FEKM
BRIXTON KRAV MAGA
Scenario Based Self Defence Training
From improving physical health, building confidence to learning self-defence techniques, it’s no surprise that more and more women are taking up Krav Maga training.
With more people realizing the benefits of how practicing martial arts can change your life for the better, it’s no surprise that more and more women are taking up Krav Maga training. From improving your physical health to building confidence and of course, learning self defence techniques, there is a myriad of reasons to learn Krav Maga. Also, women increasingly learning Krav Maga helps to debunk the ridiculous belief that combat sports and martial arts training is for men. In this blog post, we will be exploring the top benefits of Krav Maga training for women and why every woman should enroll in these classes.
So why Krav Maga in particular? What makes this technique stand out from other forms of martial arts? Before we delve into the reasons women learn Krav Maga, let’s address why Krav Maga should be a top priority if you’re a woman looking to learn self-defence. It goes without saying that Krav Maga training, like any other martial arts training, will teach you practical techniques that you can use to get yourself out of terrible situations like in cases of physical or sexual assault. However, your ability to respond and apply any self-defence techniques is often dependent on a number of factors that you cannot control such as: How quickly you were able to respond. Your relative physical size and strength to the attacker. Your emotional state at the time of the attack. Your ability to control your flight, fight, freeze response. The environment you are in, and many more. This is where Krav Maga reigns supreme. With Krav Maga training, not only will you be taught self-defence techniques, but as a woman, you will also learn how to prevent and deter potentially difficult situations so you don’t have to physically engage an assailant. In the Krav Maga system, the students learn about personal safety awareness to help them easily and quickly detect when things aren’t quite right in their environment. They also learn how to take quick action to put themselves in a safer place, call for help and equip themselves with everyday objects that could aid in their self-defence. In essence, the Krav Maga system teaches you how to remove yourself from dangerous situations. However, if you are unable to get out of such situations, with Krav Maga techniques, you have a “fighting chance” against whatever opposition you may be facing. Now that you know why you should learn Krav Maga, let’s get on to the benefits women enjoy in learning Krav Maga.
If you’re looking to get in shape and maintain physical fitness, then Krav Maga training is just what you need. Think of it as killing two birds with one stone, you get to learn self-defence techniques while also staying fit and healthy. It’s great right? The Krav Maga system involves techniques with vigorous high intensity moves that require a lot of energy to exert, so you can train and burn calories at the same time. As your training progresses, with more sessions and challenges, your physical fitness, balance, and coordination will improve and you’ll be able to build more stamina and strength. Additionally, unlike some other martial arts, Krav Maga doesn’t require a special costume to participate. You can wear your usual workout clothes and a pair of supportive sneakers to train. If you want to learn self-defence techniques or are just looking for a new exercise routine, check out Krav Maga. You can learn to protect yourself, improve your self-confidence, tone up, and burn calories, all at once. This is a win-win however you choose to look at it.
At its core, Krav Maga is about learning skills for self-defence in real-life situations. For women, who make up a greater percentage of victims of violent crimes in the UK and the world in general, the importance of knowing how to defend yourself in dangerous situations can’t be underestimated. In Krav Maga, women are taught how to, first of all, remove themselves from situations that threaten their life. However, the truth is that you may not always be able to escape a physically threatening situation, and when escape is not possible, then defending yourself is the best way forward. For such scenarios where turning away is not an option, Krav Maga training will teach you an array of practical self-defence moves effectively against a potential or active attack, including situations with multiple assailants. It’s important to understand that even when the assailant has a physical advantage over the woman, these techniques can still be effective as the Krav Maga training takes into consideration the needs, strengths, and challenges of women and how these elements differ from those of men.
It is pertinent to note that the Krav Maga system neither encourages nor endorses confrontation, even as a front for courage. As we mentioned earlier, Krav Maga training teaches you how to FIRST escape dangerous or threatening situations as opposed to physically fighting, neutralizing or controlling the attacker. In addition to teaching you practical self-defence techniques, Krav Maga training conditions the mind to behave and think fast and appropriately in a manner that will attempt to get you away from a physically threatening situation the fastest that you can. As such, by learning Krav Maga women can better equip themselves to avoid and prevent potential danger zones before it escalates to one.
You’ve got to admit, there is something empowering about knowing you can protect yourself from harm should you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation. For a long time, women have been on the receiving end of violent physical and sexual assaults, but in recent times, with more women signing up for martial arts classes and learning how to fight, women are taking power into their own hands. In the most basic sense, that is empowerment. For these women, Krav Maga training empowers them by teaching them the techniques and tact to protect themselves. Women’s self-defence training is not all that glamorous. It can be difficult and challenging which is why it’s important to respect the skill and energy that goes into the training, as well as the purpose of its utility. Self-defense is more than the reclamation of power for women, it gives women the opportunity to do exceptional things and transform behaviors into something that could save their lives. Again, you have to admit, that’s empowering.
Could you push a 120kg man away from you if you were in a violent confrontation? The answer to that is most likely no, and that’s because there is a physical power imbalance drawn between the average man and woman. So why should women learn Krav Maga if they may still be unable to fight off bigger assailants? Glad you asked. The Krav Maga style of self-defence is extremely effective for women because there is less emphasis on pure strength as the main necessity for being a ‘good fighter’. Krav Maga levels out the playing field between men and women. With this training, it doesn’t matter how big or strong you are. You will learn a variety of powerful attacking moves that require more technique than power and can be devastating to a larger attacker. For women, Krav Maga can be an incredibly effective way to boost confidence and alleviate the stress that comes with living in fear of an attack. It goes without saying that the confidence that comes with knowing you have the necessary tools for self-protection can have an amazingly positive impact on your overall mental wellbeing.
In all, Krav Maga training will teach you an extensive skill set for self-defence, help improve your fitness, stamina, and endurance, instill the confidence to fight back as well as have the awareness to deter a situation from developing into a violent confrontation or worse. Women who learn Krav Maga stand to gain a lot and as far as we can tell, there are no downsides to it. But don’t just take our word for it, sign up for Krav Maga classes and experience these benefits for yourself.
If you’re ready to give it a try, sign up for an introductory session and discover why Krav Maga is the most effective self-defence system in the world.
My name is Simon, I head up the instructor team and have a 3rd Degree Black Belt in FEKM Krav Maga, as well as being the President of the UK Sector of the FEKM.
All of the instructors are FEKM qualified and undergo continual assessment to improve and develop their skills. A full list of instructors can be found on this page.
We run introductory courses every few weeks at our Club in Brixton, so that you can discover Krav Maga and learn how to protect yourself…