IMI LICHTENFELD
THE CREATOR OF THE ART
Krav Maga was created in the 1940s by Imi Lichtenfeld and has long been considered a secret weapon of the Israeli armed forces. Imi (Imrich) Sedé Or (Lichtenfeld) was born on May 26, 1910, in Budapest, and grew up in Bratislava in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father, who rigorously enforced discipline in their family life, was chief of the secret police and responsible for hand-to-hand combat lessons.
During his youth, Imi was passionate about sports and became a boxing and wrestling champion by the age of 18. As a natural-born leader, Imi formed resistance groups when the fascist and anti-Semitic movement began in Europe; despite being outnumbered by the attackers, he participated in street fights and successfully protected the local community.
In 1939, Imi started thinking about immigrating to the region of Israel, which was under British mandate at the time. In 1940, intending to put his plan into action, he boarded a boat with hundreds of people living in precarious conditions. On the vessel, called Pentcho, Imi acted like a true hero, rescuing everything and everyone falling overboard, but his heroic actions almost cost his life, as the accumulation of liquids in his ear led to extreme inflammation. After the vessel shipwrecked near Greece, Imi was rescued by the British navy in a small rowboat led by volunteers and was rushed to a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, for emergency surgery to control his ear infection. Upon recovering, he joined the British Armed Forces, where he served for two years.
In 1942, Imi finally arrived in Israel, where he became head of self-defense for Hagana (one of the groups fighting for independence from Israel), thus creating the future of Krav Maga.
During this time, he developed and refined the most effective, efficient, and dynamic self-defense and attack tactics using instincts. In 1948, Imi became a fitness trainer and Chief Instructor of hand-to-hand combat and self-defense for the Israel Defense Force (IDF). In 1964, he retired from the military and established his first training center for civilians in the city of Netanya. Imi passed away on January 9, 1998, at the age of 87.
The world has lost a great man, who changed the perspective of life, thought, peace, loyalty, and respect.
KRAV MAGA
Krav Maga (“contact combat” in Hebrew) is a military self-defense system created in Israel in the 1940’s. For a long time, it was considered a secret weapon of the Israeli armed forces. Krav Maga’s goal is to respond quickly and objectively to any type of aggression, coming from anywhere or anyone, regardless of your gender, age, or physical condition.
Krav Maga was created in a simple manner free from rules and competition, using natural movements that aim to reach sensitive and vital points in the aggressor’s body, eliminating the necessity for the use of brute force. This principle is based on two fundamental points: weight transfer and explosion force, as the result of this combination, is much more potent than muscle strength.
Weight transfer means moving your body weight towards the aggressor, thus increasing the final power of the movement. Explosive force movements result from maximum power output exerted over a short distance and a minimum amount of time. Always following the philosophy of simplicity, objectivity, and velocity – different techniques were created for each type of aggression.
Krav Maga is a chance for you to stay alive in an aggressive situation. Classes prepare you to understand the situation you are in and have the solution to get out of it. As not all violence is the same, every situation demands a more natural and appropriate defense. Krav Maga combines three fundamental qualities of balance coupled in a single movement: speed, agility, and strength. The classes are structured to simulate real-life situations, allowing the student to train in an environment that most closely resembles a real attack. Not only will the movements become an instinctive reaction, but the student will also improve their technique, emotional control, and physical conditioning, thus increasing self-confidence and self-esteem.
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COMMON QUESTIONS
Can I start in a class that has already started?
Yes! As long as there is still a spot available at the time you would like to train.
Can I start training Krav Maga even if I have never done some Martial arts before?
Yes! After all, Krav Maga was created for anyone to learn to defend themselves, regardless of gender, age, or physical conditioning.
I'm over 40, is it too late for me to start training Krav Maga?
No! Krav Maga is for all ages, in our classes, we have from kids to seniors.
How many classes are there per week?
You can choose between three different monthly plans. Plan to train once or twice a week or unlimited.
How long does it take to get the belts?
The time for getting the belts is assessed by the instructor, depending on the performance and development of each student during classes.
How does Krav Maga work?
Krav Maga works simply: transfer your weight towards the attacker and strike him with the greatest speed. In other words, Krav Maga does not require physical strength, therefore, anyone, regardless of gender, age, or physical conditioning, can defend themselves from any type of aggression and return home unharmed and safe.