MacDonald Academy of Martial Arts

Kenpo Karate, Krav Maga, and Fitness for the Boston / Watertown area

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Sign up for our newsletter!
GET STARTED!
  • Home
  • GET STARTED
  • Seminars & Events
  • News & Articles
    • Announcements & News
    • Kenpo News
    • Krav Maga News
  • About
    • The Academy
    • Our Instructors
    • What People Are Saying
  • Programs
    • Youth Kenpo Karate
    • Adult Kenpo Karate
    • Krav Maga
    • Law Enforcement
  • Class Schedule
  • Student Area
    • Kenpo Student Area
    • Krav Maga Student Area
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Archives for Josh

Krav vs. Krav

06.01.14 By Josh 1 Comment

Leaving politics aside, we should remember that Krav Maga has real world applications:

The IDF’s top units – including Sayeret Matkal, Duvdevan and Shayetet 13 – each chose their top fighters to battle against each other in the second annual Krav Maga competition, which took place at the IDF’s School for Combat Fitness in Netanya.

…

During the competition, some fighters exhibited styles from different forms of martial arts, including Muay Thai and Judo

“Some people who practice Krav Maga have practiced other fighting style like Judo and boxing before coming to the army, so sometimes it shows in their fighting,” said Maj. Yaron Minister, who oversees training Krav Maga throughout the IDF. However, according to Maj. Minister, some soldiers begin learning Krav Maga without any previous background.

“Krav Maga is an Israeli form of self defense that’s self encompassing. It’s a system that provides solutions for immediate problems. It has no rules, except to move from a trapped position to a position of control: this could mean disabling your opponent, or escape.”

“We are trying to create a buzz about Krav Maga,” said Maj. Minister. “We are trying to embed it into the army as a way of life for a fighter.”

“What we do today with the elite units,” added Maj. Minister “will tomorrow be incorporated into regular units.”

One of the biggest concerns in the IDF is the kidnapping of soldiers.

…

Ordinarily, the armored brigade would have no need for Krav Maga training, yet this perception changed after capture of Gilad Shalit, who was himself in an armored unit.

I imagine the Krav Maga taught by the Israeli Defense Forces differs a bit from that taught by Krav Maga Worldwide, but it follows the same basic principles:

I think I’m in love.

PS: Give you any scenario ideas, Patrick? Hair-pulling doesn’t seem to be a problem for either one of us.

Filed Under: Fighting/Sparring, Krav Maga News, Self-Defense, Training

The Hebrew Hammer

03.21.14 By Josh 1 Comment

Q: Why did the rabbi enter the Octagon?

A: Gravely to smite the Philistine.

Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, an assistant Chabad rabbi from San Diego, California, recently made news when he fought his first amateur MMA fight, winning by TKO in the second round. Several publications covered the story, but much of coverage focused more on the oddity of a man of God stepping in to the MMA ring and less on the spiritual message he was trying to convey by doing so.

Rabbi Yossi grew up in San Diego, the son of Chabad emissaries, and was always acrobatic as a young kid. When he was 12, his parents hired an assistant rabbi who happened to be a Krav Maga instructor. Yossi trained with him learning the art of Krav Maga until going to yeshiva (religious school) in Los Angeles for high school.

…

After finishing the rabbinical program Yossi came back to San Diego for an assistant rabbi position where he met an MMA trainer and former UFC fighter Thierry Sokoudjou, who suggested that they start training together.

Having gone to a kickboxing gym back in Los Angeles, this was an easy transition for Yossi and after training enthusiastically for a few months he agreed to participate in one amateur fight – in order to truly test his technique in the closest thing to a real self-defense scenario.

…

He said he felt uncomfortable by the “misleading” portrayal of his desire to be an amateur fighter. His life goal is to become a police chaplain, providing a spiritual viewpoint and emotional support to law enforcement officers, as well as starting a special gym and training facility for the Jewish religious community.

According to Yossi, his life-long interest in martial arts and physical activity has actually enhanced his spiritual pursuits, his mental focus and ability to learn religious texts for hours at a time.

His message is this: You don’t have to compromise your religious lifestyle to live a healthy, active life, even if that means becoming a martial artist.

Best line from the video is when his trainer, Thierry Sokoudjou, yells: “My grandmother kicks harder than you, Yossi, and she’s dead!” Expect to hear that in a class soon.

