Krav Maga is mainly considered a form of self defense but can also be considered by some to be an extremely skilled martial art. Krav Maga’s roots remain in Israel where the military and security forces had to devise a unique form of combat to defeat their enemies. Since its inception in Israel, however, it has become popular in many countries and both military and non-military personnel employ Krav Maga as an excellent form of self-defense. Law enforcement agencies do, however, maintain their edge over the masses due to the fact that most civilian people do not learn the forceful killing and potentially dangerous techniques that the military do for safety purposes.

There are many principles that are taught in the martial art Krav Maga – most of which teach the student to employ just about any means possible to incapacitate his or her opponent. Students will learn to hit any area that is available on an opponent as well as use anything (such as a tool or object) within their reach to their advantage. A student of Krav Maga will also learn to deal with the most important or most dangerous threats first and to keep the opponent or attacker from striking again. Krav Maga also teaches the student to utilize the body’s own responses and abilities to move quickly from a defense position to one of attacking or striking.

Regardless of the fact that Krav Maga can be learned by anybody, it is mostly military and law enforcement that continue to learn the art on a regular basis. Many of the top branches of law enforcement require that their personnel be trained in Krav Maga, including ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) and the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). Krav Maga has also taken its place in Hollywood, with characters in popular television shows and moves (such as the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the movie Enough with Jennifer Lopez).