Principles of Krav Maga

Krav Maga is not a martial art it is a self-defence system that is based on principles rather than techniques.  Krav is not sport orientated it is combat orientated.  It is not elegant it is aggressive by design and it is effective.  To understand the essence of Krav Maga one needs to understand its principles.  All Krav Maga Cambridge students should understand the BKMA Combat Principles listed below and their application in a conflict situation:

1. Stop the Immediate Threat. The first and most immediate concern is to stop an immediate attack and prevent/reduce injury. This may mean prioritising between two simultaneous threats such as being held by the throat and punched in the face. This is the most important principle of all.
2. Immediate, Aggressive Combatives. The Kravist should use fast, aggressive combative counter strikes to vulnerable areas as soon as possible. There should be the smallest amount of time between defending and attacking as possible. Countering quickly prevents further attacks and may stop the attacker immediately.
3. Disengage as Quickly as Possible. The ultimate objective of Krav Maga is survival not defeat of an attacker. The Kravist must disengage from the assailant as quickly as possible. The majority of street assaults have two or more attackers, so it is vital the Kravist disengage quickly and escape the situation. Exceptions to this principle could be the need to protect a third party, to make an arrest, or to remove a weapon.
4. Scan for Next Threat. After disengaging, the Kravist must scan for further threats and dangers. Emphasis is placed on physically scanning around, as the movement of scanning helps overcome the effects of stress induced tunnel vision. Moving the head also helps the eyes identify movement in the peripheral vision.

In addition to the principles listed above I would suggest the following principles should also be borne in mind:

• Techniques must be delivered with conviction and aggression
• Techniques should overwhelm your opponent’s ability to defend him/herself
• Once engaged you should only disengage when the threat has been neutralised or you can affect an escape without further threat to your personal safety

These principles are based on the premise that no two situations are ever the same. Rather than learning rigid techniques to particular problems Krav Maga provides a framework of combative and defensive options based on an understanding of the guiding principles.  The Kravist decides which combative or defensive technique to deploy depending on the particular situation and threat faced at a particular time and place.  This flexibility of approach makes this system incredibly adaptive as well as highly effective and relatively quick and easy to learn.  It is combat proven and it works.