Customer Reviews

Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The first rule of KM is "Don't get hurt!" What do you do when you see the knife in the fight - 1. RUN! (No macho last-man-standing...) 2. Get a longer weapon. 3. As a last ditch, life or death resort, go hand-to-hand, then RUN! KM will teach you things you can effectively use after your first class going to your car in the parking lot. It does not take years of study, complex choreographed jumping and hand swirling and theatrics. If you can't learn a technique to some degree of usefulness in five or ten minutes, it won't help you in a street attack.

This book is, unfortunately, fairly advanced, being aimed at weapons defense. The basics of punch, kick, elbow, knee are essential to weapons defense. Is KM "nothing new?" Depends on what you mean by "new." Krav Maga was developed for the Israeli Defense Forces with the aim of training large numbers of ordinary citizens (remember, mandatory conscription in Israel) in a very short time to defend themselves successfully. KM is based on boxing, street fighting, grappling and, being an open system, changes its techniques and incorporates from other systems. In my four plus years of KM study in nice safe Seattle, we have changed some of our moves, studied techniques from Ju Jitsu, Capoeira, Safta, Marine Corps CQB, Muay Thai kickboxing, joint manipulation, Tae Kwon Do and other systems. We have instructors come in, occasionally, to show us other systems.

KM is for the ordinary person as well as police and military. An attacker is not likely to be a trained weapons fighter, just a loser out to get cash or valuables. Knife attacks are up as penalties for gun use become more severe. Sometimes, the loser just hurts you for kicks - not much else happening in his miserable little life, maybe.

Is KM worth learning? Yep. The very best in every situation? Often, maybe. The be all and end all? Nope. But it has been very useful for some classmates in tough circumstances. Put this one on your list, read it, then take a class. You will be glad you did.

I have upgraded my review to 4 stars - I did not think I would create such controversy.

I have to apologise if I seemed overly critical in the last review because I have over 15 years experience in specific anti-gun and anti-knife techniques so when I looked at Krav Maga I didnt think wow something that really works! I thought mistake, bad foot work, wrong position elbow, what if attacker does this, telegraphed movement, approach from wrong side etc..

However after thinking about it, compared to what other books are out there it is quite good. Certainly what I have learnt in my training I have NEVER seen in any book. For me KM was nothing new. It was a good read and interesting and gave me an insight into the psychology and social history behind its development. Maybe I should write a book  seriously, maybe I will.

Kjetil Moland you asked what techniques I advocate against guns, knives and sticks  I recommend techniques similar to Krav Maga  but when I saw the KM techniques I picked them apart, I forget that what I know is not widely practised. I made specific points in my other review. THERE ARE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE TECHNIQUES IN THE KRAV MAGA BOOK. If you cant pick up on them then you need more experience. Coat your practise knife in paint and see where you get cut. Karate, Taekwondo, Ju Jitsu, Judo, kickboxing, thaiboxing are inferior to KM for real world self defense (although Ju Jitsu should not have been too bad) they all have their own strengths but in all that I have seen of those you mentioned I have never seen adequate real world techniques taught. 4 of those you mentioned are purely sport and the other 2 are a combination of sport / traditions and none of them strictly taught without any pure real-world self defense practise are adequate for the real world  you should know that.

p24 Stab to the Stomach from the Side, Oriental Hold, Forearm defense. Anyone skilled with a knife will immediately twist with the knife and slash the veins along your forearm, retreating and driving the blade down into your throat. Even if the attacker has no knife skills and just lunges at your stomach, you would be lucky if the knife was short enough to not hit you regardless. Either way you have put yourself in the path of the blade. Do you honestly believe that after blocking with your right forearm you are able to then move your right arm and grab the same position on the attackers wrist with your left hand while he stands there not moving? He has a huge knife, any movement he makes with his arm is leveraged with the length of the blade. Slash your forearm, hook it up into your armpit or bicep, not to mention your throat, the knife wielding attacker has the advantage of reach speed and leverage (not to mention the sharp edge) and the KM guy is basically saying dont stab my gut, stab my throat instead.

You would be far better off initially trapping the arm by deflecting it to your right, leaving you on the outside of the attacker (on his right hand side past his arm) and able to break his arm at the elbow or drive him down.

However after criticising that technique I will say this: what they show IS instinctive, simple, easy to apply even in for example a really crowded place with people all around, easy to learn, and most importantly could well save you especially if the person attacking you is just some ordinary guy with a knife trying to stab you, and not a trained killer (with a cool head, knife skills and a deliberate intent). More likely than not, if you practise these KM skills, then in that situation your trained reflexes will save you and give you the edge over the attacker (the last thing he would expect is a competant counter attack).

