Krav Maga?

jnomadica

I’ve been invited to try out a Krav Maga class, and I’m interested but a bit apprehensive. Does anyone do this, and wish to share their experience? Thanks!

MikePTY

Yes! I train Krav Maga! I love it and it's pretty much completely transformed my life. The classes can be tough and intense to start, but it gets easier. I could barely go once a week when I first started, and could do like maybe 25% of it and still felt like I was going to fall over. I would get shown up by old guys, by kids, and pretty much everyone else. But I stuck with it. Now I go 4 times a week and can do around 80-90% of it at full speed. I am testing up for my Yellow Belt in a few weeks. Everyone in the classes are great and they want to help the new people. I still get plenty of help even though I'm not so new.

Since starting the classes, I've lost 25 pounds (with diet as a big part of it, obviously), seen my physical fitness increase greatly, learned a lot of ways to defend myself, and had my self confidence really grow.

I hope you give it a try, and don't get intimidated if it seems hard in the beginning. If I can get it, anyone can. It just takes work.

Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to know more.

lx1x

Apprehensive about what,?
Do you have any other martial arts experience?

I doubt they'll be harsh on you if you just wanted to see that style.

jnomadica

MikePTY wrote: »

Yes! I train Krav Maga! I love it and it's pretty much completely transformed my life. The classes can be tough and intense to start, but it gets easier. I could barely go once a week when I first started, and could do like maybe 25% of it and still felt like I was going to fall over. I would get shown up by old guys, by kids, and pretty much everyone else. But I stuck with it. Now I go 4 times a week and can do around 80-90% of it at full speed. I am testing up for my Yellow Belt in a few weeks. Everyone in the classes are great and they want to help the new people. I still get plenty of help even though I'm not so new.

Since starting the classes, I've lost 25 pounds (with diet as a big part of it, obviously), seen my physical fitness increase greatly, learned a lot of ways to defend myself, and had my self confidence really grow.

I hope you give it a try, and don't get intimidated if it seems hard in the beginning. If I can get it, anyone can. It just takes work.

Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to know more.

Wow, that’s quite an endorsement! Friend request sent! I’d really love to hear more about how class time is spent. I have some foot issues and I’m worried about whether this may be too high-impact for them. But I’m very interested!!

jnomadica

lx1x wrote: »

Apprehensive about what,?
Do you have any other martial arts experience?

I doubt they'll be harsh on you if you just wanted to see that style.

No other experience. I guess I’m apprehensive because I’m not sure what to expect! I’m told it’s a welcoming environment, though.

mom23mangos

Don't be apprehensive! It's designed for people with little experience in self defense. And I know the place I used to go to has separate beginners classes and even if it's an all level class, they will teach down to include everyone. Just try not to be timid or hold back. If you are attacking someone, really attack them. If you are defending, really defend. Don't just go through the motions. You want to use as close to full strength as possible without hurting your partner. I loved training with big guys because most likely that's who I would need to defend myself from. So I didn't want them to hold back.

Also, pay attention to instructions with regards to form, especially punching. You don't want to end up with knuckle fractures. But do be prepared for a fair amount of bruising on knuckles, forearms, knees, etc.

lx1x

jnomadica wrote: »

lx1x wrote: »

Apprehensive about what,?
Do you have any other martial arts experience?

I doubt they'll be harsh on you if you just wanted to see that style.

No other experience. I guess I’m apprehensive because I’m not sure what to expect! I’m told it’s a welcoming environment, though.

Don't be.. just go and have fun.. If you have any medical issues just let them know.

jnomadica

mom23mangos wrote: »

Don't be apprehensive! It's designed for people with little experience in self defense. And I know the place I used to go to has separate beginners classes and even if it's an all level class, they will teach down to include everyone. Just try not to be timid or hold back. If you are attacking someone, really attack them. If you are defending, really defend. Don't just go through the motions. You want to use as close to full strength as possible without hurting your partner. I loved training with big guys because most likely that's who I would need to defend myself from. So I didn't want them to hold back.

Also, pay attention to instructions with regards to form, especially punching. You don't want to end up with knuckle fractures. But do be prepared for a fair amount of bruising on knuckles, forearms, knees, etc.

So... at what point does the attacking start? First class, tenth? I’m in, but I’d like to know what to expect:)

mbarkitek

I am about to take the intro course at a gym near me.
Wondering how much the cost will be.... but otherwise looking forward to it.

mom23mangos

Should be first class. You will have a partner and take turns attacking and defending with whatever scenario(s) they are teaching that day. My gym likes to start people off with front choke holds. You are going to need to be comfortable getting up close and personal with people of both sexes. A good portion of defenses in Krav involve crotch shots, so you will be aiming for your partners thigh so that they can still have children, but sometimes accidents happen and you are touching someone's junk. Also, other people will be touching you.

Here's how a class usually breaks down where I attended:

15 min warm up with calisthenics (jogging in place, pushups, core work, etc)

40min working on skills with partners - usually switching. This includes pad work to practice punches and kicks. They will ask you to go 'hard and heavy' for 1min several times a session meaning punch or kick as hard as you can as fast as you can for 1min. This will exhaust you which mimics training under the adrenaline of a real fight.

5 min cool down/stretching.

jnomadica

mom23mangos wrote: »

Should be first class. You will have a partner and take turns attacking and defending with whatever scenario(s) they are teaching that day. My gym likes to start people off with front choke holds. You are going to need to be comfortable getting up close and personal with people of both sexes. A good portion of defenses in Krav involve crotch shots, so you will be aiming for your partners thigh so that they can still have children, but sometimes accidents happen and you are touching someone's junk. Also, other people will be touching you.

