Krav Maga: Use Your Body as a Weapon

The excellent first edition of this book was self-published by Master Sergeant Boaz Aviram who was 3rd in line as Chief Instructor of the Israeli Defense Force Fighting Fitness Academy. This new edition published by Skyhorse Publishing is even better! The grammatical and typographical errors have all been corrected, and the photographs are now larger and in color. This encyclopedic work lays out clearly for the reader the highly efficient method used by the Israeli Defense Force to train its soldiers in Krav Maga (or Close Combat). This is the single most comprehensive and in-depth treatise on modern hand-to-hand combat ever available. If one is looking for a single text to explain both the mindset required to survive a violent encounter AND the techniques necessary to triumph over one's adversary, look no further. This book has set not just a standard to be met but THE Gold Standard for martial arts and self-defense manuals. Well done MSG Aviram!

The first IDF Krav Maga Chief Instructor Immi Lichtenfeld passed away. Same for the second IDF Krav Maga Chief Instructor Eli Avikzar. But the third IDF Krav Maga Chief Instructor Boaz Aviram is still with us and in 2010 he self-published a book (with black-and-white photos) focusing on proper biomechanics and technique for authentic Krav Maga. That book was republished by Skyhorse Publishing as a new 2014 edition here, with full-color photos. (Boaz also produced a DVD series in 2010 which covers the core of Krav Maga, which you should consider purchasing in addition to this book: Pure Krav Maga - Self Defense Mastery ) The latest version of the DVDs are sold by Amazon as a 4 and 3 disk bundle at a new webpage: Pure Krav Maga - Self Defense Mastery If anyone knows Krav, it's Boaz. His tenure as IDF Chief Instructor was approximately 1981 - 1983, predating the more widely-known Darren Levine -- Boaz told me "I was asked to train Darren Levine upon arrival to the US in Oct 1985 to complete his training for his conditional blackbelt, but he prevented that from happening by excusing himself from inviting me during a phone conversation." So, for the contemporary student trying to capture what made Krav Maga legendary, Boaz is our direct link to the original Krav, or as he calls it, "Pure Krav Maga" (PKM). PKM looks deceptively simple but the biomechanics are sophisticated -- and NOT found in the other versions of Krav widely available to the public. It is necessary to perform and overlap actions with a particular sequence and timing, if you want an optimal result. That's the difference between a jab, and a knockout punch. The details are in the book (and his DVDs). Considering that the Japanese PKM interest group functioned for two years using just Boaz's book and video (before their instructor recently got official certification), there is enough material here to help you practice in depth for a long time, and on-target. This is the Krav you've been looking for!

Many years I was introduced to Krav Maga when I was a defensive tactics instructor for my agency. I had already earned Black Belts in Judo, Jujitsu and Karate at that time, as well as being certified in several police tactics systems. The founder Immi Sde-Or Lichtenfeld and many of his instructors gave a six day intensive (8 hours a day) instructor course to us at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield. Over the years I have also read and reviewed numerous books and DVDs on the Israeli Krav Maga self-defense system. I purchased this volume (Krav Maga: Use your body as a weapon by Boaz Aviram) through Amazon and found it to be a fair basic introduction to Krav Maga. Its 315 pages cover a wide range of material and there are over one thousand photographs showing the techniques. The thirteen chapters cover the following information: Lessons from history, preparing for face-to-face confrontation, primary strikes and kicks, defenses vs. strikes and kicks, close range scenarios, ground fighting, club and chin, knife techniques and defenses, handling pistol threat scenarios, applications for uniformed armed personnel and civilians, other kicks, principles of defense against multiple opponents and advanced training topics. The amount of information in this text is comprehensive; however, there are a few things I did not like about this book and that is why I only gave it three stars. (1) Even though the photographs are in color, the outside background in the trees and grass take away from seeing some of the techniques as clearly as they could be. (2) I do not think the chapter on high kicks and jumping kicks was needed or advisable to use in a real street confrontation. (3) There is no way a beginner can learn this material from just reading this book. If you are taking Krav Maga from an instructor this book could be of value. (4) In my humble opinion, having read just about every book on Krav Maga I could lay my hands on, I think there are a lot better books than this one on Krav Maga. (5) Some of these techniques appear are too complex for actual use in actual street combat. (6) I know there are politics in every martial art, and I have read some in other Krav Maga books. It seems like every Krav Maga instructor claims they are teaching the “authentic” Krav Maga. However, just about all the Krav Maga books shows mostly the same techniques that I learned more than twenty years ago at an instructor’s seminar. In conclusion, if you are presently taking Krav Maga this book could be helpful. Rating: 3 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Co-Author: Monadnock Defensive Tactics System).

Awesome book to have in a Krav Maga reference library! I am 3 months into my Military Style Krav Maga class taught by one of Boaz's former students. Even though I practice fairly regularily, I find that I do need to look back every now and again to refresh on proper technique and such. This book does just that for me. It is filled with picures and detailed descriptions on every move you would need to know or refresh on. Great product with a great price!

