Developed for the Israel Defense Forces IDF , [ 1 ] [ 2 ] it uses techniques derived from aikido , boxing , judo , karate and wrestling. Having grown up in Bratislava during a time of anti-Semitic unrest, Lichtenfeld used his training as a boxer and wrestler to defend Jewish neighborhoods against attackers in the mid-to-late s, becoming an experienced street fighter. As an instructor, he compiled his knowledge and experience into the combat system that would later become known as Krav Maga.
This system would continue to be taught long after he left the IDF. From the outset, the original concept of Krav Maga was to take the most effective and practical techniques of other fighting styles originally European boxing, wrestling, and street fighting and make them rapidly teachable to conscripted soldiers. Like most martial arts, Krav Maga encourages students to avoid physical confrontation. Attacks are aimed at the most vulnerable parts of the body, and training is not limited to techniques that avoid severe injury; some even permanently injure or cause death to the opponent.
Students learn to defend against all variety of attacks and are taught to counter in the quickest and most efficient way. Ideas in Krav Maga include: [ 16 ]. Training can also cover the study and development of situational awareness to develop an understanding of one's surroundings, learning to understand the psychology of a street confrontation, and identifying potential threats before an attack occurs.
It may also cover physical and verbal methods to avoid violence whenever possible. It also teaches mental toughness, using controlled scenarios to strengthen mental fortitude in order for students to control the impulse and not do something rash, but instead attack only when necessary and as a last resort.
Some of the key focuses of techniques [ 23 ] in Krav Maga are β as described above β effectiveness and instinctive response under stress. To that end, Krav Maga is an eclectic system that has not sought to replace existing effective techniques, taking what is useful from available systems, for example: [ 24 ] [ 25 ]. Since the early 21st century, a number of Krav Maga schools have introduced technical influences from other arts as well. This reflects Krav Maga's attitude, across a multitude of lineages, as an ever-evolving style, which continues to borrow ideas and methos from other martial arts.
