Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
Martial Arts Of The World - Webs Martial Arts Of The World - Webs
312 Krav Maga wrestling takedowns. The purpose is not to gain points, as in a sporting match, but to get the attacker in a weak position as quickly as possible. Practitioners are taught to restrain attackers through arm bars, which attempt to hyperextend the elbow joint unless the attacker submits, or by twisting the wrist joint until the attacker is in pain. At advanced levels, choke holds, which attempt to cut off the supply of air or blood to the brain, are taught. Choke holds are powerful techniques that enable a smaller person to endanger a larger one. Krav maga is also unique in that students are taught to take advantage of material objects that may be at hand for aiding in a self-defense situation. One of the theories behind krav maga is that ordinary objects can be turned into weapons, if only for a few seconds, to provide a critical advantage to the person being attacked. Women who carry purses are taught to initially throw them at an attacker to off-balance him and provide a few additional seconds to escape or attack. Objects such as ordinary writing pens can be turned into weapons, and practitioners are taught how to use them as such. In addition to the martial benefits of studying krav maga, students are introduced to an effective form of exercise. A krav maga workout exercises the body in every way, from intense stretching to aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. Even though the art can be studied by people of all ages, the serious participant will become more physically fit through the intense training that the art demands. Krav maga is a martial art that is intended to be self-defense in its purest form. The art is not intended to change the individual to conform to the system, which is expected in many traditional Asian martial systems. Rather, the art conforms to the unique personality and body structure of the practitioner. Every human is physically different, and krav maga teachers realize this. The primary goal of practitioners is to become aware of how to defend themselves. This involves learning how to best use the situation to the advantage of the practitioner in accordance with the unique abilities of each individual. Krav maga is also expected to instill in its practitioners a sense of confidence, calmness, and mental readiness to respond to danger situations. The only criterion for inclusion in the art is usefulness to one’s survival. Practitioners take the tools they are given through the art and adapt them to their own needs. The effectiveness of the art can be seen in the growth of the demand for instructors. Krav maga is now the official martial art of many police departments and special operations units in the United States. In an ironic twist, it is also the martial art of choice for many special military units and antiterrorist teams in European countries, including France, Finland, Sweden, and Germany. The reasons cited for the popularity are the effectiveness of the art and the ease with which it can be learned by practitioners.
Krav maga has been called the “first unarmed combat system of the twentieth century.” This is meant to convey the fact that it developed in this century with the understanding and awareness of modern combat. Firearms are the weapons of choice for twentieth-century warriors, and terrorism and sudden violence often define the battlefield of this century. Imi Lichtenfeld took this situation into account when he developed the art, and the current instructors use this understanding as the basis for further refinements of the system. Just as karate was developed for self-defense when weapons were banned for use by civilians on the island of Okinawa, and certain forms of jûjutsu were developed as auxiliary weapons when a Japanese warrior lost his weapons in battle, krav maga was developed as a way for modern warriors to defend themselves against the unpredictable nature of modern combat. It is not intended to reflect a cultural background or a way of life, but simply to be studied as a system of effective self-defense. In this respect, krav maga is also one of the most universally applicable martial systems. Although a recent arrival on the martial arts stage, krav maga has become a very popular style. As the demand rises for soldiers to fight in unconventional contexts, as well as for civilians to be able to cope with dangerous situations, the demand for krav maga will likely rise as well. Gene Tausk References “Krav Maga: A New Twist on Street Fighting.” 1998. Let’s Live, November, 68. Lichtenfeld, Imi, and Eyal Yanilov. 1998. Krav Maga: Self Defense and Fighting Tactics. Tel Aviv: Dekel. Kung Fu/Gung Fu/Gongfu Kung fu (often romanized as gung fu or gongfu) is a Cantonese phrase meaning, depending on context and the connotations an interpreter applies to the term, “hard work,” “human effort,” “exertion,” or “skill”; especially in the context of the martial arts, gong carries the meaning of “inner power.” In contemporary Western usage, kung fu has been used as a generic term for Chinese martial arts ranging from what have been labeled the “soft” or “internal” arts of taijiquan (tai chi ch’uan), baguazhang (pa kua ch’uan), and xingyiquan (hsing i ch’uan) to the so-called hard or external arts of Northern and Southern Shaolin. The term kung fu has been associated particularly with those martial systems that tradition claims are descended from the Shaolin Temple arts. In addition, the label kung fu tends to be more strongly associated, outside China at least, with the forms of Chinese martial arts that are presumed to emphasize striking over grappling techniques. According to some sources, the term originated as an admonition to practice diligently and was associated, in Hong Kong and Taiwan, with wugong (fighting skill). Kung Fu/Gung Fu/Gongfu 313
- Page 282 and 283: 262 Ki/Qi jujitsu. Martial artists
- Page 284 and 285: 264 Knights crossbow, or harquebus.