Boaz Aviram goes into great detail explaining why Krav Maga is a superior hand to hand self defense system than sport and traditional Eastern martial arts. Then he recounts in this book a time when he sparred with a Kyokushin Black Belt (Oyama Karate) and knocked him out cold. Then he highlights his personal experiences in the Israeli military using and training soldiers in Krav Maga. Then he illustrates various techniques in Krav Maga for common self defense scenarios. The illustrations of the self defense techniques graphically prove that Krav Maga is far more suited for modern day self defense than Eastern martial arts systems such as Kung Fu, Karate and Jujitsu. And it especially eclipses sport fighting systems such as BJJ, western boxing and Muy Thai. The superiority of Krav Maga as a system of self defense is proven visually when the self defense techniques of defending against assailants who are armed with knives, guns or multiple assailants. Even a carjacking defense technique is shown in this book. The only other martial arts systems that are as practical as Krav Maga and are available to the general public are Systema and Ninjitsu. Krav Maga schools are more widely available than these other arts though. The only drawback to this book is that the Krav Maga expert David Kahn illustrates virtually every self defense scenario imaginable in his book such as short and long machine gun defense, grenades and multiple attackers who are all armed with a weapon. Boaz does go into greater detail about the philosophy and principles of Krav Maga than David Kahn though. I recommend reading both authors if you are on a quest to find the ultimate modern day self defense system. Then you can make the most accurate decision concerning Krav Maga as a system most practical for today's self defense needs.

I found this book an invaluable companion to my training with a local PKM instructor, Jon Fialkov. I could see the linear progression and had a small insight into Boaz's thinking and philosophy. I go back to it routinely as I hone my skills and instruct others. This book would also be good for martial artists that train or don't train Krav Maga to find out what the original Krav Maga system actually is. A lot of "krav maga" today has nothing to do with Imi's system but with this book you get it from one of the closest living sources you can. Boaz has said in a podcast that he routinely talked about the system with Imi and Eli while he was instructor for the IDF. That being said, there's nothing better than training with Boaz and I recommend that for any one who has the money. (And if you don't, BORROW THE MONEY). In a week he can give you the system and also make sure you that are moving your body in the most efficient way. There's really no beating his course.

One thing that makes Krav Maga truly unique is that, much like modern Israel, it's a young system. This means that Krav Maga practitioners still have access to one of the system's founders. Imagine if a judoka could simply shoot a quick email to Kano Jigoro or a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu player could ask Helio or Carlos Gracie a quick question. Thankfully to all those who would like to master Krav Maga, they have access to Boaz Aviram's magnum opus and, indeed, Mr. Aviram himself. Mr. Aviram was an Israeli national martial arts champion (and black belt) years before he ever heard the words "Krav Maga." After mastering more traditional martial arts and proving himself in competition, Mr. Aviram joined the founders of Krav Maga -- Imi Lichtenfield and Eli Avikzar -- to create a completely new system. Their idea was to lift the veil of secrecy, distill the traditional martial arts down to their most effective elements, and put forth a brand new philosophy of self-defense -- including the radical notion that a martial art can be learned quickly. Unfortunately, as Mr. Aviram is so quick to point out, Krav Maga is straying from its roots. Modern Krav Maga schools often focus on fitness and aggression, and are a mere shadow of the highly-technical and efficient system that Mr. Aviram helped found. He wrote this book as a manual and roadmap from one of the founders and masters of the system. If you want to learn *Krav Maga* -- in it's original, unadulterated form -- then this is the book for you.

I am pleased to submit this review of both Mr. Aviram's book and DVD training program. Standing alone, each is a useful and effective training tool. However, when used together, they truly shine as examples of what self-defense training should be. Developed for the battlefield, Mr. Aviram's methods assume engagement with an enemy who truly means to do you serious harm. Thus, Mr. Aviram stresses the need to deliver a strike (or combination of block and strike) of sufficient violent intensity at the most effective moment, i.e., when the enemy first comes within striking range. Mr. Aviram teaches techniques that are simple, straightforward, and brutally effective. Eschewed are the carefully choreographed sequences so often found in martial arts videos. Mr. Aviram's DVD series shows the actual instruction of an inexperienced student rather than a demonstration of techniques between two experienced and carefully rehearsed instructors. There is nothing slick or graceful to be found here, just serious education in self-defense.

Mi è piaciuto tantissimo, affronta l'argomento Krav in maniera approffondita e valuta il tutto anche in base all'esperienza personale, non solo sugli insegnamenti di Imi. Affronta i principi, dando molta importanza alla Biomeccanica del corpo umana. Insomma insegna la materi in maniera differente dagli altri allievi diretti di Imi, ma in maniera altrettanto valida. Lo consiglio agli appassionati e ai ricercatori dell'argomento.