It’s interesting that he won the fight even when he held back. This raises a problem I have with sparring (and ground work to the extent I do it anymore). It’s not realistic if you’re not hurting your partner—at least hurting him a little bit. No one who knows me would ever accuse me of being overly moral, but I don’t like landing a solid punch. At least not to the head. Having received my fair share, I know how little fun it is. I prefer to win the exchange (when I can), but pull the winning punch before it lands. If my partner isn’t getting a genuine effort out me, however, does he learn his own shortcomings? And am I making my job harder by emboldening him to fight with greater abandon? Nothing teaches defense better than taking a solid left hook to the jaw.

I know we all approach sparring as consenting adults, but we’re also stupid. Or driven to stupidity by competitiveness. I like capping my sparring intensity level at about 30%, tilted toward strategy and speed, but away from contact. If that makes me a wuss, at least I’m a wuss with my wits about me. Besides, 30% becomes 50% after a few exchanges. It’s 75% and above where I say no más.

Do others have thoughts on the subject? Similar concerns? Having taken up martial arts in middle age, I, like Yossi, am more interested in the spiritual and mental benefits than merely the pugilistic ones. One good right uppercut to the chin will undo a lot of mental benefits.

Filed Under: Fighting/Sparring, For Your Amusement, Krav Maga News, Training

Don’t Try This at Home

05.03.13 By Josh 1 Comment

Around 5:05 a.m. Saturday, the victim was walking in the 1900 block of Burgundy Street when he was approached by the suspect, police said.

The suspect pointed a shotgun at the victim’s face and demanded money, police said.
The victim disarmed the gunman and chased him, according to the NOPD.

Moments later, the victim was approached by two men in a black four-door sedan, possibly a Honda Accord. The driver told the victim, “Give me my gun back and I’ll give you your phone that you dropped,” police said.

The victim then struck the rear windshield with the shotgun, which caused the windshield to break, police said.

The suspects fled on Frenchmen Street to St. Claude and then to an unknown location, police said.

It’s pretty clear that the would-be robber was no Moriarty-type criminal mastermind. If his putting a shotgun—which has the sole advantage over a pistol or rifle in firing a spray of pellets rather than a single bullet—in the face of a would-be victim isn’t enough of a clue, trying to barter to get the weapon back should remove all doubt.

That said…

Did the would-be victim really have to “go”? Let’s stipulate that he did, that he knew better than anyone what his chances were of surviving. How did he do once he “went”?

Well, he won—but what is the Prime Directive in gun defense? Anyone? Bueller?

That’s right, getting and keeping the line of fire off you. Watch the clip again: he does not. Even a gunman as clueless (and stone-less) as this one could get his finger caught on the trigger as he’s turning to run away. I’ve never seen the result of a point-blank shotgun blast to the abdomen, and I don’t want to. But it can’t be pretty.

Line of fire: be its friend, not its b… bête noire.

Filed Under: Krav Maga News, Weapons

MARATHON!

04.12.13 By Josh Leave a Comment

Rick Gershberg is hosting a marathon party (as in a party for the marathon, not a party of marathon duration—though it may be that too)! As he lives at 707 Commonwealth Avenue in Newton (right on the course), he’s in a perfect spot to enjoy the race. And he’d like you to join him (go figure).

Festivities get underway at 11 am on Monday, April 15th.

If you’d like to RSVP, you can email him at rgershberg@verizon.net
He wouldn’t be insulted if you brought a little something too.

Josh

PS: Brian went last year, and still raves about it!

Filed Under: Announcements & News, For Your Amusement, Krav Maga News

Weaponizing the Body

01.18.13 By Josh 1 Comment

First, I don’t mean “weaponizing the body” like Richard Reid did with his shoes or Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab with his underwear (or dozens of other terrorists with their suicide vests). We’ll leave the incendiary devices to those disposed to use them. Our weapons are more precise, more reliable, and designed to cause only temporary discomfort to those sorely in need of it.

I refer of course to our palms, fingers, knuckles, fists, and elbows.

Long time students of Kenpo and Krav Maga grow more alike than you might think. Over time, the Kenpo student learns (or should learn) to be more spontaneous and less cerebral, to respond to an attack as immediately and instinctively as the Krav student is taught to do on day one.

