What Is Krav Maga?

Krav Maga (Hebrew: קְרַב מַגָּע, "contact combat") is a self-defense system developed by Imi Lichtenfeld in the 1930s and 1940s and adopted as the official close-combat system of the Israel Defense Forces in 1948. Its civilian version is taught today in more than 60 countries.

What it is built for

Krav Maga is not a sport. It has no competition format, no katas, no belts in the traditional sense, and no points. It is built to do exactly one thing: end an assault as quickly as possible and let you walk away.

The system was designed under three constraints that still shape every technique:

• It must work under stress — taught to ordinary people, not athletes.
• It must work against weapons — knives, sticks, handguns at contact distance.
• It must be learnable quickly — useful in months of part-time training, not years.

What it is not

• Not a traditional martial art. No lineage of forms, no spiritual practice, no philosophical canon. It borrows freely from boxing, wrestling, judo, and Muay Thai.
• Not a sport. The techniques include eye gouges, throat strikes, groin attacks, and joint breaks — all of which are banned in MMA, boxing, BJJ, and any combat sport.
• Not a single school. After Imi's death in 1998, the global community split into several federations (IKMF, KMG, Krav Maga Worldwide, Bukan, others). They share doctrine but differ in grading and emphasis.

The doctrine in one paragraph

Defend and counter on the same beat (simultaneous defense and attack). Once you start, don't stop until the threat is neutralized (retzev). Target eyes, throat, groin, and knees — places where strength doesn't matter. Use whatever is in your hands or environment. Then disengage. The objective is to leave, not to win.

Is it right for you?

Krav Maga is a good fit if you want:

• Practical self-defense as fast as possible, not a lifelong art
• A training environment with stress drills, scenario work, and protective-gear sparring
• Material that calibrates to a real range of body types and ages, not just competitive athletes

It's a poor fit if you want:

• A competitive sport or a graded ranking system with deep tradition
• Pure striking depth (Muay Thai is better) or pure grappling depth (BJJ is better)
• Light-contact training and choreographed forms

What to read next

Start with retzev and simultaneous defense and attack — the two doctrinal pillars. Then read Imi Lichtenfeld for the historical anchor, and how to find a school when you're ready to train.