Also I would point out that many martial arts, if you had learnt them instead of KM, you would have the reflexes to block the initial stab but you probably would not instinctively grab the knife etc... like KM would teach you. The traditional martial arts generally do not give adequate training for real world events. KM does fill the gap quite a bit. I am sorry if I seemed overly critical before but remember I didnt look at KM and think gee I never saw this before

If you do not think you can defend yourself against knives, guns, sticks (or grenades  something I hope I never encounter) then you would probably learn a great deal from this book  and then you must practise it a lot as realistically as you can. Get it, get a friend, practise practise practise  experience is the real key. Practise until it is second nature and then practise some more but with chaotic unpredictable opponents (not just rehearsing) (like the reviewer who mentioned going all-out with pads). Tell your partner: "Take this knife and kill me or die."

Dip the practice knife in paint. Use a water pistol with food dye in it. Make no excuses. And dont go thinking KM is the be all end all just because youve never seen techniques like these before. Everyone loves to think their martial art is the best and to pretend to themselves that because their technique is superior they will be OK  dont fall in that trap, practise, learn what is useful and what works.

Good luck and may you never have to use these skills.

I also recommend Bouncers Guide to Barroom Brawling - an accurate account of street fighting, however it does not have many illustration or specific techniques like Krav Maga does.

Having studied the 5 part Krav Maga video series,which was excellent, and then comparing that information presented with this book, I was disappointed. This book is supposed to be the only authorized written guide for a fighting system developed over a plus 30 year period. This fighting system is widely respected and adopted by many institutions, yet the book does not address in any significant detail, the basic building blocks upon which the rather advanced techniques which are shown must be based. The book addressed defense against knife, handgun, long gun, multiple bad guys, and hand grenade (I'm not joking). Yet basic stances, blocks, strikes, and training methods are barely discussed. As a manual or reference guide, this book is very poorly written. Purhaps I missed the point and the purpose of the book was not to instruct by rather to foster interest in people with regard to this self defense system by showing its capabilities.

This book is by no means a "teach yourselfe Krav-Maga" book, and was not intended to be either. This book does not teach you how to block an attack and it does not teach you how to kick ore even how to throw a straight punch, so it is not aimed at the novice, but it contains a vide variety of information on how to deal with an armed assault just like it promisses. It teaches principples and aproaches that are truly unique. I am a black belt in Taekwon-Do ( ITF ) and i feel pretty safe whenever i am out on the street, but this book has given me an extra edge in selfe defence.... so if you want to expand your horizont and are looking for a way to feel more comfortable with armed opponents this is a great opportunity.

But remember, the teqnicues need to be praticed in order to work in a real life and death situation :D

You no longer have to travel to L.A. or the "Big Apple" to get a taste of the increasingly popular self defense and fitness method called Krav Maga. This new book gives you some valuable tips on how to protect yourself on today's mean streets from armed attackers. And its written by the late creator of the system and one of his students- who happens to be the head of one of the major Krav Maga organizations! I liked this book because of its no nonsense approach to personal protection- from safety in training to getting mentally tough. Other books I thought were in the same league are "The Close-Combat Files of Colonel Rex Applegate" by Applegate and Melson; "Krav Maga for Klutzes" by the Personal Shield Foundation; "U.S. Marines Close Combat Manual" from Paladin Press.

...While there isn't a whole lot of technical information in this volume that differs much from things already written in other self defense books (after all, there are only so many ways to hit an attacker with an elbow while tuning around), this work is one of the few "non-traditional" martial arts studies which presents its information in a progressive SYSTEM. The material presented here covers a range of topics which one would generally have to find in a number of different books by various authors. Although the technical information is basic (that is to say, not complex), this is not a book that was written for stupid people. The presentation and coverage is thorough enough that advanced martial artists and individuals with no specific previous training who would like to build a base of knowledge for no-nonsense self defense training can benefit from reading this book. Although my own background is in "traditional" martial arts, the materials here are remeniscent of the short courses taught to military and police, without the militaristic formality.

Each topic (unarmed, knife, baton, gun, etc) includes a detailed theoretical explanation, and then offers photographic sequences to clearly illustrate the points. There is no ceremony, and no wasted space in this book. The ideas presented here are logical, the manouevres straight forward and simple, having been developed with the idea that any person regardless of athletic acumen, whether a clerk or a soldier should be able to effectively apply them quickly and easily. There is sound advice on using every day items for defense, sensible methods of conduct and dress, dealing with violence, and mental training. The authors do not dwell on deep time-consuming philosophical ideas, although as with most martial practices, Krav Maga does have a basic ethical thesis: don't get hurt, act modestly, act correctly, and become proficient (page 3-4). As with every defensive art, the thing which will make you most successful is practice, practice, practice.

For history buffs, the section about the authors includes an interesting if short recounting of the training and experienced of Imi Sde-Or, including photos of his father, Samuel Lichtenfeld, and Imi as a young man in Europe (pre-1940), showing an incredible physique developed through athletic persuits including wrestling and boxing (pages 223-227). Sde-Or died in 1998, co-author Eyal Yanilov is his successor. The inclusiveness and price of this book make it an attractive find.

