Learning Krav Maga.. By yourself?

[Mr. Wolf]

I need to learn a martial arts, for defence and assaulting.. I chose Krav Maga because it was recommended to me by boxers, who said boxing isn't really gonna give you what you want.. Plus I like the idea of maximum damage, it fits me well.

One problem though. I'm short on cash.

Is it possible to get some books and practice by yourself, not in a gym.. What can I do if I don't have money and can't afford training?

 

[The Inside Man]

Coming from someone who boxed in college, IMO boxing is a great sport to try, if you go to a class you will learn important combos and the correct form to throw punches and avoid them. It isn't an end all but you really need to know how to hit someone in the face hard, and fast (for both defense and "assaulting"). Boxing is the best way I have learned how to do that with my hands/fists. If you really want to get close to a street situation you're going to want to train with minimal pads and full contact sparring with punches and kicks.


This has been gone over a million times before BUT THE REASON YOU CAN'T TEACH YOURSELF A MARTIAL ART IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THE MARTIAL ART ALREADY. And no book is going to show you the correct form you would learn at a structured practice, taught by a legitimate martial artist, who has been honing his/her art for years and can succesfully show someone else how to do it. You might think you learn how to fight, and you can learn the basics from a book, but applying it is a whole different matter.

You can train yourself once you learn all the techniques to some extent, to learn anything new succesfully in martial arts, because of the many steps, grips, or strikes or positions, it is only possible to learn them in person and through sparring/grappling.

If you're short on cash, find a friend with some boxing/mma experience, a good high school or college wrestler, and ask them to teach you the basics of those arts. I got most of my boxing experience for free, but it is a "trial by fire" when you're boxing someone better but its the only way to get better yourself.

 

[wayword]

You can...if you're very kinesthetic.

Look at Bruce Lee - he was also a cha-cha champion. In other words, he was very kinesthetic and so had a natural knack for picking up and executing bodily movements with perfection. Therefore, he could basically teach himself moves.

But someone with less body coordination is going to need more instruction.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

I would like to find some videos and instructions on basic moves.. Not only Krav Maga, but also boxing, primarily boxing.. Moves such as punches, foot work, and defending.. At least I could do something.

I train daily, run, bike, and lift.. But let me tell you, I got my a55 kicked the other day.

I thought I would leave the guy bleeding and begging for mercy, as he was smaller and older, but instead he grabbed my right hand and wrestled me, preventing me from kicking punches.. I could grab his throat with my left hand and move him off balance and against his car, but that didn't do anything.. I don't know what to do in a fight.. I always avoided fights as a kid, so I don't have that skill..

Instead of that crap that happened to me, nobody won, I want to literally kick a55. Like next time someone messes with me, I want to be able to leave them seriously injured. Of course, I'll avoid it, but you know how it feels, right..

Another thing.. Suppose you have a very bright light on your helmet, like if you look at it directly you will get blinded.. I took my helmet off during the fight, was it a bad move.. Should I kept it on and had the light running, at night, blinding my opponent and giving me an edge? Or it would just make me an easy target because he can see where I am?

I'm a big dude.. I never thought before that I would buy me a can of pepper spray.

 

[Kerpal]

I watched a Krav Maga class once and I wasn't impressed. I really think it's a fad, not a serious martial art. It was basically a cardio kickboxing class, and everyone there had their official Krav Maga tshirts and gym bags

I train at an MMA gym and we do boxing, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Any combination of those would be excellent for self defense.

 

[spesmilitis]

It is very hard to learn much by yourself. Get a training parter. Its won't be anywhere as affective having a instructor, but you can learn a lot about self defense. Spar often. There is a lot of resources on the internet. Such as youtube.

I agree, I don't like TMA's, but Krav Maga is legit. You can learn a lot about fighting by doing Krav Maga alone, but it seem that Krav Maga was meant to take elements of fighting (striking, grappling) and apply it to street fighting situations. I combo of Krav Maga and a legit combat art seems like the idea combination to get good at street fighting.

 

[WORKEROUTER]

I'm sure you can find something with other people. Anything is great to start out with.

Look for wrestling clubs, judo clubs, boxing clubs, etc. in your area. Maybe your school has some. Either way you'll be abl to learn technqiues from others and even practice them on others in sparring sessions.

 

[Suicide]

Can't learn anything on your own. Don't even waste your time.

 

[jaaku]

I would like to find some videos and instructions on basic moves.. Not only Krav Maga, but also boxing, primarily boxing.. Moves such as punches, foot work, and defending.. At least I could do something.

I train daily, run, bike, and lift.. But let me tell you, I got my a55 kicked the other day.

