The Ugly Truth About Krav Maga: What No One Else Will Tell You!

Krav Maga gets mixed reactions in the martial arts community, and there are good reasons why!

The Reality of flaws with Krav Maga: Two Decades of Experience Talking

Alright, listen up. I’ve been in the Krav Maga game for over two damn decades, so I know a little about what’s what. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of Krav Maga, both in Sweden and the USA.

Now, let’s cut the crap and get to it.

The Biggest Issues: Quality Control is Nonexistent

Most of what I see online? Absolute dogshit. It’s either garbage that won’t work on a resisting opponent or flashy nonsense meant to lure students with a “lethal military style.” That’s Hollywood, not Krav Maga.

Inconsistent Training Standards

• Lack of Central Authority: In 2024, Krav Maga has no single, centralized authority controlling promotions and enforcing a unified syllabus. Each faction has its own version of a syllabus, belt levels, and testing requirements.

Instant Instructor Syndrome

• Easy Certification: Krav Maga has a bad reputation as one of the few arts where you can take one course, pay for a certificate, and boom—you’re an instructor. And truth be told, it depends. Let me explain. Different organizations have different requirements for instructor applicants. Some require you to have trained in KM with a recommendation from your current instructor, military or law enforcement training, a criminal background check, and knowledge in other martial art styles. Others offer instructor training with no prerequisites.

The actual certification varies wildly from 2 to 7 days. Some have a 50-60% fail rate on average, while others have a no-fail option and grade their instructors Gold, Silver, and Bronze upon completion of the course. This is a fucking problem. This is why there's such a massive skill gap and difference in competency between Krav schools. And don’t get me started on the study-at-home or eBay options for some organizations. GTFO.

The Sparring Dilemma: Not Enough Action

Another big problem in the US? Not enough sparring. In most KM schools, Level 1 students don’t spar! Why? Because they "need to learn the basics first." I personally agree to disagree. There should be some foundational slow sparring in Level 1. When students hit Level 2, sparring should be amped up—at least 1 in 3 classes should have sparring.

Misleading Marketing: The Real Target Audience

Krav Maga is marketed as a strong self-defense system, which it can be. But here’s the truth: it’s not going to be easy or quick. People go into Krav thinking they will be Jason Bourne or John Wick after just a few classes, only to find out they didn’t learn the gun and knife takeaways on day one! It takes time to learn Krav Maga; it’s a commitment as a student and as an instructor alike.

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Krav Maga

Strengths:

1. Versatile Techniques: Krav Maga combines effective techniques from various martial arts such as wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai, and Judo. This makes it comprehensive and adaptable to various situations.
   

2. Focus on Real-World Scenarios: Krav Maga is designed for practical self-defense, emphasizing real-world scenarios like defending against armed attackers and multiple opponents.
   

3. Quick Learning Curve: The techniques are intuitive and can be learned quickly, making it accessible for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities.
   

4. Physical Fitness: Training in Krav Maga improves overall fitness, conditioning, and mental toughness.
   

Weaknesses:

1. Lack of Standardization: The absence of a centralized authority leads to inconsistent training standards and quality control.
   

2. Limited Sparring: Many schools do not emphasize enough sparring, which is crucial for developing real combat skills.
   

3. High Cost: Training can be expensive, and require specialized equipment.
   

4. Instructor Quality Variance: Despite its claims, Krav Maga is not really that different from any other system focusing on self-defense. It all comes down to the quality of the instructor. With a good instructor, Krav Maga is a great option. With a mediocre one, you may as well be doing Tae-Bo in combat pants.
   

Finding a Good Krav Maga School

You might feel like finding a good KM school is an almost impossible challenge and a deep dive into the acronym alphabet soup. Start by checking schools with instructors who have credentials from any of the following organizations, each claiming to keep Krav "pure" and high-quality.

• Krav Maga Worldwide (KMW)

• International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF)

• Krav Maga Global (KMG)

• United States Krav Maga Association (USKMA)

• Krav Maga Alliance (KMA)
  

Remember, formal instructor credentials can only tell you so much. It’s crucial to go to trial classes at several schools if possible and find a good match between yourself and the instructor.

The Bottom Line

Krav Maga taught by a competent instructor, with enough sparring and time, will teach you solid self-defense. No BS, straight to the point. Now get out there and find a Instructor that works for you. Don’t quit at the first hurdle, your future self will thank you.

Coach Rob