Before you Krav Maga fans downvote this review just because it is critical, I would be grateful if you'd hear me out. I think that no matter how heavily invested you are in this system, you'll probably agree with me, and if not, please leave a comment, and I'll be glad to reconsider.

I'd be glad to give this book five stars if it had a different title. But the title states that this book will show *you* how to defend *yourself* against armed assault. The fact is that the vast majority of persons whose eyes fall upon this book-- and perhaps this review-- should not try to do what it depicts. For the vast majority of us, these techniques are suicidal, period. The only reason the book is presented as a manual of defending *yourself* against armed assault is that the market absolutely dictates it. A book on how experts and professionals might defend themselves would not sell enough copies to cover costs, and so you would probably never hear of it, and you certainly wouldn't see it on the Sports shelf of your local mega book chain, which is where I found it.

As the book states, Krav Maga was devised by a champion boxer and wrestler living in a violent place and time. It is taught to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and other top-notch professionals. Knowing this, you need to ask yourself a question: "am I a champion (or even competitive) wrestler or boxer or a top-notch professional soldier or policeman?" If the answer is "yes," then by all means, try the techniques shown here. If "no," then you might want to reconsider.

The book provides many excellent examples of what I mean. For instance, look at the frontispiece illustration for the section on knife defenses. It shows the Krav Maga practitioner countering a knife attack with a punch to the jaw. Now, if Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or punches a guy square in the jaw, the guy is probably going down. But if you or I punch a guy square in the jaw-- that is, if we lesser-trained couch potatoes and desk jockeys are lucky enough to land such a punch on a determined attacker-- it might just hurt him enough to make him mad. A boxer's punch is a devastating weapon, but very, very few of us are boxers.

Furthermore, the jaw is a much bigger, heavier bone than most people think, and many people who succeed in punching it wind up with broken bones in their hands. This is a huge problem even among police, whose level of training and readiness is generally far above the average person's.

Don't get me wrong. If you are a good amateur boxer, chances are that you can hit a moving attacker with enough force to shatter the bones in his face. But if not, and you try what this book depicts, then you are putting yourself in the position of trading licks with a guy who is stabbing, not punching. In short, unless your punch is a lethal weapon, you are choosing to engage in a fight at an extreme disadvantage, where your life depends on the outcome. It is Bambi versus Godzilla, and you are Bambi. Does that sound like a good decision?

As I look at the pictures, I want to ask the defender some questions. "If you didn't notice that the attacker had a knife until he got close, then how is it that you are not already stabbed and dying? And if you did see the knife attack coming from a distance, then why on Earth did you not maintain that distance?" Put yourself in the defender's shoes and try to answer this interrogation. All the answers I can think of sound pretty lame.

Also bear in mind that no matter how much this is touted as self-defense for civilians, it is a basic fact that police and soldiers have completely different priorities than most of us when it comes to confronting armed and homicidal persons. No amount of verbiage and logic and argument will ever change this fact. It follows that what is best for the IDF is not necessarily best for Joe Commuter. No "system" can simultaneously address the needs of both. As far as I'm concerned, that is a thing that speaks for itself.

So if I were to evaluate this book solely on its ability to teach self-defense to the average person, as its title implies, then I would give it one star, and that only because there are no zeros. Teaching people like me to grapple with knife-wielding maniacs can only get us killed, and for what? Nothing.

On the other hand, as many others have pointed out, the book serves very well as a manual for someone who is devoting himself to Krav Maga classes-- and indeed is not at all practical otherwise. It's also a valuable source for those of us who like to look at various fighting systems as spectators and students. For these purposes, the book is perfect, and so I can't very well give it a big fat zero. The best I can do is average the two ratings and say that it's a fine book, but you should only try putting it into practice if you meet certain very special qualifications.

Again, if I've said anything inaccurate or upsetting here, I'd be glad to hear about it and reconsider.

Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault is straight from the horse's mouth. Krav Maga is a "combatives" system of hand-to-hand combat. I refer to fighting systems as "idiot systems" and "expert systems"-not very flattering, I know. The idiot systems are quick to learn and easy to retain and effective when used ruthlessly. The expert systems take a long time to learn and consistently dedicated refresher training to retain, but when mastered are more effective than the idiot systems. I prefer the idiot systems, myself. These idiot systems include combatives such as Krav Maga, Russian Sambo, and the various hand-to-hand combat systems used by the world's militaries. I must explain that my background is military-hand-to-hand combat includes both unarmed fighting and weapons used in close quarter combat.

