Darren Levine - Krav Maga for Beginners

This intangible is similar to that developed in many militaries—a term known as cognitive dissonance, or, in short, the concept that attitude follows behavior. Krav Maga drills physically empower and consequently emotionally empower its students. The systematic process of training under new and varied stressors serves to galvanize the skill set needed to perform in times of actual duress.

The essence of Krav Maga, and what will save the defender, is the willingness to do whatever it takes to survive. The philosophy that a “never say die” attitude can be strengthened through training is the linchpin that allows Krav Maga students to adapt under the most stressful situation and emerge successfully from violent confrontations, regardless of the dynamic.

Flee to safety.Ultimately, the goal is to go home safely. Krav Maga training stresses that it is critically important to defend aggressively to insure that the threat is no longer viable. That said, it is simultaneously important to avoid remaining in harm’s way longer than is required. As time elapses, variables (introduction of weapons, additional attackers, fatigue, injury, etc.) increase, therefore the defender should look to leave the scene as soon as safely possible. Remember, violent encounters are unique, and the situation will dictate the response, including the time to safely escape.

Never do more than is necessary.As previously stated, the goal of Krav Maga training is to enhance survivability. Krav Maga, out of necessity, is an aggressive and forceful system. However, these are adjectives used to describe a self-defense system, and self-defense should never become punishment.

Eliminating the threat means doing just enough to facilitate escape. As a defender, it is not acceptable to exact punishment or vengeance on the attacker. This is not only morally unacceptable; more importantly, it is tactically unsound, since the defender runs the risk of staying engaged longer than necessary, increasing the chances of other variables coming into play. Often, extrication is the best solution.

Fitness, as it relates to Krav Maga, must be combat functional. In other words, the exercises, drills, and methods used are designed to enhance physical tools important for improving self-defense performance. Exercises closely replicate movements involved in self-defense training, and the exercises are goal specific. Combat functional fitness, for the purpose of Krav Maga training, must address, at a minimum, strength training, explosiveness, stamina, and flexibility.

The unique training methods of Krav Maga have often allowed students to achieve physiques, confidence, and fitness levels never before realized. As self-defense professionals, the goal of Krav Maga instructors is to make students safer. As opposed to typical gym fitness programs, Krav Maga offers life-saving techniques and tactics to go with the newly sculpted bodies.

The goal of strength training, unlike bodybuilding, is not aesthetics. Strength training is solely about increasing strength, not about increasing size or cultivating a look. Strength training focuses on developing or enhancing athletic attributes, and while there are many means with which to improve strength, for the purposes of Krav Maga training, some are preferred over others.

Strength, as it relates to Krav Maga goals, serves to augment a student’s capacity to cause damage to an attacker as well as absorb punishment. While Krav Maga strongly emphasizes the need for aggressive counterattacks, Krav Maga instruction also focuses on performing from a position of disadvantage, which may involve defending after being struck or while being struck.

Explosiveness is the ability to produce maximum effort or strength in a short amount of time. While closely related to strength training, being strong does not equal explosive. Exercises to develop explosiveness are commonly referred to as plyometrics, where the goal is to increase the amount of force applied and decrease the time needed to apply it.

In most Krav Maga defenses, the ability to perform explosively is the great equalizer. Because the force is dispatched rapidly, as opposed to gradually, explosive reactions aid to mitigate an attacker’s ability to adjust to defenses and counters. This is an important aspect of Krav Maga, since it allows smaller defenders to perform against larger defenders.

Krav Maga does not rely on or emphasize fancy techniques, but flexibility, when defined as increased range of motion, is important for reaching maximum potential in all techniques, particularly combatives. Range of motion is typically described as the distance that can be achieved between the flexed position and the extended position of specific muscle groups or joints. Increasing flexibility helps to reduce injuries, as well as increase power and speed, by allowing joints and muscles to fully extend.

Endurance or stamina is the ability to exert maximum or near-maximum effort through aerobic or anaerobic training over an extended period of time. While most violent encounters last less than a minute, endurance training is an essential aspect of a complete functional fitness program. The stress that accompanies a violent encounter, coupled with the necessary physical response to the attack, will cause the body to rapidly fatigue. Recognizing this, fitness training must include a focus on endurance and must condition the body and mind to exert maximum effort for as long as is necessary to eliminate the threat and facilitate escape. Furthermore, since violent situations are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving, the dynamics of the encounter may change, and the introduction of new threats will require the stamina to continue fighting.

While many people in the United States were first exposed to Krav Maga in the Jennifer Lopez movie Enough , it has been in the United States since 1981. This was the year the Krav Maga Association of Israel, headed by Imi Lichtenfeld, and the Israeli Ministry of Education held the first International Instructors Course for Krav Maga through the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport.

A philanthropist from New York, S. Daniel Abraham, sponsored a delegation of 23 members from various cities in the United States to attend the course, which was supervised by Imi himself. Imi was 71 years old at the time and retired from his military career. Darren Levine was selected to be a part of the delegation because of his martial arts and boxing background, as well as his involvement in the physical education program at the Heschel Day School in the San Fernando Valley, California.

The instructor’s course was an intensive six-week course consisting of eight hours of training during the day and additional hours of optional training at night. The students trained six days a week. During the six weeks, Imi befriended Darren. At the conclusion of the course, Imi told Darren that he would spend the following summer in Los Angeles teaching and training him. It was a strenuous and exhausting six weeks and, by the end of the course, only six members, including Darren, passed.

Darren began teaching Krav Maga at the Heschel Day School as an elective class, but by 1982, the class had become so popular that it was incorporated into the physical education program. The popularity also brought about a separate, evening adult program, focusing on self-defense, fighting, and cutting-edge fitness. In the summer of 1982, true to his word, Imi came to Los Angeles and spent many weeks with Darren and his family while instructing Darren in Krav Maga, as well as teaching children and adults alongside Darren.