is a martial art that is rooted in survival, not fighting-several means of using one’s body to save themselves from life-threatening experiences. Following are five key facts about the history of Krav Maga that delineate some very unique origins and development for this particular self-defense system.
1. Krav Maga was Developed by Imi Lichtenfeld
Krav Maga was developed by the Hungarian-Israeli martial artist and ex-boxer Imi Lichtenfeld. During the 1930s, Lichtenfeld resided in Czechoslovakia, where he applied his fighting skills to anti-Semitic gangs to protect Jewish neighbourhoods. His fighting on the streets led him to develop, in himself, the core of Krav Maga-neutralizing threats quickly and effectively with natural body movements.
2. Drawing from Military Training
Krav Maga’s rise as a formal martial art began when Lichtenfeld immigrated to Israel in the late 1940s. The newly formed Israel Defence Forces were looking for some kind of combat system that could be quickly taught to soldiers. Lichtenfeld’s method, taken from elements of boxing, wrestling, and street fighting, was taken into service with the IDF because of its simplicity and brutal effectiveness. To this very day, Krav Maga plays an important part in training within the Israeli military.
3. Practical Application is Key
Krav Maga is in variance with most other martial arts that one can think of, which always seem to have so much emphasis placed on forms, rituals, and rules, because this particular art was targeted at realistic situations in which one might find oneself. In fact, Lichtenfeld advanced the idea that techniques must be widely applicable under any type of threat-a knife attack, a gun threat, or many attackers. It teaches its practitioner to do whatever it takes to survive and thus includes the use of everyday objects as weapons.
4. Evolved for Use by Civilians
While Krav Maga indeed originated in a military setting, over time its practice has been extended to include law enforcement and civilian self-defense. During the 1960s, Lichtenfeld began instructing Krav Maga to civilians in Israel, modifying his system to adapt to students of all ages and capabilities. The civilian aspect of Krav Maga today places an emphasis on accessible techniques of self-defense, though still adhering to the concepts of efficiency and aggression.
5. International Popularity
In the 1980s, Krav Maga began to spread outside of Israel, creating gradual popularity in Europe and the United States. Krav Maga Worldwide, under the tutelage of Darren Levine, a student of Lichtenfeld, helped bring this system to the world stage. Today, it is practiced by civilians, police departments, and military units worldwide for its no-nonsense approach to self-defense and combat training.
