Krav Maga - The Only Fighting Sport You Need?

Krav Maga shares its techniques with many other martial arts, including karate, boxing, savate, muay thai, jujitsu, judo, kobudo and wrestling. However, the training is very different. It is a brutal game. There are no set rules, no specific uniforms or attires and no competitions. There is also no distinction between the training for men and the training for women. The only training rules that are emphasized, by the Krav Maga instructors, are that there are no rules, and there should be injury inflicted to oneself or one’s partner when in training. The game borders on savage, and centers on crippling attacks to vulnerable body parts.

It is designed for use in real-life, dangerous conditions, for example, from disadvantaged positions, or against armed opponents, when you are dizzy or when you are up against many different opponents and the techniques focus on the maximum efficiency, to cause the most damage in these worst case scenarios. The name generally translates as “close contact” and this is often misinterpreted to be “full contact” like martial arts such as karate. However, unlike karate and other martial arts, there are no predetermined sequences of events, no set moves and no choreographed styles. Krav Maga centers around effectiveness for either attack or defense situations, and the sport emphasizes rapid learning and the motion of continuous combat.

The way, in which Krav Maga works, is for the game player to attack and defend in potentially very lethal situations. The aim of this sport is to neutralize the threat (the attacker) and escape the situation by any means possible, normally by causing the maximum amount of pain and damage possible to all opponents, as quickly and as safely as possible. It very often involves incredibly crippling attacks to the most vulnerable body parts. This generally involves performing dangerous strikes and blows to the eyes and the groin area, head butting and other efficient and potentially brutal attacks.

It encourages the improvised use of any objects that may become available in the fight. Things that are lying around in the vicinity of the attacker and defender can be used to deal vicious blows and cause some serious damage! The key components are these vicious blows and they must be dealt whilst attempting to maximize personal safety within the fight.

When indulging in this brutal game, there are five main “forces” as it were to consider. These forces are thought of as guidelines for the fighters and although they are hugely generalized, they are highly encouraged by instructors.
The first force is Presence. This is where you use your presence to gain authority over a subject. The idea is to intimidate and demand respect. Secondly, after gaining attention and authority, you use Verbalization. Use your voice to command your subject. Then comes the Empty Hand Control. This is where you search your subject, and disarm him or her if necessary. Remove all objects that could be used as weapons against you and immobilize them. Lastly, comes Deadly Force. Krav Maga is generally known for heading straight for this last force, and it is where the player will use any force necessary to cause permanent injury to a subject, or even to go as far as to cause death to your opponent.

Krav Maga is not thought of as a sport, and after knowing all of this; it is easy to understand why. It cannot even be generalized as a form of self-defense, as deliberately causing any injury or death to an attacker is illegal. Admittedly, the art of Krav Maga, if it can be called an art at all, is designed to neutralize a threat in potentially lethal situations, but the way of escaping is by inflicting great pain.

It would be highly advisable to steer clear of using these methods if affronted by an attacker, and to try other, milder forms of self-defense and sports such as karate or judo. You should take up sports that encourage some form of self-control and do not allow for a game player to inflict as much pain and suffering as is humanly possible!

GET TO KNOW GLIMA : Part I

Glima is a proud sport - an international form of wrestling with a long and exciting history. It is the national fighting style of Iceland, and dates back as far as the 12th century. Glima is still practiced today, and becoming better known internationally all the time. The word “glima” translates as a “struggle.” A common expression in modern Icelandic, to “glima” with something means to struggle with something in life, similar to the word “grapple” in English. Its name illustrates the nature of the sport, which is based on a philosophy of respectable confrontation with traditions and regulations that differentiated from boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and other forms of more aggressive fighting. Though Icelandic, this style of fighting bears a similarity in its ethos to more traditional Asian martial arts like Karate and Judo. Glima is also an ancient combative style. There is evidence of glima dating as far back as the 12th century. Some tales of wrestling in Icelandic sagas, for instance the Younger Edda, argues for a case that this style is even older. More recently it has been made famous by International Strong man, Jon Pall – who is a native of Iceland.

This “system” of combat is categorized into eight main bragd (techniques), which form the basic training for approximately 50 ways to defeat an opponent with a “throw” or “takedown.” A unique stance for combat is one of the things that make Glima unique and easily identifiable, for those who are familiar with its rules. Two opponents must remain standing upright throughout the match. Forcing your opponent to fall to ground is considered poor sportsmanship and is frowned upon. Footwork is crucial. As in most styles of boxing, the sportsmen must remain in constant motion, usually moving in a clockwise manner. Because of this, Glima is often described as having “dance – like” qualities: due to the rhythmic movements of the wrestlers. Glima opponents step clockwise around each other (similar to a waltz). This creates opportunities for strategic offense and defense, and also helps prevent a stalemate. Interestingly, Glima wrestlers are trying to note look over the shoulder of their opponent, rather into his face. This tradition and comes from the Icelandic belief that wrestling is a sport based on contact, and therefore, the primary sense one should use is touch - as opposed to vision.

