It is a mass marketed self defense concept that borrows techniques from real martial arts. It is not unique as there are many other systems out there that do the same thing. It has become one of the largest so called systems being marketed by mcdojos worldwide. Krav Maga is a beginner exercise class at best. I know more about Krav than most of it's students.
It's all marketing. If you google self-defense now it will Krav Maga will be every where. With the speed that information travels and the amount of suckers out there Krav's techniques will continue to get better. Right now there is a lot of very watered down information being taught by guys who have no live training experience.
They are doing an amazing job marketing this fighting system. People love to pretend fight with no rules. Instructors make sure to make people feel as "badass" without giving them any real skills. Those of us that have been in martial arts long enough have seen this happen many times in the past. Most these guys are fakes being taught by fakes. The tough instructors already had existing skill sets.
Instructors who didn't have existing skill sets are no different than all those old traditional martial arts instructors that we laugh at on youtube. Many times they are ex-military who use their military credentials to market their skills even though if it has nothing to do with teaching effective martial arts. Most of the highest ranked instructors just have a bunch of simple self-defense techniques memorized. Now Krav Maga Associations (pyramid schemes) are getting very organized with video curriculums and making it very easy for krav mcdojos to open up on every corner. Many instructors are on power trips and like to play drill sergeant and bark orders and to feel tough. In Israel everyone has to go in the military so ever Krav guru you meet is going to talk about their military experience. So many of these guys are starting their own affiliations and bring their friends from Israel to teach seminars, certifications and work shops. There is a big marketing push to market to executives for personal protection, workout place self-defense, corporate security, etc, etc.
Associations "certify" Krav instructors that just have a little experience in another martial art at a heavy price and them charge them a high monthly fee that includes the curriculum and marketing help. Monthly fees are usually $500+ a month and the certification will be over $1k. You get a cut if you send more instructors to get certified.
Some instructors of course already had real fighting backgrounds but find it is much easier to keep students by giving the false confidence and by them never really getting their ass kicked. If they never lose they always win. They won't quit something they are good at! Even these legit instructors & gym owners are getting certified in Krav Maga just to market to that self-defense niche. Most blue belts, decent high school wrestlers, or someone with one year real boxing experience would easily beat the vast majority of Krav Maga instructors who usually have very little live training experience.
It is amazing to me that in this day and age with youtube and the ability to see real street fights and MMA, BJJ, Judo, Wrestling, Boxing, Kickboxing, etc etc competitions that people will still fall for this. The problem if they have never trained they don't know how to really develop skills.
In Israel Krav Maga is still not taken seriously by most. If you know some well you will get the truth but for many Israelis with too much national pride though would be difficult for most to speak out against it and many are trying their best to support it.
Great marketing to people that do not know what real fighting looks like....
http://youtu.be/JOrHKlNPHR8
It is a mass marketed self defense concept that borrows techniques from real martial arts. It is not unique as there are many other systems out there that do the same thing.
So basically, you're saying it's MMA.
Interesting topic and holy hell look at that LURKING!
And here we go 
Op absolutely hates krav
Authority Figure -
It is a mass marketed self defense concept that borrows techniques from real martial arts. It is not unique as there are many other systems out there that do the same thing.
So basically, you're saying it's MMA.
Many MMA classes are watered down too. Jack of all trades and master of none. BUT there are two main differences. Most mma classes (even bad ones) are at least using proven techniques. The second is training methods. Most krav schools never really go live. The instructor and other students don't go 100% live with each other. I think most MMA classes would be better for self-defense than most Krav classes.
Check out this video. THIS IS KRAV MAGA! Blue name?
"REALITY" BASED vs MMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w3N7v4aK7JA
Its that time of the month again but I am a sucker for such debates.
I know a few krav guys who are legit, although an honest assessment is that they are at very basic levels of MT and BJJ despite having invested years in Krav. But the majority are just wannabe ninjas with ridiculous levels of false sense of security.
The thing is, Krav is a hodgepodge of techniques. Nothing wrong with that. If you have no interest in martial arts, and are not interested in self discovery via that means, but would like to get a quick and broad overview for self defense, Krav is a great choice. Which is why it is a good system for soldiers, who have no time to waste on unarmed combat at the expense of firearms and battlefield training.
Personally, I am a martial artist. I would rather cross train in effective, "alive" styles, put in the time in the ring/mat and do my own research on strategies and concepts as applied to self preservation.
Basically it boils down to this... Would you learn from a jack of all trades (but master of none), or learn from different masters of single trades?
Grab balls, you lose. Don't under estimate kravmaga...
P.s.
Didn't read, lol. 
MEOWticket - Grab balls, you lose. Don't under estimate kravmaga...Well, even your mother knows how to grab balls. If you've paid big $ to learn how to do this secret technique, you've been conned.