NOTE: this is a book about self defense-"don't get hurt" and "act correctly" are two of its principles. My initial hand-to-hand combat training in the Marines had a different purpose-kill the other guy first because I was in a desperate situation and unarmed against an enemy who was duty-bound to kill me. This book doesn't specifically teach you how to kill-the emphasis is defensively removing the threat long enough to escape. The target audience of this book isn't the police officer charged with apprehending a violent criminal or the soldier confronted with an enemy who must be killed or disabled immediately (if not sooner)-this book is aimed at the private citizen who counters the assailant's attack. While I like the counters, and feel that they will work, a determined attacker will not be dissuaded simply because his pet technique fizzled the first time. Sometimes, as the text says, "if someone comes to kill you, kill him first." Krav Maga is a defensive art (Sambo is much more offensive) and the goal of "Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault" is "Become proficient, so that you will not have to kill."

Sorry. I won't be proficient enough to both avoid getting killed by multiple armed assailants and to stop deadly force assaults without really hurting them. I am not Superman. The techniques in this book do give me lesser force options because not every assault is a deadly force situation.

"How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault" covers counters to knives, guns, sticks, and hand grenades. Several "real-life stories" testify to the effectiveness of Krav Maga as a combatives system. The Page 93 and Page 108 stories of self-defense are compelling because they cover people foolishly misusing handguns and successfully disarming them without injury to either defender or careless person. Many self-defense problems do not require that the defender kill the attacker. Police use the force necessary to subdue and apprehend. Private citizens use the force needed to stop the assault-not always a "deadly force" assault, but will you stand still while someone pounds on you? In the two cases mentioned in the sidebars on pages 93 and 108 people were fooling around with loaded guns, not intending to hurt anybody.

Other sidebar antecedents: an armed soldier attacked at close range--and using hand-to-hand combat techniques to gain enough time and space to charge his rifle (military people usually have "unloaded weapons" when on sentry duty to limit accidental discharges, a practice that is often ignored in high-threat areas) and shoot his knife-armed attacker; a chess master who loses several chess matches to a "nobody" (the moral: "never underestimate your opponent"); Diane's use of a fire extinguisher beccause tear gas wasn't available; other Krav Maga success stories.

There is a chapter on expedient improvised weaponry and two chapters on using the stick as a defensive tool.


The illustrations are clear and concise. Each step in the technique is detailed. I could train from this book, given a training partner and a referee. The text gives instructions on training without an instructor, but I recommend an impartial referee both for safety and to improve training effectiveness. There is a chapter devoted to setting up a training program and training site. Safety is emphasized, though perhaps not as "safe" as litigation-conscious American commercial training centers and their legal advice would feel comfort with.

The history of Krav Maga is there for us amateur historians, too.

Many other books on hand-to-hand combat exist. I can train with this one. I would like an index, but I can use this as a defensive training textbook. My sole reservation is that I may need to move up the force spectrum when purely defensive techniques prove inadequate.

This book by Krav Maga founder Imi Sde-0r and instructor Eyal Yanilov is very good with a lot of good insight about the nature of a real fight. The introduction is very good by being concise and artculating the facts about self-defense as well as the written material at the end.

The photos and self-defense senirios are also very good. Having taught Police Defensive Tactics, I can say that he covers unarmed defense against weapons in a very thorough manner.

The weakness is that he starts with complex items and it is at the end that some of the basic techniques are shown at the very end of the book. It should have been reversed and this incoherenec is a little troubling. All in all a very good primer on "true self-defense." The extreme "nay sayer" reviewers of this book hold either unrealistic ideas about fighting or stupid prejudices.

First the good: This is a well-written, excellently illustrated work. The techniques are well explained and the photos really bring home the author's intent. It is easy to read, follow, and understand. Clearly no book, no matter how well written, is a substitute for competent hands-on training but this will make a great handbook for practitioners to refer back to. Krav Maga evolved from a soldier's art rather than from a civilian's as many traditional karate or kung fu methods. The techniques are straightforward and relatively easy to learn. Many are very practical.

Now the bad: I'm really, really leery of some of what is taught herein. For example, on page 34 a kick to the chin is shown in defense of a straight knife thrust. Sorry folks, but that's an almost certain recipe for disaster. First off, unless you are a superior, lightning fast athlete there is no way you can kick that high without eating steel since the attacker's wrist only has to move a few inches to slice or stab your leg, foot, or ankle while you need to cover several feet to hit his/her chin. Even worse if your timing is off you could be hit in an even more vital area. In 30 years of martial arts I've met and trained hundreds upon hundreds of practitioners. I know perhaps one or two who could pull this off. Perhaps there is some hidden intent that I don't understand or something got lost in translation from Hebrew but I'm just not buying this one...

Overall: Don't get me wrong, there really is a lot of good stuff in here. However, there are techniques you know, techniques you do, techniques you train, and techniques you'd stake your life on. Choose wisely!

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction