Darren Levine - Krav Maga for Beginners

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and place your hands behind your head.

1Raise your left knee to hip height, pull your toes up, and rotate your right elbow to your right knee. Balance for one beat.

Perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Maintaining an upright posture and keeping your bellybutton in, grab your right ankle with your right hand and pull your heel toward your rear end.

Perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Raise your knee to hip height.

2Extend your leg and flex your toes toward you. Hold for one beat.

Bring your knee back in before returning to starting position. Perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Tip:Exhale and pull your bellybutton slightly in. This will help you to maintain proper alignment in your spine and pelvis.

Maintain the alignment of your spine and pelvis while gradually increasing the swing of the leg up and down, each time working for more height.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Exhale and pull in your bellybutton to remain tall; lift your left leg as high as possible. Slowly return to starting position and perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Keeping a long spine, raise your right heel up and hinge your upper body forward toward the floor. Allow your rising leg to counterbalance your upper body. Extend your leg until your heel reaches waist height. Hold for one beat.

Return to starting position and perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

The goal of this exercise is to maintain the alignment of your spine and pelvis while gradually increasing the swing of the leg.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Keeping a long spine, drive your left heel up and lean your upper body toward the floor. Your leg should make a swinging motion, stopping before the heel of your foot begins to move close to your body.

Return to starting position and perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Take a long step forward with your right foot, sinking down until your knee reaches a 90-degree bend.

2Push off the front leg to return to starting position. Your upper body can hinge forward slightly at the waist as long as your spine remains long.

Perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Raise your arms, interlock your fingers with the index fingers extended (think Charlie’s Angels ), and take a long step forward with your left leg, sinking down until your front knee reaches a 90-degree bend.

2As you reach the end of the lunge, rotate your upper body like a turret toward your left side.

Return your upper body to center before pushing off the front leg to return to starting position. Perform on the other side. Repeat 4 times on each side.

Starting Position:Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.

1Take a long step with your left leg to your left side and sink down until the knee reaches 90 degrees. Hold for one beat here. Maintain a long spine; it’s normal to have to sit back a bit to maintain balance.

2For the second part of this exer cise, drive off the right leg, pushing up to a standing balance position on the left leg.

3Pull the right leg up to waist height, with the knee and ankle bent at 90 degrees.

Hold a beat and set the foot down. Repeat on the other side.

This exercise features three moves. The goal is to move slowly, at least 6 beats per section. Slowly work your way through this combo, feeling the stretch in each section. Start with 5 total repetitions.

Starting Position:Squat down, keeping your head up, and place your hands on the floor in front of your feet with your fingers facing out.