Tag Archives: best krav maga

Get Aggressive!

Posted on by
Reply

We must learn how to defend anything that comes at us.  We must understand the concepts and principles of self defense, and then create the most effective ways to get out of each situation safely.

The other element to being able to defend oneself is learning how to be as aggressive as possible, and then harnessing that aggressiveness and adrenaline to create an even more effective defense.

This is not something that you can study or learn outside of a training room.  You must FEEL it.  You must feel the adrenaline and intensity through your entire body and use it to make your attacks stronger and more effective.

We do many drills to practice under stress and while extremely fatigued, trying to simulate what it feels like in a real fight.  We push our students and teachers to fight when they think they don’t have an ounce of energy left in their bodies, and they learn to overcome even the toughest obstacles.

Learning to be aggressive will build confidence and help you believe that you can fight back against anything.  When you realize the importance of this, your ability to defend yourself will dramatically increase!

In this week’s video we do one of my favorite drills.  Fighting as hard as you can while being pulled in a different direction helps you feel the adrenaline and overcome obstacles while you are attempting to strike.

In the end, if you must fight for your life.  Do not hold back.  Flip on the light switch and go until you are ready to leave the situation safely!

 

Ok, that’s all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven – Twitter

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

Please leave it in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!

 

 

Arm Bar!

Posted on by
Reply

I rarely recommend submission holds in a street fight or a self defense situation.  It is extremely dangerous to be on the ground due to our lack of mobility and any number of variables that can happen on the street.

The truth is you can have the greatest arm bar technique in the world and while you are executing it his buddy can come over and stomp on your head.  So let me say this again, if possible, stay off the ground and use strikes to get up as quickly as possible when already on the ground in a real fight.

That being said, it is still crucial to understand any type of attack so that we can become more well rounded fighters and so that we can learn what to expect in a fight.  I must understand the basics of grappling and submission holds as they may be used against me one day and I want to understand how it works in order to be able to best defend against it.

And of course, there may be a situation where this technique truly is the best counter attack that I can use, and in that case, I want to know how to do it!

In this weeks video I go over the basics of an arm bar from the guard.  You can absolutely break someones arm while doing this, so be careful in training!

If I must use an arm bar, I will then attempt to get to my feet as soon as possible, assess the situation, and leave safely.

Ok, that’s all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven – Twitter

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

Please leave it in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!

Shotgun Defense

Posted on by
1

When dealing with a Long Gun threat, I must abide by similar principles to that of a hand gun or a pistol.  I follow the acronym, R.C.A.T., which we use to defend against the majority of gun threats.

  • Redirect
  • Control
  • Attack
  • Takeaway

First I must redirect the line of fire off of my body.  Once I have made this redirection, I must make sure that the line of fire is never put back on me or anyone that I am protecting.

Second I must control that line of fire, and to ensure that step one is maintained throughout my defense and I stay out of potential harm.  At any moment the gun could fire, and I never want to take the chance that I will be in front of the weapon should that happen.

Third, and often simultaneously with the ‘control’ step, I must attack as strong as I can to the most vulnerable area on the body that is available to strike.

Finally, I must safely take the weapon away while maintaining control of the line of fire.  This may mean striking until the attacker is knocked unconscious, or simply taking the weapon away at the first moment that it is available to take.  Circumstances change based on the type of weapon and the position that the threat is posed to you.

When dealing with a shotgun or long gun, it is important to make the most efficient redirection possible and then get inside the line of fire.  Once inside, I can use the gun as a blunt weapon against the attacker if I move quickly and throw an effective counter attack to gain a momentary advantage.

Remember, when defending against a ‘gun threat’, we are not necessarily racing the finger pulling the trigger, but the change of mind made by the attacker to escalate his threat into an active shooting scenario.

Ok, thats all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven – Twitter

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

Please leave it in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!

 

 

 

 

Attacking where it hurts…

Posted on by
Reply

“It’s all fun and games until someone gets kicked in the balls” -me

There is no way of knowing who or when someone will attack you.  It is important that we never make any assumptions about an attacker, and if we do assume anything, it should be that we will be at a disadvantage in size, strength, and stress level.

So if the person that attacks me is stronger than me, and faster, and more coordinated, how can I possibly get out of the situation safely?  One of the answers to that question is that I need to choose smart and effective counter attacks that will likely illicit a response out of someone regardless of size or strength.  I need to make quick movements that are difficult for the eye to perceive, thus making them difficult to defend against.  Going after the eyes, throat, groin, and knees are great places to start should you need to fight your way out of a dangerous situation.

