Martial arts can help boost self-esteem, reduce stress and improve your ability to focus. Here, instructor Carsten Draheim explains how Krav Maga can help you master your defences
Conceived during anti-Semitic riots in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, Krav Maga – from the Hebrew for ‘contact combat’ – is one of the world’s most successful self-defence systems. It is also increasingly popular for fitness, with its vigorous aerobic moves and focus on mental sharpness giving all-round benefits. Leading Krav Maga trainer and author of Krav Maga: Effective Techniques for Self-Defense, Carsten Draheim explains the principles.
‘What makes Krav Maga different from fighting sports and other martial arts is its uncompromising nature and effectiveness. Hungarian-born martial artist Imi Lichtenfeld, the founder of Krav Maga, went on to become responsible for training the Israeli armed forces. It was important to prepare them for the worst-case scenario as quickly as possible, regardless of experience, age, or sex. He also had to ensure they would be able to quickly recall the close-range combat system they had learned in short training sessions, without too much strain on their level of fitness.
‘In order to maintain control of yourself and the situation, it’s important for the defender to strive for the greatest necessary aggression, not the maximum. This requires a high level of stress tolerance and self-control.
‘I benefit from this in everyday situations, but especially in my job so I can keep a cool head when things get dicey. People always ask me if I’ve ever had to “use” Krav Maga. I reply that I do so nearly every day: in my profession as the owner of multiple companies; in my communication with customers, suppliers, and employees; and, of course, as a Krav Maga instructor around the world.
‘The principles of Krav Maga can largely be reduced to just one sentence: use your natural reactions and movements to defend yourself, and combine them with a counterattack. Every technique must function under stress and be easy to remember. Effective self-defence consists of technical and tactical elements, and both are necessary.
‘In order to make a technique effective, easy to learn, and easy to remember in times of stress, it probably won’t deviate too strongly from your natural reflexes. The counterattack is a reversal of aggression, and it’s about accepting the dominant position in the conflict – and incurring as little harm as possible while escaping the situation.’
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