But if the Kenpo student can learn from Krav’s methods of harnessing instinct, so can the Krav student learn from Kenpo’s thoughtful matching of bodily weapons with bodily targets. And it’s not that hard: the “weapons” I listed above are the “unconventional” strikes Kenpo teaches to students for their first test for yellow belt—baby steps, in other words.

Take the palm heel strike:

Close, Captain. But your angle’s a bit off:

Much better, but then she looks part Klingon. They know how to fight.

Why the palm over the fist? While I might take the fist over the nose in a match-up, I like the fist’s chances significantly less against a hard target like the forehead. As has been known to happen, knuckles can break. Note also that if the base of the palm strikes the chin, the fingertips can often reach the eyes—an added bonus. (Try it on yourself to see.)

Whether by straight pokes or slashes across the face, the fingertips can be incredibly destructive to a soft target like the eyes. (I said Kenpo was thoughtful; I didn’t say what it thought about.)

What about the knuckles—or at least one knuckle?

That’s gotta hurt, you have to admit. And all the striker has done is extend his middle knuckle out slightly from his clenched fist. The thumb supports the extended knuckle, making it a solid wedge, a serious weapon. If striking an opponent’s temple seems excessive, imagine using it instead on the solar plexus (after defending a choke from the front, say). It’s an insertion weapon, which would knock the air out of the attacker and likely double him over. Then knees or hammer fists to taste.

Moving on to elbows. Kenpo teaches fluidity of motion. Ideally, the strikes never stop; they just loop back from different angles to different targets. We’ve all practiced throwing a right elbow strike to a focus mitt (sometimes from out of range, using a burst with our feet). But as powerful a strike as that is, why should hostilities end there? A forward elbow, with follow through, sets up perfectly for a back elbow. Maybe even a back fist thrown in for good measure. If it sounds confusing, ask any Kenpo student how Triggered Salute goes; it’s one of the first self-defense techniques we teach. The strikes go: inside (or forward) elbow; outside (or back) elbow; back fist; upper cut. All with the right arm, all to the rib cage or face of the opponent, depending on relative height.

But of all the basic strikes we learn to throw in beginner Kenpo, the most destructive strike of all is the so-called sandwiching elbow.

You throw your right elbow as practiced before, but while bracing your opponent’s head with your left hand (as nearly done above). The combination is unimaginably violent. Or so I’m inclined to believe, never having fully connected with it—or had it connected on me—in practice. Obviously, however, no opponent would willingly allow you to apply it without putting up some kind of fight, which is why it tends to show up late or even last in our self-defense techniques. When the defenses have been softened, when threat of a counterattack has been lessened, we move in for the metaphorical kill with the sandwiching elbow.

Just be careful how and where you practice it:

Krav Maga’s greatest lesson is explosiveness. These additional weapons should never detract from that, and if you’re new to Krav, develop that skill first. But Kenpo has already thought through many of the same scenarios we encounter in Krav, and devised a counterattack for it. A few of those counterattacks are easy to throw and highly effective. If you’re curious, black belts like Brian, Matt, Julian, or I (even our newest yellow belt Marc!) can show you some of them in context.

Filed Under: Kenpo News, Krav Maga News, Self-Defense

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next Page »

Important Posts: Read These!

  • Academy Announcements & News
  • Academy Closings
  • Academy Policy Updates

Archives

Categories

Our Instructors

Our instructors are highly trained and certified in their respective disciplines. Brian … Learn More

Magazine Covers

What People Are Saying

We're proud of our achievements as a school and in the community. Awards: We've been voted "Best of the Best" Martial Arts in Watertown - from 2003 through 2013! MSA and GKM are survey … Learn More

Academy News

Easy Like Sunday Morning

02.04.22

Fall 2020 Live & Online Schedules

08.28.20

COVID-19 Update 03/20/20

03.20.20

More Academy News

Contact Us

MacDonald Academy of Martial Arts
6 Riverside St
Watertown, MA 02472 · USA
phone: 617.923.4248
Click here for directions and e-mail
Sign up for our newsletter!

  • Announcements & Academy News
  • Kenpo News & Articles
  • Krav Maga News & Articles
  • * SEMINARS & EVENTS *

Copyright © 2025 · Privacy Policy · SITEMAP
Site Development by Patrick Sanders