P.s.
Didn't read, lol.
PS - pls watch GIA and see what happened to the hapkido guy when he tried to grab Rorion's balls.
I always found the Krav Maga episode of Fight Quest to be especially entertaining. If a blue would be so kind:
http://youtu.be/T610Sc1HONo
Jimmy Smith (does commentary for Bellator nowadays) trains with the IDF and Doug Anderson trains with a civilian school.
See: Lloyd irving (or irvin? irvan?)Those are his marketing schemes
Dugs95 - See: Lloyd irving (or irvin? irvan?)Those are his marketing schemesYou sound like a real expert on this irvan guy
Hulagal -
Authority Figure -
It is a mass marketed self defense concept that borrows techniques from real martial arts. It is not unique as there are many other systems out there that do the same thing.
So basically, you're saying it's MMA.
Many MMA classes are watered down too. Jack of all trades and master of none. BUT there are two main differences. Most mma classes (even bad ones) are at least using proven techniques. The second is training methods. Most krav schools never really go live. The instructor and other students don't go 100% live with each other. I think most MMA classes would be better for self-defense than most Krav classes.
Check out this video. THIS IS KRAV MAGA! Blue name?
"REALITY" BASED vs MMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w3N7v4aK7JA
"REALITY" BASED vs MMA
Dr Schopenhauer - I did krav for sometime. I switched to MT right after and my system was in shock.Elaborate?
Krav is good for males over 26 and females.
I realized reading this thread that I really have no idea what goes into Krav training. I've been doing BJJ for years now, most recently above a Krav school.
I see the guys periodically. They dress similarly and and always seem to be doing random stuff. Tonight they were hitting tires with sledge hammers like you'd see at a larger MMA gym.
What is it? Is there a set curriculum? Are there base techniques? Do they spar against live, resisting opponents so as to keep everyone honest and hone techniques, or do they water down the contact more like a TMA?
I'm 34, but I'm happy with BJJ. I wish I had time for boxing or kickboxing too. I don't feel any pull toward Krav.
Women self defense DVD Trailer - by IKMF Krav Maga and Avi moyal
Ive only been doing bjj for about 3 years now and i have friends who do this krav maga, they continually tell me that a real fight has no rules and that i am limited by the rules of my "sport", the funny thing is that they would never let anybody prove them wrong, any time i have asked them to put some gloves on they spew out some shit about it being too dangerous to perform on someone.
Whatever though as long as they are happy with it and it gives them self confidence, thats all that matters.
its not a combat sport. its designed to be taught to people that arent fighting athletes and is designed to be used against people who arent sport fighting athletes.
there are probabaly many mcdojos out there teaching it but thats pretty common in martial arts in general.
basically dont go to krav maga if you want to become a sport fighter or BJJ guy. you wont learn how to wrestle in krav maga but you wont learn how to box in a wrestling class. you will learn how to quickly turn the tides against an attacker in the most brutal way possible and then flee the encounter with your life if your instructor knows what he/she is doing.
I think krav maga is legit for what it is. It teaches and trains martial artists to raise situations to level 10 by responding. More violently and efficiently than their opponent (physical groin strikes head butts throat strikes. Etc). The movie taken was a great example of krav maga when he got the jump on guys he kicked their ass by getting violent quickly, if someone fought him straight up they kicked his ass till he got an opening for something violent.
TheLuckyMilkMan - its not a combat sport. its designed to be taught to people that arent fighting athletes and is designed to be used against people who arent sport fighting athletes.
there are probabaly many mcdojos out there teaching it but thats pretty common in martial arts in general.
basically dont go to krav maga if you want to become a sport fighter or BJJ guy. you wont learn how to wrestle in krav maga but you wont learn how to box in a wrestling class. you will learn how to quickly turn the tides against an attacker in the most brutal way possible and then flee the encounter with your life if your instructor knows what he/she is doing.
Wow what a new concept! Ummm not! Sorry my friend but you just described every martial art. Ever watch the first UFC's? These kata style training methods and claims of being too dangerous to test that Fraud Maga make are nothing new. We have seen the same exact methods and concepts in other martial arts and they get smoked in real combat. The martial arts that work best are taught by specialist and are tested in not non-choreographed, alive conditions.
Combat sports are superior to krav maga for self-defense and street fighting. Any value that Krav Maga has for awareness and their "on switch" they love to talk about, could be taught in a one hour seminar. Most of their knife and gun defense will get your killed.
Krav Maga is to self-defense like what Tae Bo or Turbo Kick to kickboxing. It's a watered down version to give people a good workout and make them feel like they are learning something useful.
You can take a beginner boxing lessons and 6 months of BJJ and dominate 99% of Krav Maga guys in a no rules fight.
Did you watch the reality based vs mma video?