- Page 286 and 287: 266 Knights tury, when the benefice
- Page 288 and 289: 268 Knights vided with support in t
- Page 290 and 291: 270 Knights adopt those hereditary
- Page 292 and 293: 272 Knights hope of being knighted
- Page 294 and 295: 274 Knights acquire dominions and f
- Page 296 and 297: 276 Knights which time the tourname
- Page 298 and 299: 278 Knights their own troop and fou
- Page 300 and 301: 280 Knights Germany were probably f
- Page 302 and 303: 282 Knights glect. Instead, many ne
- Page 304 and 305: 284 Knights From the beginning of t
- Page 306 and 307: 286 Kobudô, Okinawan Kobudô, Okin
- Page 308 and 309: 288 Kobudô, Okinawan Japanese Infl
- Page 310 and 311: 290 Kobudô, Okinawan various forms
- Page 312 and 313: Winners of an archery contest in Ko
- Page 314 and 315: 294 Korea fucianism so completely t
- Page 316 and 317: 296 Korea nese withdrawal. Moreover
- Page 318 and 319: 298 Korea KTA and changed the name
- Page 320 and 321: including Ming general Qi Jiguang
- Page 322 and 323: 302 Koryû Bugei, Japanese koryû b
- Page 324 and 325: 304 Koryû Bugei, Japanese student
- Page 326 and 327: 306 Krav Maga Krav Maga Krav maga (
- Page 328: Krav Maga practitioners are taught
- Page 331: powerless for a few seconds while t
- Page 335: Two young women demonstrate Chinese
- Page 338 and 339: 318 Masters of Defence and-death en
- Page 340 and 341: 320 Masters of Defence “Masters o
- Page 342 and 343: 322 Masters of Defence ing both in
- Page 344 and 345: 324 Masters of Defence naissance sp
- Page 346 and 347: 326 Masters of Defence the classic
- Page 348 and 349: 328 Medicine, Traditional Chinese f
- Page 350 and 351: 330 Medicine, Traditional Chinese s
- Page 352 and 353: 332 Medicine, Traditional Chinese o
- Page 354 and 355: 334 Medicine, Traditional Chinese
- Page 356 and 357: A sculpture of Buddha in seated med
- Page 358 and 359: 338 Middle East Maliszewski, Michae
- Page 360 and 361: 340 Middle East ture battles. The c
- Page 362 and 363: 342 Middle East The oil obviously m
- Page 364 and 365: 344 Mongolia to gain punching power
- Page 366 and 367: Two Inner Mongolian wrestlers await
- Page 368 and 369: 348 Mongolia range of up to 500 yar
- Page 370 and 371: 350 Muay Thai Sinor, Denis. 1990. T
- Page 372 and 373: 352 Muay Thai (Praditbatuga 2000).
- Page 374 and 375: 354 Muay Thai Ron Smith emphasizes
- Page 376 and 377: 356 Ninjutsu ninja boom that spread
- Page 378 and 379: 358 Ninjutsu Nobunaga in Kyoto in 1
- Page 380 and 381: 360 Ninjutsu out fatigue, breath co
312 Krav Maga<br />
wrestling takedowns. <strong>The</strong> purpose is not to gain points, as in a sporting<br />
match, but to get the attacker in a weak position as quickly as possible.<br />
Practitioners are taught to restrain attackers through arm bars, which attempt<br />
to hyperextend the elbow joint unless the attacker submits, or by<br />
twisting the wrist joint until the attacker is in pain. At advanced levels,<br />
choke holds, which attempt to cut off the supply of air or blood to the<br />
brain, are taught. Choke holds are powerful techniques that enable a<br />
smaller person to endanger a larger one.<br />
Krav maga is also unique in that students are taught to take advantage<br />
of material objects that may be at hand for aiding in a self-defense situation.<br />
One of the theories behind krav maga is that ordinary objects can be turned<br />
into weapons, if only for a few seconds, to provide a critical advantage to<br />
the person being attacked. Women who carry purses are taught to initially<br />
throw them at an attacker to off-balance him and provide a few additional<br />
seconds to escape or attack. Objects such as ordinary writing pens can be<br />
turned into weapons, and practitioners are taught how to use them as such.<br />
In addition to the martial benefits of studying krav maga, students are<br />
introduced to an effective form of exercise. A krav maga workout exercises<br />
the body in every way, from intense stretching to aerobic and anaerobic<br />
conditioning. Even though the art can be studied by people of all ages, the<br />
serious participant will become more physically fit through the intense<br />
training that the art demands.<br />
Krav maga is a martial art that is intended to be self-defense in its<br />
purest form. <strong>The</strong> art is not intended to change the individual to conform to<br />
the system, which is expected in many traditional Asian martial systems.<br />
Rather, the art conforms to the unique personality and body structure of<br />
the practitioner. Every human is physically different, and krav maga teachers<br />
realize this. <strong>The</strong> primary goal of practitioners is to become aware of<br />
how to defend themselves. This involves learning how to best use the situation<br />
to the advantage of the practitioner in accordance with the unique<br />
abilities of each individual. Krav maga is also expected to instill in its practitioners<br />
a sense of confidence, calmness, and mental readiness to respond<br />
to danger situations. <strong>The</strong> only criterion for inclusion in the art is usefulness<br />
to one’s survival. Practitioners take the tools they are given through the art<br />
and adapt them to their own needs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> effectiveness of the art can be seen in the growth of the demand<br />
for instructors. Krav maga is now the official martial art of many police departments<br />
and special operations units in the United States. In an ironic<br />
twist, it is also the martial art of choice for many special military units and<br />
antiterrorist teams in European countries, including France, Finland, Sweden,<br />
and Germany. <strong>The</strong> reasons cited for the popularity are the effectiveness<br />
of the art and the ease with which it can be learned by practitioners.