While Glima remains primarily a recreation; a fun pastime for exercise, and a gentleman's sport there is also the “lösatags” version, which is a more aggressive and abides by additional rules. The recreational exercise version is by far the most widespread and the one typically associated with the term “glima.” Some argue that to the term should be restricted to recreational fighting only, and it is this non-violent but athletic version, which is Iceland’s popular national sport. Learn more about this fighting style by using the Martial Arts School Finder at www.martial base.com/schoolFinder2.cfm

What is Sambo?

Sambo was invented by the Soviets during the time just after the Revolution in Russia, and was seen as an example of the Socialist dream to reinvent traditional arts on a scientific model. Sambo is similar in many ways to Judo and Jujutsu, but is also said to incorporate traditional Russian wrestling techniques as well. The man generally credited with teaching and introducing Sambo in Russia was Vasili Oschepkov, who was also one of the first Russians to learn Judo. Oschepkov taught these techniques to Russian Special Forces and Commandos during the period between the two World Wars.

The name “Sambo” derives from an acronym in Russian which means “combat without weapons.” These techniques were used by soldiers initially and gradually formed a sport sanctioned by the Soviet Union as beneficial to the people’s movement and a shining example of Socialist advances. The Soviets promoted the sport Sambo through Eastern Block sporting events in the manner that Judo was being practiced competitively internationally. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the sport retained its popularity and tournaments in Russia, and began to have more of an international influence, as its teachers were then able to freely travel and teach Sambo abroad.

FACTS:

• Sambo is one of only four forms of wrestling practiced in international competitions, the others being Freestyle Wrestling, Greco Roman Wrestling, and Judo.

• Sambo is a combination of many traditional Russian wrestling styles collected from across the former Soviet Union and Asia.

• Some of the best international Freestyle fighters and kickboxers study and practice Sambo.

• Sambo was used by elite Soviet troops and KGB agents in the Cold War for hand to hand combat techniques.

• Russia’s President Vladamir Putin is a master of the art of Sambo.

Sambo is categorized in Russia and internationality by the environment in which the martial arts practices are used. In this way, there is “Self Defense” Sambo, which is learned by individuals for personal protection in the social environment. “Combat” Sambo is practiced by Special Forces and elite troops during training for hand-to-hand battle techniques in warfare. The “Sport” Sambo is the variety found in competition in Russia and internationally. It has its own rules, uniforms, and officials that make it similar to wrestling or Judo as practiced competitively. “Freestyle” Sambo is without the rules of the sport variety for competitions that are created as a new category by the American organization of Sambo players. There is also a “Special” Sambo in Russia that is learned and taught by KGB agents, police, and army soldiers in the Special Forces. All of these varieties of Sambo are derived from the teachings of Vasili Oschepkov and are often fused with training in Judo, Jujutsu, or other martial arts. Sambo was recognized as an Olympic sport during the Moscow Olympics in 1980.

SPORT SAMBO:

• Distance is measured though five categories in Sambo to prepare mans of approach and attack simultaneous with defense.

• Catches seize the opponent bodily in a manner that is firm, based in motion, balance, and leverage.

• Throws are conducted to drop the opponent to the mat in a manner for application of a pin.

• Joint Locks are applied to an opponent for immobilization and submission.

• Pins are achieved when an opponent has been immobilized and signal the end of the match.

COMBAT SAMBO:

• Combat Sambo is based on close quarters combat in industrial settings.

• Combat Sambo include means to immobilize attackers with knives, guns, and other weapons.

• Combat Sambo uses holds and joint locks, as well as throws, for defense and submission of an enemy.

• Combat Sambo includes training in defending against attacks from multiple attackers, as in Aikido.

Sambo’s rise in international popularity is generally linked with the other Martial Arts, and found in fusion styles in Kickboxing, Freestyle Fighting, and Wrestling. Professionals such as soldiers, security, and law enforcement train in Sambo for alternative methods of throwing, locking, pinning, and submission of violent adversaries. Russian trainers have passed the style on to numerous masters in other countries, and training centers can be found internationally in countries such as America, Japan, Brazil, and others. To find a Sambo training school in your area, please visit the Martial Art School Finder has a detailed list of all schools and locations.