One of these attacks, is the front kick to the groin.  Sometimes referred to as ‘The Krav Maga Handshake’ (see official pic below!), we use this attack in many situations that require us to defend ourselves.  This move is effective, fast, hard to see, and it can do some seriously painful damage!

BXIewb8CcAAgSVZ

In this week’s video, we have a special guest instructor Kelly Campbell, who has been known to do some serious damage with her front kick.  In this particular scenario, someone has entered her home, and she uses the front kick as an effective weapon to do get an immediate response and then she moves in to finish the fight with other combatives.  Often, you can use this kick to buy yourself enough time to run away if that is best way to get out of the situation safely.  Every situation is different so the best plan of action is to make the strongest/fastest kick that you can and then assess your surroundings and any imminent threats and make your next decision from there.

Ok, thats all for now. Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ @AJDraven – Twitter

KMW Lead Instructor – AJ Draven

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

 

Krav Maga Stick Defense

Posted on by
Reply
I am a big fan of baseball, (Go Cardinals!)… However I am not a fan of someone swinging a baseball bat or a stick at my head!

In this week’s video, we discuss what it takes to defend against a stick attack coming in at a horizontal plane, similar to that of a baseball swing.  The attacker can use one or both hands on the stick, which doesn’t really change my tactics while defending.

As usual, when defending against any attack, we must analyze the inherent danger and create our defense from there.  The strength of a weapon such as a stick, bat, or blunt object is its length.  If used correctly, a stick can be incredibly powerful and even fatal if the blow is delivered effectively.  For this reason we must treat a stick attack as a potential deadly threat, and defend accordingly.

When this threat is presented, I believe you need to make a quick decision.  The choices are simple… Run away, or close the distance and strike while defending.  Staying in range of the stick, but out of range to counter attack, is potentially the biggest mistake you could make in this situation.  Remember, the stick will be moving fastest at the point furthest from the attackers arm, so getting inside that point on the stick is crucial.

When dealing with a horizontal swing, it is best to try and close the distance by building a wall and protecting yourself, and then striking as aggressively as possible.  If you can get inside the sticks long range, the weapon for the most part neutralized and the fight is on.  Now your goal is to strike as effectively as possible and then take the stick away when possible (or, as I prefer to do, counter attack until they are knock out or no longer fighting back and the stick will fall out of their hands).

Ok that’s all for now, enjoy the video, be safe, and… GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ  @AJDraven

Your feedback on the post is welcome.

Please leave it in the comments, or on Twitter or Facebook!

Kidnapping attempts in Los Angeles and How to Defend

Posted on by
Reply

This week there have been some attempts at kidnapping women in the Santa Monica area, right near the Krav Maga Worldwide Headquarters in Los Angeles.  Fortunately, no one was hurt, but I think it is important to address this issue as anyone can attempt this attack at any time and they do not need a weapon to do so.

The attackers used the ‘Bear Hug’ technique from behind, where they wrap their arms around an unsuspecting person and attempt to lift them or pull them away.  While the initial attack of arms around the body isn’t necessarily life threatening, if you are removed from a location or kidnapped, the chances of survival are significantly reduced.

If you’re aware of an attacker attempting to come up to you, be assertive, run, and call for help.  Being aware of your surroundings is paramount to being safe and you can prevent many attacks before they happen.  It is a good idea to walk in a group of people if possible, and try to stay away from unsafe areas after dark.

Sometimes the attack may happen regardless of your awareness, and once an attacker gets in close and prevents you from leaving the situation, it is time to defend.  When grabbed in a bear hug type attack, it is important to remember these two words: ‘Base and Space’.  Your goal is to get a good strong base with your feet, making yourself heavy with your knees bent and ready to attack.  If possible, try to keep as much space as possible between the hips of your attacker and yor own, as they won’t be able to control you as well without their hips in the right place.

From here on it’s all about the counter attacks; Striking to vulnerable areas on the body, with your elbows, stomps, and hands.  Once you get the attacker to loosen up, turn around and keep attacking until they are no longer a threat.
See the video for details!

Ok, that’s all for now.  Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

Your feedback on the blog post is welcome.
Please leave it in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook!

-Aj @ajdraven

Krav Maga Knife Defense

Posted on by
Reply

There is not a lot more dangerous than a knife attack.  It is the most unpredictable weapon that we must deal with, and unfortunately, the most easily accessible.  Anyone can own and carry an edged weapon.  They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes; and they can be concealed so well that you may not even know that an attacker is carrying one.

