Learn 4 self defense moves taught in Krav Maga

The best answer to a situation where someone is always being threatened is to avoid violence at all costs. However, this is not always possible, and for this reason, self-defense and martial arts courses have been spreading everywhere.

If you're curious about it, we've brought you four tips for self-defense moves that are simple to apply and can be done by anyone. They are drawn from a combat style called Krav Maga, created by the Israeli Special Defense Forces, and are easy to learn because they do not require any special clothing or equipment or specific fitness. Scams of this modality always aim to neutralize a threat as quickly as possible, as you will see below, but should only be used as a last resort. Running away to protect your life and that of others is no cause for shame.

Obviously, the ideal way for you to correctly learn any type of combat or martial art is to attend classes with a properly qualified instructor, and it is not our intention to replace this with the demonstrations in this text. The blows we will explain here, for example, were demonstrated by Matan Gavish, a former officer of an Israeli Special Forces special operations unit and founder of the Krav Maga Academy in New York.

The method

Krav Maga is an essentially unarmed combat system and is therefore aimed at attacking the “soft parts” of the body. This means areas that, unlike muscles, cannot be worked to have greater resistance, such as eyes, nose, ears, jaw, throat, groin, knees and Achilles tendons.

Try to train movements with another person in an open space. Begin to practice the blows slowly and moderately so that no one gets hurt, and increase the intensity as it becomes more comfortable to perform each action. If you have no one to train with, try applying the movements to a sandbag at the gym, for example, if there is one, or look for a Krav Maga school that would be ideal.

We hope you will never find yourself in a situation where you really need to use these techniques, but as one protocol says, being prepared is about surviving.

How to close the fist

The first thing you need to know to defend yourself is how to clench your fists correctly if you need to get your hands dirty and throw a few punches. In the above GIF, you can see what you should do:

• Bend the fingers at the height of the second joint (where the proximal phalanx meets the middle phalanx);
• Bend the fingers again so that the tip of each is protected in the middle of the palm;
• Position and hold your thumbs over your index and middle fingers on either side (no letting your thumb straight out or covered by the other fingers);
• Keep your wrists completely straight.

If the punch is unavoidable, try to hit the opponent using the knuckles of the index and middle fingers as they are bigger and stronger than the others, meaning they will do more damage at the time of impact. In addition, Gavish explains that we should use the full body weight when punching, rotating the waist in the same direction as the blow to increase strength.

The movements

1. Groin kick

If you're facing someone head-on and don't know what to do, kick the person's groin as fast and hard as possible.

To do this, from your body's natural position, raise your hands to protect your face and place your dominant leg behind you. Bend the front knee and raise the back leg in a rapid, continuous forward and upward motion while tilting your body back a little to aid your balance.

Calculate the distance to hit the attacker's genitals with the middle of his shin, not with the tip of the foot or the knee, as we are used to seeing in movies. It's a bigger area, so it's harder to miss the blow. Also, do not stop the attack as soon as there is contact. Kick as high and hard as possible as this maximizes impact.

The most natural thing at this time is for the opponent to bend forward to protect the hit area. If necessary, punch the sensitive areas of the head (nose, chin, eyes, ears, throat) to take the person out of action at once.

2. Stop a side attack

This defensive move can also be used when an attacker is coming from the front, attacking with a side hit, either with bare hands or with a melee weapon.

To perform this technique, you raise your arm on the same side as the attack is coming, with your elbow flexed and your fingers open to increase your area of ​​defense, after all it is preferable to take a blow to the arm rather than directly to the head.

Simultaneously, you close the fist of the other hand and punch in one of the vulnerable areas of the opponent's head, such as the chin, nose or throat. In this case, the attacker should thrust his head back and move away, which creates an opportunity for you to strike with the groin kick we saw above.

3. Escape from a grab from behind

If someone comes up behind you and tries to restrict your movements with a grab, you should squat down quickly as this lowers your center of gravity, making it harder for the attacker to lift or knock you down.

With your feet more than your waist width apart, rotate your hips to the side, which will create a clear path for the attacker's genitals. With your palm open, attack this area as hard and fast as you can, which will cause the person to loosen the grip.

At this point, throw your weight away from your opponent while striking back with your elbow, which should hit his belly or ribs, allowing you to flee or turn around and strike him in the soft areas we have already mentioned. .

4. Escape a bottleneck from behind

If someone grabs your neck from behind, you need to react as quickly as possible, or you run out of breath and lose consciousness in no time.

To do this, step forward and simultaneously raise your arm opposite the leg you have advanced - if you have advanced with your right leg, raise your left arm, for example - until your biceps is at your ear level.

Pass the back leg behind the other, as if turning to face the person. Do this quickly and aggressively without lowering your arm and using your body weight to force the attacker's wrists to open. When the tightness in your neck loosens, use your elbow to try to hit the attacker's head, then flee or focus your attacks on the most accessible vulnerable points.

Do you practice or have you ever engaged in some form of hand-to-hand combat? Which? Comment on the Mega Curious Forum