Self-Defense - But Not Krav Maga

What do you do if you want to learn self-defense but can’t sign up for krav maga classes? Whether there is no krav maga gym in your city, it’s too far away, or you simply don’t connect with what’s being taught there, it would be good to find an alternative that works.

Self-Defense - Why?

Knowing how to defend yourself and, when necessary, protect someone you care about is an extremely important skill. In a dangerous situation, the chance that someone will come to your aid or that the police will arrive in time is quite small — you must rely on yourself, your instincts, and what you have learned.

How Do You Choose a Gym / Style?

The most important thing is to find a gym where you feel comfortable and enjoy going. The more you train, the greater the chances of developing the necessary qualities; first of all, any gym near you that you actually attend 2-3 times a week is better than the most professional gym in the city that is too far away and that you will never actually go to. Secondly, look for a welcoming group that also challenges you and gives you the opportunity to improve. If you don’t like your teammates or instructors, you probably won’t go often or for very long. Similarly, if you only take a beating without learning anything, or if the training is too easy and you have no way to progress, it won’t be long before you quit!

Regardless of the style / sport you pursue, focus on the basic techniques and set aside the super-spectacular ones. Self-defense situations are unpredictable, extremely dynamic, and carry a high degree of risk. Jumping and spinning kicks, complicated joint locks, “sacrifice” techniques, and procedures that require more time to execute may not be the most appropriate. When you learn a technique, think about whether you could use it both in the gym and on the street, in summer and winter, in shorts and in a dress / suit — ideally even if you’ve had a drink and it’s dark outside. If it’s obvious that a technique can only be applied under perfect conditions, it’s time to think about a simplified version or to drop that technique altogether.

Martial Arts and Sport vs. Self-Defense

For a scenario to qualify as a self-defense situation, it needs to have a clearly defined outcome: to be safe. This generally means creating an opportunity to leave the scene of the incident, but it depends 100% on the situation; almost never, however, will it involve staying face to face with the attacker at close range to see what happens next… Try to incorporate something like this into training, or at least visualise escaping, even if you have to do other things during practice.

The situations in which we may need to defend ourselves are practically infinite; you could be in a car or on a tram, at the cinema or on the beach; you could be standing, seated, or on the ground; you could be alone or with family, attacked by a single person or by a group. This means that training must cover a very wide range of techniques and tactics and expose you to diverse scenarios. If the type of training you have access to is not diverse enough, or if it claims that all situations can be resolved by the same approach, I recommend that you at least supplement your training with something extra.

Let’s Go — It’s Possible :)

I hope the above has given you enough reasons to look for a gym / club where you can learn something that will make you safer. We would be thrilled and proud if everyone practiced krav maga, but the reality is different. And in the end, what matters most is that YOU know how to defend yourself and protect your loved ones. The details are less important.

If you are in Timișoara (or passing through) and are interested in our self-defense courses, come join us for training! In Bucharest, you’ll find our colleagues at Krav Maga Dacians. Train well!

Photo by Thao Le Hoang on Unsplash