For the longest time, krav maga has been used by militaries such as the Navy Seals and the Israeli Defense Force. Over time it has become more popular for everyday people to learn. That brings us to the question, is it worth learning krav maga? Let’s take a look at the answer.
It is most definitely worth learning Krav Maga. This is especially true for people who lack confidence in their ability to defend themselves. As for what value krav maga gives you, well, apart from being a social activity that can keep you fit and healthy, it teaches you to defend yourself competently.
In this article, we will take a look at whether or not krav maga is useful, whether or not it is good for bodyguards, and if it is good for women. We will then talk to you about whether or not krav maga is good for getting you in shape. Finally, we will discuss if krav maga is good for kids. So, let’s get into it.
Is It Worth Learning Krav Maga?
Normally, when we try and answer a question like this, we try and break it down by talking about what type of person krav maga is best suited to. I don’t really have to do that in this article. Here’s why:
Krav Maga is worth it for almost everybody to learn. This is because the martial art will teach you how to defend yourself and your loved ones.
You never know what’s going to happen on a day out, and while you might feel safe walking around your neighborhood or your hometown, you literally cannot predict what other people are going to do.
It is a sad reality, but there are bad people out there who might try and attack you. With a good knowledge of krav maga, you will be giving yourself an advantage in these types of situations.
Value: What Does Krav Maga Teach You?
In this section, I think it is best to draw up a list of things that krav maga will teach you. However, we will also be throwing in some of the benefits of krav maga into that list.
Basically, what I want to do is to try and convince as many people as possible to learn the martial art. Now, you might know me as someone who has dedicated their life to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and this is true. However, I am a firm believer in learning more than one martial art.
All of that being said, let’s take a look at what krav maga will teach you.
- Decision making: You will learn to make the correct decision as to whether or not to engage in combat depending on the situation. Remember that avoiding conflict is always the best resolution. You will also learn what techniques to use in said combat.
- Anticipation: Once you engage in combat, you will be better at anticipating what your opponent will do.
- How to fight/defend yourself: So, this is the most obvious, but you will learn how to fight.
Is Krav Maga Useful?
Before we even get started, let me just say that krav maga is useful beyond just self-defense. It is the most practical form of martial art. So, yes, it is great to learn how to fight competently, but there is more to it than that.
For example, if you have excess weight and want to learn how to defend yourself and lose weight, krav maga can help you with that. This is because the training is quite intense.
That is just one example but to give a definite answer to the question, yes, krav maga is useful.
Is Krav Maga Worth It For Bodyguards?
This is an excellent section because we have written a recent article dedicated to bodyguards and anyone trying to break out into that industry. You can find that article here; however, here is a small snippet from that article.
“A bodyguard is not somebody who goes out of their way to look for trouble. In fact, the only times they respond is when they sense that danger is on its way to the person or object they are protecting.
For this reason, Krav Maga is the absolute best martial art for a bodyguard to learn because Krav Maga teaches you how to defend yourself rather than how to be the aggressor. With that said, the training can be used offensively if the bodyguard chooses.
Now, there are times when a bodyguard will sense danger, and they will need to attack first to prevent that danger from attacking them. With all of the self-defense tactics that are taught within Krav Maga, a bodyguard will be able to use those techniques to attack as well.”
I would say that a bodyguard, at least one who takes their job seriously, should know at least two martial arts, and these are Brazilian jiu-jitsu and krav maga.
Knowing these two forms of martial arts will allow you to subdue your opponent after disarming them if they were to come at you with a weapon.
Is Krav Maga Worth It For Women?
Again, we have written an article that was dedicated to the best martial art for women. If you are trying to convince yourself or someone to get into martial arts and that person is a female, I highly recommend showing them this article.
If you remove the fact that martial arts are used as a sport and as a challenging hobby and look at it clearly from the perspective of self-defense, krav maga is the absolute best martial arts for women to learn.
Does Krav Maga Help You Get In Shape?
Krav maga is great for people who are trying to lose weight. Not only will you be shedding the pounds off, but you will also be learning how to fight, or should I say, you will be learning how to defend yourself.
Obviously, if you’re trying to lose weight, you cannot solely rely on exercise and activities. You also need to consider your diet, and while I’m not saying that you should starve yourself, you should definitely try and eat clean foods and a healthy amount of them.
Will Krav Maga Boost Your Confidence?
Yes, krav maga will definitely boost your confidence. It can actually boost your confidence beyond just being able to defend yourself. Think about it; if you are in a situation where you would normally feel intimidated, whether you are a male or female, this intimidation will simply start to fade the more competent you become at Krav Maga.
I just want to step away from krav maga for a second. I see a lot of my students develop over time. Remember, I’ve been with some of my students for years. I have watched them grow from being shy and introverted to becoming confident in their abilities and personalities.
Is Krav Maga Worth It For Kids?
Most kids start out doing karate. It is when they get older that they start to develop certain interests in other martial arts. These include disciplines such as judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, and so on. That brings up the question, is it worth it for kids to do krav maga? Basically, that is asking should they do this instead of karate?
If you intend to send your kid off to martial arts lessons, Krav Maga can be a great way to teach them self-defense. However, I find that martial arts such as karate, judo, or Brazilian jiu-jitsu will teach kids principles, discipline, values, and morals to take into their older years with them.
If you want to prevent a situation where your kid gets bullied in school, it could be worth sending them to krav maga lessons.
Conclusion
All martial arts have value and can add that value to your life. Whether or not it is worth learning depends on you and what you want to get out of life. Martial arts is more than just learning how to protect yourself. It is also about discovering more about yourself and raising awareness. By awareness, I mean self-awareness.