So You Want to Train Krav Maga? Here’s What You Need to Know

When it comes to training for self-defense, Krav Maga has gained a lot of attention for its supposedly deadly techniques and use of lethal force against multiple attackers. People looking for self-defense classes that investigate Krav Maga are on the right path. However, when digging deeper, you’ll find that Krav Maga is just a repackaging of combat sports like Boxing, Wrestling, Judo, but trained less realistically.

When people talk about Krav Maga, or other “Reality-Based Self-Defense” classes is that the techniques are too dangerous to use against one another in training and can only be applied in real-life situations on the “streets.”  If you watch Krav Maga videos on YouTube the scenarios are scripted and choreographed, and the opponents are easily subdued.  These demonstrations make it easy to see that they are selling you a lie.

You can tell if a martial art is trained and demonstrated authentically and will work against an assailant by watching the demonstration partner.  Are they complying without any form of resistance? Do they fight back? Do they maintain an athletic stance and structure, or do they simply follow the leader?

If you never train against a resisting person (a person trying to win), then how do you know that your “too dangerous” techniques will work in a real-life street fight? Aliveness is one of the core principles utilized by all SBG gyms worldwide to prepare their students for violence. SBG Founder Matt Thornton defines “aliveness” as training that has timing, energy, and motion. It’s the opposite of scripted and choreographed routines.

Aliveness is unscripted resistance. Neither person knows what the other is trying to do, and each person is trying to “win”. Depending on the martial art and the goal of training, that can look like different things. It gives two people the best and safest opportunity to learn what does and doesn’t work. It builds confidence backed up by an actual ability for one to defend themselves. It doesn’t rely on mysticism, fake pressure points, or techniques you have never actually applied because they are “too dangerous”.

Let us use a quick football analogy.  If the offense always knows the play the defense is running and vice versa, how does either side of the ball actually get better under real game conditions? To get good at football, you have to practice by playing under as close to real conditions as possible while keeping safety at the forefront. That way mistakes are exposed, fixed, and then improved upon. This is what training martial arts at SBG Whitefish is all about.

If you search for a video of two students sparring in Krav Maga, it looks like poorly trained MMA (easily found on YouTube). So why not actually train MMA and BJJ the way students of SBG Whitefish train? These same techniques and methods are taught to the U.S. military, U.S. Special Forces, law enforcement officers, and in SBG gyms around the globe.

We developed our programs at SBG Whitefish by training and studying the best of the best, and at the highest levels of international competition in MMA, BJJ, Judo, Boxing, and Thai Boxing. They will give you everything you need to develop your world-class self-defense systems for you and your family.

For more information about our BJJ classes, fill out the form below.

Contact Us


Related Articles