Krav Maga Techniques

Here is a list of some essential, basic krav maga moves that anyone who wants to be able to defend themselves on the street should know.  This assumes you have some knowledge of krav maga itself and what the philosophy behind it is.  If you do not, you can easily learn the deadly street fighting techniques associated with krav maga, or read an overview of what krav maga is.  

Krav maga is a system designed for simplicity and instinct, so there are not a lot of advanced positions that you might see in other martial arts.  The basic krav maga stances are: 

1. neutral/passive stance
2. fighting stance
3. back position on ground
4. side position on ground
5. bobbing/weaving

There are many different strikes and punches in krav maga. You may recognize a few of these from hapkido or other Asian martial arts that also use such strikes.

1. Straight punch
2. palm heel strike
3. low punch
4. hammer fist
5. hook punch
6. uppercut
7. throat strike
8. low punch

Kicks have less emphasis in krav maga, but they are still used.  Instead of complex leg extensions or graceful kicks of other martial arts, krav maga focuses on efficient, low-risk kicks.  The reason the krav maga self defense system doesn't use kicks as much is that they can be blocked and soon lead to you being thrown off-balance in a fight. 

1. knee strikes
2. groin kick
3. defensive front kick
4. side kick
5. roundhouse knee strike

Krav maga stresses staying off the ground at all costs, but recognizes that sometimes groundfighting is inevitable.  

1. back and side positions on the ground
2. round kick from the ground
3. getting up fast from the ground
4. trap and roll while mounted
5. being choked while mounted
6. straddled with wrists pinned
7. arm bar
8. reversing a guard