There have been many occasions when a victim didn’t even realize that they were being stabbed, instead thinking that they were being punched only to realize later that they were bleeding, cut, or even fatally wounded.

The knife attack can come from any number of angles, which makes it even more dangerous.  The majority of the time, the knife attacker will be attempting multiple stabs, not just the initial strike.

For all of these reasons and more, it is crucial to understand what is in my opinion the most important Krav Maga principle while defending against a knife attack.  That principle is making a defense along with a simultaneous counter attack.

In this video, we are working on defending a downward angle or ‘Ice Pick’ stab.  The attacker is already very close to me and is coming at me with a stab, so I am forced to use my hands to defend (with a greater distance between us, I may use other tactics).  In this scenario, I am using what we call one of our 360 defenses, where I form a right angle with my arm, maintaining a bend at my elbow and attacking the attack aiming my wrist to the wrist of the attackers.  By maintaining this angle with my arm, I am stopping the attack away from my body, and not allowing the knife to slide and strike me elsewhere.

To prevent additional stabs and to attempt to get control of the knife, I am punching the attacker in the face as hard as I can at the exact moment that I am defending the stab.  My goal is to illicit a response from the attacker, whether that means that I knock him out, or simply get him to flinch for a brief second, I can use this to gain control and eventually take the weapon away.

There is nothing easy about this defense, and it takes time and a lot of practice to master.  Even then, it is possible that the defense may not work perfectly.  We must be prepared to disengage if the punch wasn’t effective or if we a not able to get good control immediately.

In this extremely dangerous situation, I believe that a well timed and placed punch, can and will save your life.

Ok, that’s all for now. Enjoy the video, be safe… and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!

-AJ @ajdraven

Your feedback on the blog post is welcome.
Please leave it in the comments.

Anderson Silva broke his leg, and I teach you how!

Posted on by
Reply

Whether you watched UFC 168 or not, you most likely heard the rumblings about the nasty leg break of the former UFC champion, Anderson Silva. Not for the feint of heart to watch, Chris Weidman defended a low round kick from Silva, which snapped the Brazilian legend’s leg at the shin. Hopefully Silva can comeback to the octagon to fight again, but it will take a miraculous recovery.

The defense that Weidman used is quite simple, sometimes called a shin check against a low round kick. In this week’s video, I go over the technique needed to make an effective defense against an attacker attempting to kick you in this way. Our goal is not necessarily to break his shin in half, but hopefully we can defend the kick cleanly, counter attack if necessary, and go on our way safely.

A low round kick is generally aimed at the thigh, or worse, the outside or inside of the knee. My goal when defending is to protect my knee from moving in a direction that it is not built to go. This is why step number one in this defense is to line up my knee and and toe perpendicular to the angle of the kick. I then lift my leg and use the large/strong part of my upper shin, against the kickers instep or lower shin. I must recoil quickly to make my defense as sharp as possible and of course get my foot back to the ground.

From here I can counter attack immediately to prevent additional attacks. I recommend using shin guards while practicing this defense, as it can be painful especially if you are not used to the impact in this sensitive area. The more that you practice, the less it will hurt and after a while you should be able to use your shin to make an effective defense without any padding.

Ok, thats all for for now. Enjoy the video, Be safe, and GO DO SOME KRAV MAGA TODAY!!

-AJ @ajdraven

 

Hammerfist to the Side

Posted on by
Reply

Happy New Year! 2014 is alive and kicking… So lets keep it going with one of my favorite Krav Maga techniques, Hammerfist to the Side.

Hammerfists are great attacks as they are generally easy to perform, safe, and versatile.  We can throw a hammerfist in pretty much any direction that we can move our arms.  Probably the most common use for this attack, is the hammerfist to the side.

When an attacker comes at you from the side, it is a good idea to turn and face him, so that you can get into a good stance and put your self in the best possible position to defend if necessary.  The hammerfist will serve as good protection for you as you turn in to face an attacker by covering your face with your arm and elbow, especially if you tuck your chin.

When attacking, be sure to push with your opposite foot and drive through the target with your legs, hips, and then upper body.  Snap and extend your arm just before you connect with the target.  This will be a very strong combative if you perform it correctly. (Be sure that your partner is holding the pad correctly to ensure safety while training).

Ok, that’s all for now, enjoy the video, and of course… Go do some KRAV MAGA today!!

-AJ @ajdraven