I thought I would leave the guy bleeding and begging for mercy, as he was smaller and older, but instead he grabbed my right hand and wrestled me, preventing me from kicking punches.. I could grab his throat with my left hand and move him off balance and against his car, but that didn't do anything.. I don't know what to do in a fight.. I always avoided fights as a kid, so I don't have that skill..

Instead of that crap that happened to me, nobody won, I want to literally kick a55. Like next time someone messes with me, I want to be able to leave them seriously injured. Of course, I'll avoid it, but you know how it feels, right..

Another thing.. Suppose you have a very bright light on your helmet, like if you look at it directly you will get blinded.. I took my helmet off during the fight, was it a bad move.. Should I kept it on and had the light running, at night, blinding my opponent and giving me an edge? Or it would just make me an easy target because he can see where I am?

I'm a big dude.. I never thought before that I would buy me a can of pepper spray.

Never underestimate the power of the little looking guy. I'm a wrestler, and I stand at 6 foot 1, 71 kilos (157 lb). The only reason I don't get destroyed is my reach. But anyways...next time he grabs your hand and tries to wrestle you, yank it away. If you can't do that, bring it down a bit, and then bring your knee up, and knock his hand with your knee. It should release you.

As far as general suggestions to find places to learn...pretty much what everyone else said. Find a general community or club that practices boxing, wrestling, ju-jitsu (especially brazillian ju-jitsu...if you can find it). Etc. Krav Maga might be hard to find, so look for something that's more mainstream for now. You might still be required to pay a monthly due to the club. But it should be far less than any school.

Oh, and don't worry about the helmet thing, It has it's positives and negatives. You did the right thing by taking it off. If it slipped down onto your face, you'd be roasted even worse.

 

[Reyaj]

I would like to find some videos and instructions on basic moves.. Not only Krav Maga, but also boxing, primarily boxing.. Moves such as punches, foot work, and defending.. At least I could do something.

I train daily, run, bike, and lift.. But let me tell you, I got my a55 kicked the other day.

I thought I would leave the guy bleeding and begging for mercy, as he was smaller and older, but instead he grabbed my right hand and wrestled me, preventing me from kicking punches.. I could grab his throat with my left hand and move him off balance and against his car, but that didn't do anything.. I don't know what to do in a fight.. I always avoided fights as a kid, so I don't have that skill..

Instead of that crap that happened to me, nobody won, I want to literally kick a55. Like next time someone messes with me, I want to be able to leave them seriously injured. Of course, I'll avoid it, but you know how it feels, right..

Another thing.. Suppose you have a very bright light on your helmet, like if you look at it directly you will get blinded.. I took my helmet off during the fight, was it a bad move.. Should I kept it on and had the light running, at night, blinding my opponent and giving me an edge? Or it would just make me an easy target because he can see where I am?

I'm a big dude.. I never thought before that I would buy me a can of pepper spray.

Boxing is the easiest to learn and most effective IMHO. Like someone above said its not a be all end all.... but lets face it if you knock someone out they are done. When he grabbed your arm or did anything you should have hit him right in the face with your free hand.... if both your hands were constrained you could head butt right in the face.

There is this whole thread about who wins... a street fighter or a mma fighter. One thing I will tell you is that a street fighter will do anything to win which includes head butts, biting, and eye gauging.... Don't be afraid to use these techniques.

 

[Kerpal]

There is this whole thread about who wins... a street fighter or a mma fighter. One thing I will tell you is that a street fighter will do anything to win which includes head butts, biting, and eye gauging....

So will the MMA fighter. And since the MMA fighter is well trained in all other areas, he will be in a better position to do those things.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Krav Maga is combat fighting that includes all the nice techniques of boxing, carate, and other striking, with pressure points and nerve endings.. You fight to kill, there is no such thing as take it easy in krav maga.. I got a ton of videos and books about it..


So I'm doing this: Krav maga on my own and some instructions later on, Gracie Ju Jitsu classes, sprinting and free running later down the road.

Ideally I run.. If I'm cornered I can counter attack and then run.. If I'm close up and its deadly serious then I can use ju jitsu.

 

[squirrels]

Half (arguably the important half) of Krav Maga is learning how to use your natural aggression in response to an imminent threat.

In any martial art, you can learn all the "moves" you want, but it'd be like saying you're a chess-master just because you know how all the pieces are supposed to move.

Without actually being faced with a real danger, you won't be able to execute them properly and naturally, and the first time someone takes a swing or stab at you, you'll be overwhelmed and curl up into a little ball.

 

[Aboleo]

Without actually being faced with a real danger, you won't be able to execute them properly and naturally, and the first time someone takes a swing or stab at you, you'll be overwhelmed and curl up into a little ball.

Word.

If I'm close up and its deadly serious then I can use ju jitsu.

Two words: Organized despair.