Krav Maga: Getting Fit The Israeli Army Way

I’m standing in a hall surrounded by armed men and one woman.

Some are brandishing guns, others have knives but the ones I am most scared of are unarmed – in a moment they will simply rush me, grab me or lunge at me to see if I can think on my feet and defend myself.

In Hunger Games Training Mode

No, I’m not in some post-apocalyptic Thunderdome, I’m at a Krav Maga class in a university hall in Manchester and the weapons are imitations. This circle is the ‘pressure test’ that comes at the end of every session; a time when everyone takes it in turns to battle the entire group and put what we’ve learned into action.

During the session we drill the moves but in the pressure test we learn to apply them in real-life scenarios, when adrenaline is coursing through us and we’re pushed to exhaustion.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is a Jewish form of self-defence that has seen a dramatic surge in popularity recently. This is partly because it’s used by the Israeli Defence Force and many other military and law enforcement groups, and partly because it’s been used by a number of action heroes, including Jason Bourne.

Certainly for me, the Bourne fight scenes were the main reason I agreed to go along, rather than the real life military connection.

You might wonder why I, a 30-something mother of toddlers, felt a need to sign up for a class in hand-to-hand combat. After all, the only fights I get into are online (although they can be pretty bloody).

The truth is that I didn’t sign up; my husband did because he wanted a new challenge. He came home covered in bruises and bursting with pride, wanting to demonstrate what he’d learned.

And then, like all converts, he tried to enlist me. He enthused about Krav Maga’s history - it was actually created in Eastern Europe pre-WW2, where fascist attacks on Jewish people made it essential they quickly learned to defend themselves.

He suggested a class in self-defence was probably a good idea for a woman who goes running at night. Finally, he threw down the ultimate gauntlet: “I mean, if you think you can’t do it then that’s fine.”

Oh I could do it, I replied, as if I'd never heard of reverse psychology. A week later, I found myself standing nervously in the hall hoping I wasn’t going to be the least fit person there.

Krav Maga: The Reality

At first, my worst fears were realised – as He Man walked in. But quite soon a fairly mixed class assembled; there were men and women of all strengths and all ages. Our instructor Dean explained that Krav Maga is about efficiency and aggression rather than straight-up strength, but I was still relieved to be paired up with a woman more my size.

That first class was challenging. After a warm-up that was more like my standard full workout, we began with a simple game. In our pairs we had to try and hit each other on the head while maintaining our Krav Maga guard, which is hands up by your face, palms facing in. You don’t clench your hands into fists because you want to be able to grip your opponent if you get the chance.

The game was fun but was quickly followed by some serious teaching. I learned how to counter someone grabbing my top and shoving me backwards, twisting their wrist and springing forward to counter attack before pushing them away and escaping forwards.

“You don’t go backwards” Dean regularly shouts “because you don’t know what’s behind you.” It's scary stuff.

We drilled and drilled and drilled this move until even I could do it with confidence and then came a new torment. Our instructor picked half of us to stand with our eyes closed so that any attacks would surprise us. Only when we felt an opponent’s hand grip us were we allowed to open our eyes and respond.

At first this was a real ordeal for me; I don’t like the feeling of being surprised or hunted (I’ve been known to cry at Laser Quest). But there was real satisfaction in discovering that the moves we’d just drilled had already become instinctive and the adrenaline of surprise only served to speed up my counter attacks.

Every class we drill different scenarios but with the same ultimate goal: stop the threat, counter, disengage, next threat. It becomes instinct to think this way and react, and it’s exciting to watch my reactions speed up. We practise with rubber knives, plastic guns, punches, grips, even ways to counter an attacker who is sitting across your body and pummelling your face.

Real Life Self Defence Training

My classmates all say they have chosen Krav Maga because it’s useful in real-life situations. There’s no messing around, just efficient, highly effective defence. Dean has even warned that he’s planning to hold some of the classes in a nightclub eventually, so that we can practise the moves when we’re disorientated by flashing lights and loud music.

Back to my pressure test and the instructor nods for the attack to begin. Someone rushes me and seizes my shoulder, so I grip his wrist, twist him off balance, punch him in the neck and push past him. He’s replaced by a woman holding a gun to my forehead so I swipe it out of the way, strip it from her hand and mime hitting her in the head with the barrel.

Another attacker holds up pads and I punch them for 30 painful seconds until my arms are on fire and my breath comes in ragged gasps. Two more block me with kick pads and then yell encouragement as I finally break through and leg it, guard up. When Dean shouts: “Time” I want to drop to the floor and catch my breath but I’m too busy grinning with pride.

We all wear pads and protection, no one hits with full force, and yet those two full minutes spent dodging, punching, grappling and disarming are dizzyingly exhausting.

After class each week I ache, I often have bruises and I have to crawl up the stairs to the shower. But even after just a few weeks of Krav, I feel fitter and more confident that I could protect myself.

The British Krav Maga Association’s motto is “Si vis pacem, para bellum”, which translates as “If you wish for peace, prepare for war.”

I feel prepared.

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