Having owned both this book and the previous self published version of the book "Krav Maga - Use of the Human Body as a Weapon Philosophy and Application of Hand to Hand Fighting Training System" by Boaz Aviram, I have to say that this is like an encyclopedia of original Krav Maga knowledge. I own several books and DVD sets on Krav Maga including David Kahn's "Krav Maga", Immi Lichtenfeld's original book on Krav Maga "Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Armed Assault", the Ultimate Krav Maga series of DVD's, and the full DVD set by Eyal Yanilov and Darren Levine done in the 90's amongst others, but this book is my favourite. It contains so much more than just a how-to of techniques. Various sections include an overview of the history of fighting in general, the primary principles of Krav Maga (reaction time, sequential execution of techniques and situational awareness), all the pressure points, the effect on the body if these pressure points are attacked and the likelihood of reaching each pressure point during a violent confrontation, all the various techniques of the IDF Krav Maga syllabus starting with the most efficient attacks first before learning the most efficient defences, defences against punches, kicks, ground attacks, knife, guns, multiple attackers, personal insights from Master Sergeant Aviram on Krav Maga, the differences between Pure Krav Maga and the civilian syllabus and how it's taught, anecdotes about Imi (Sde-Or) Lichtenfeld and Eli Avikzar, the differences between techniques that are useable and which are learnt for training purposes only, and much more. There are a few differences between this version of the book and the original publication such as this version having been professionally proof-read, so the language makes more sense to the english reader (the original was a bit harder to understand due to english not being Mr. Aviram's first language), the layout is better as techniques don't start on the right hand page (which is why there is a difference in the page count between both versions), the pictures are bigger and in colour and the paper used is of a better quality. However everything that made the first book brilliant is retained. The fact that it concentrates on every single technique being the most efficient technique is where it excels. Compare the defence against a pistol to the head from the front to the one taught in the civilian systems and you'll see this one is much more efficient. If you only buy one book on Krav Maga, make it this one. Hopefully I can buy the Pure Krav Maga DVD set at some point so I can get the full benefit of using the DVD set in conjunction with this book as I believe that was the original intention, however the book stands alone on it's own merit.

Wenn man sich mit Krav Maga auseinandersetzt wird man schnell auf den Namen Boaz Aviram stoßen - schlichtweg weil dieser Mann die Kunst oder noch besser die Wissenschaft Krav Maga wesentlich geprägt und verbreitet hat. Wenn Aviram nun ein Buch zum Thema Krav Maga vorlegt kann man sicher sein: dieser Autor weiß, wovon er spricht, und wie das hier rezensierte KRAV MAGA - USE YOUR BODY AS A WEAPON eindrucksvoll belegt hat er auch keine Probleme, dies ausführlich zu artikulieren. Ich muss sagen, dass wir das vorliegende Buch sehr gut gefallen hat. Ohne jeglichen Mystizismus und Geheimniskrämerei erläutert der Autor umfangreich die Grundprinzipien des Krav Maga, um darauf aufbauend die Techniken und die wichtigsten Szenarien zu schildern. Bei all dem ist das vorliegende Buch erfreulich umfangreich und ausführlich. Das Aviram dabei natürlich sehr (!) von Krav Maga im Verhältnis zu anderen Selbstverteidigungsmethoden überzeugt ist versteht sich wohl von selbst. Die zahlreichen Farbfotos sind instruktiv, etwas schade finde ich allenfalls das Layout: unnötigerweise werde nämlich viele Techniken in Bilderserien dargestellt, die sich über einen Seitenumbruch erstrecken. Hierdurch entstehen mitunter etwas unklare Situationen und ein nicht immer optimaler Eindruck von der Struktur der Präsentation. Von diesem sekundären Kritikpunkt abgesehen ist das vorliegende Buch allerdings uneingeschränkt zu empfehlen... es gehört zu den umfangreichsten und instruktivsten Werken zum Thema Krav Maga auf dem gegenwärtigen Markt. Von mir gibt es wegen des etwas suboptimalen Layout knappe, aber verdiente 5 Sterne.

This is the Purest of them all. IDF soldiers based their Krav Maga training on this Pure Krav Maga. This book is the book you'll need for the understanding of the philosophy, the genes of what is actually Krav Maga. You'll understand the differences between the civilian krav maga and the IDF's Pure Krav Maga. Civilian's Krav Maga is becoming a form of MMA. MSG Boaz has dedicated himself to the teaching of this system of Krav Maga or should i say the Purest of all Krav Maga in it's natural form. I've read a number of books on Krav Maga, DVDs on Krav Maga but they mainly focuses on the techniques and forms of each individual (Arm bars, locks...etc). However, Pure Krav Maga, teaches you the philosophy of Krav Maga, the importance of self defense and the concepts behind each and every techniques (Aiming for the pressure points...etc). As according to MSG Boaz in his book, "Krav Maga is the ending point of my training. I've recognized its benefits as superior to any martial art I've encountered before....When it finally came up to my conscience that Krav Maga be turned into another Civilian Art, I refused to be part of any civilian association". (Respect to MSG Boaz) I would want Krav Maga to be the ending point of my training as well. To understand Krav Maga, you'll need to take Krav Maga in it's Purest Form.

Excellent book with a tremendous amount of information and guidance. Very practical and enlightening knowledge one should know to be able to defend ones self.