Why Krav Maga Is Perfect For Kids

As a parent, we’re always looking for activities for our children. There are some Moms and Dads out there who let their kids decide what they want to do, but parents who are more enlightened look for activities that meet a few basic criteria. The activity has to be:

Fun– both for the kids and ideally for the parents to watch (anything with a “meet” involves long hours of waiting for just a few minutes of activity- not a lot of fun as an observer!)

Good Exercise– whatever it is, the activity has to get the kids moving. It has to be the opposite of Fortnite.

Character Building– the activity has to have life lessons and other benefits that can be carried over to other aspects of life.

Krav Maga meets these 3 criteria and then some. You can even sign your kid up for a free self-defense class.

What Is Krav Maga?

Krav Maga is one of the more recently developed forms of self-defense. Imi Lichtenfeld who was a boxer, wrestler and expert in self-defense created Krav Maga in the 1940’s. In Hebrew, Krav Maga means “contact combat” and this form of martial arts borrows moves from boxing, wrestling, judo, Aikido and even karate.

For 20 years, Imi Lichtenfeld taught his newly developed fighting system to the Israeli military because of the simple, effective and practical techniques. The entire system is based on being aware of your situation and when attacked, applying both defensive and offensive moves in an aggressive manner. Krav Maga has since been adopted by security forces all around the globe and is a highly respected form of self-defense.

But, is it right for your kid?

The simple answer is, yes, of course it is, but then, it’s easy to say that we’re biased. That’s why we have to go on and defend our thoughts.

Every parent wants his or her child to have all the tools necessary to have a happy, successful life. We begin this process from the moment our child arrives- we teach our children how to walk, talk, use the potty, bathe, do common core math (well, maybe not so much that last one). We work diligently to load our kids up with everything they need in life. Why wouldn’t self-defense be on that list?

We all know the world can be a dangerous as well as a wonderful place. That’s why knowing how to protect yourself is a good thing.

Krav Maga Vs. Taekwondo (Or Some Other Form Of Martial Arts)

It’s no secret that most forms of martial arts depend largely upon the distance between yourself and your attacker. For instance, judo is mostly a close-quarters defense filled with grabs and weighted tosses. Karate is made up of a lot of punches and blocks as well as kicking. Taekwondo has a lot of kicks since that’s the distance between you and your opponent. Every discipline has a mixture of all the above.

Krav Maga is a self-defense system. There is no mistaking the fact that Krav borrows from other disciplines freely. It is a mixture of boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, and other forms of martial arts.

There is also controversy over whether Krav Maga should even be considered as martial arts. The idea here is that other forms of self-defense have specific forms and rituals whereas the basic philosophy of Krav Maga is that you make it home safely. People often think of Krav Maga as overly aggressive, but this is simply not the case. The idea is to do what you need to do to protect yourself.

After all, isn’t that what you want for your children?

Reasons For Kids To Take Krav Maga

Besides learning an entire system of self-defense, there are some very solid reasons for enrolling your child in Krav Maga classes. Here are some of the top reasons our parents tell us they love what we do (in no particular order):

1. Workout: It’s a great workout. Every modern parent worries about how to get them off the couch and into some exercise. Krav Maga is an excellent and fun workout that helps get you in the best shape of your life.

2. Discipline: Krav Maga classes are fun and engaging but disciplined. At Krav Pro, we have a specific set of rules on our wall for students that are for both sides of the classroom- inside and out.

3. Self-Worth: Everyone struggles with self-esteem issues at some point in their life, but these problems can be magnified in childhood. Martial arts training can give your child a sense of confidence from their sense of mastery of the techniques. Krav Maga is an entire system of self-defense which can boost self-worth with every belt your child earns.

4. Situational Awareness: Every martial arts instructor will tell you that the best fight to win is the one you manage to avoid. Krav Maga is no different, but to avoid a fight, you have to be aware of not only your surroundings but the potential threats that can lead up to a physical altercation.

5. Focus: It’s been well documented that exercise can help moderate the negative effects of ADHD by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain which can help improve a child’s ability to focus. Krav Maga incorporates kicks, punches, blocks, holds and so much more. This requires focus as well as concentration on breathing. Both can improve a child’s focus.

6. Socialization: Team sports are great, but there are plenty of kids who just do team activities. With Krav Maga, the training requires you to partner up during class. There are bonds that form as you practice various techniques with each other. Typically, your child will partner with many different people over the course of his/her training and the kids tend to encourage each other as they increase in rank. Learning martial arts can help establish friendships that can last a lifetime.

7. Commitment: Getting a black belt in any form of martial arts takes time and a consistent commitment. We ask students to attend a minimum of 2 classes (or more) a week. This helps your child learn the value of a commitment.

If you’re looking for something that can help you create the person you’ve always dreamed your kid could be, call the team at Krav Pro. Located in Duluth, we work with students all around Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Cumming and Alpharetta. The truth is, we have students coming from all around Atlanta for a reason. Krav Maga is an incredible way to get fit and fearless.