Here's how a class usually breaks down where I attended:

15 min warm up with calisthenics (jogging in place, pushups, core work, etc)

40min working on skills with partners - usually switching. This includes pad work to practice punches and kicks. They will ask you to go 'hard and heavy' for 1min several times a session meaning punch or kick as hard as you can as fast as you can for 1min. This will exhaust you which mimics training under the adrenaline of a real fight.

5 min cool down/stretching.

Sounds fun!! Thank you!

MikePTY

jnomadica wrote: »

MikePTY wrote: »

Yes! I train Krav Maga! I love it and it's pretty much completely transformed my life. The classes can be tough and intense to start, but it gets easier. I could barely go once a week when I first started, and could do like maybe 25% of it and still felt like I was going to fall over. I would get shown up by old guys, by kids, and pretty much everyone else. But I stuck with it. Now I go 4 times a week and can do around 80-90% of it at full speed. I am testing up for my Yellow Belt in a few weeks. Everyone in the classes are great and they want to help the new people. I still get plenty of help even though I'm not so new.

Since starting the classes, I've lost 25 pounds (with diet as a big part of it, obviously), seen my physical fitness increase greatly, learned a lot of ways to defend myself, and had my self confidence really grow.

I hope you give it a try, and don't get intimidated if it seems hard in the beginning. If I can get it, anyone can. It just takes work.

Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to know more.

Wow, that’s quite an endorsement! Friend request sent! I’d really love to hear more about how class time is spent. I have some foot issues and I’m worried about whether this may be too high-impact for them. But I’m very interested!!

Just be cautious about anything you think might be an issue, and speak to the instructor about it. There should be ways to modify it. There are some people who train at my gym who have certain limitations that they work around.

As far as the breakdown at my gym, we don't have beginner classes, everyone trains in the same environment, which can be daunting, but we are outside of the US, and the gyms in the US should have beginning classes. Our classes are 90 minutes and vary a lot, but basically break down into 3 parts.

First 30- Warm up. Calestenics, cardio, lots of different exercises to increase your fitness level. The first part is usually the hardest of the class. High intensity.
Second 30 - Striking. This is usually medium intensity. This is where we'll practice different attacks. Punches, elbows, knees, kicks, blocking, etc. How you would handle yourself in a fight.
Third 30 - Self defense exercise. These are the lowest intensity, because there is a lot of instruction and it's much more about form than speed or power. This is a real world scenario where you would learn how to defend yourself against it. It can be as simple as if someone tries to grab you wrist, to more complicated like chokes and attacks, to even at more advanced levels, how to disarm a knife and gun attack. The instructor will teach you simple moves to use, even against someone who is bigger or stronger than you, to get yourself out of real world situations safely.

mbaker566

i would love to try it if my budget and schedule allowed.
most people i know who have tried are big fans after the first few classes

jnomadica

MikePTY wrote: »

jnomadica wrote: »

MikePTY wrote: »

Yes! I train Krav Maga! I love it and it's pretty much completely transformed my life. The classes can be tough and intense to start, but it gets easier. I could barely go once a week when I first started, and could do like maybe 25% of it and still felt like I was going to fall over. I would get shown up by old guys, by kids, and pretty much everyone else. But I stuck with it. Now I go 4 times a week and can do around 80-90% of it at full speed. I am testing up for my Yellow Belt in a few weeks. Everyone in the classes are great and they want to help the new people. I still get plenty of help even though I'm not so new.

Since starting the classes, I've lost 25 pounds (with diet as a big part of it, obviously), seen my physical fitness increase greatly, learned a lot of ways to defend myself, and had my self confidence really grow.

I hope you give it a try, and don't get intimidated if it seems hard in the beginning. If I can get it, anyone can. It just takes work.

Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to know more.

Wow, that’s quite an endorsement! Friend request sent! I’d really love to hear more about how class time is spent. I have some foot issues and I’m worried about whether this may be too high-impact for them. But I’m very interested!!

Just be cautious about anything you think might be an issue, and speak to the instructor about it. There should be ways to modify it. There are some people who train at my gym who have certain limitations that they work around.

As far as the breakdown at my gym, we don't have beginner classes, everyone trains in the same environment, which can be daunting, but we are outside of the US, and the gyms in the US should have beginning classes. Our classes are 90 minutes and vary a lot, but basically break down into 3 parts.

First 30- Warm up. Calestenics, cardio, lots of different exercises to increase your fitness level. The first part is usually the hardest of the class. High intensity.
Second 30 - Striking. This is usually medium intensity. This is where we'll practice different attacks. Punches, elbows, knees, kicks, blocking, etc. How you would handle yourself in a fight.
Third 30 - Self defense exercise. These are the lowest intensity, because there is a lot of instruction and it's much more about form than speed or power. This is a real world scenario where you would learn how to defend yourself against it. It can be as simple as if someone tries to grab you wrist, to more complicated like chokes and attacks, to even at more advanced levels, how to disarm a knife and gun attack. The instructor will teach you simple moves to use, even against someone who is bigger or stronger than you, to get yourself out of real world situations safely.

Thanks, this is helpful! It’s a mixed class, but it’ll be cool for me to see the more advanced people. I’m looking forward to it!