Fighting from a disadvantage

Unlike traditional combat sports where fighters are nearly equally matched in weight, skill level and state of readiness; Krav Maga assumes that the attacker(s) will be bigger, stronger, and will get a jump on their victim and attack when the defender least expects it. This means that the initial defense and the first few strikes will have to be delivered from a position of disadvantage (i.e., while being pulled, pushed, choked, head-locked, from the ground, while sitting, etc.). After the first few counters, students are taught to achieve a fighting stance, clear the channel and end the confrontation or deal with subsequent attacks if the attacker is still combative.

In essence, Krav Maga is a bridge between self defense and combat. It is the means to turn an unexpected, violent encounter into a situation where you have a chance to quickly deal with the initial attack and fight and overcome your attacker(s). The key to successfully bridging self defense and fighting is to train with the understanding that your fight will start at a state of disadvantage, when you least expect it mentally and physically. So in order to efficiently train for these situations, students need to have a clear understanding of the attack, the attacker’s actions and the immediate effect it has on the defender’s physical and mental state.

For example, a pulling choke from the back is an extremely dangerous attack, where the attacker grabs an unaware victim and violently pulls him back and/or down while maintaining a strong grip on their throat. The effect it has on your body is loss of breath, an arched back as you plummet towards the ground, and of course significant mental shock. A successful defense against this threat requires a fast turn of the body, regaining of balance and a lock of the attacker’s wrist in order to prevent further pulling and to stabilize your body for subsequent counter strikes. There are only two ways to recreate this scenario in training: to pull each other at 100% or to let your body be slowly placed in the position of disadvantage (ie. arched back, head going towards the ground with the attacker behind you holding on to your throat). Doing the technique at 100% power is not only dangerous, but it is also not conducive to learning, since learning requires a gradual elevation of stress, speed and power in line with the students’ technical progression. Therefore, the only way to learn this technique effectively is to understand the problem, and place yourself in a position of disadvantage and defend only after that position has been established. With time as students get more proficient with this technique, pulls can be faster, more aggressive, come as unexpected attacks or when students are exhausted and have to perform in a state of physical and mental fatigue. However, if in your training you fail to comprehend the nature of the attack, the element of surprise and shock, and never defend from a position of disadvantage, then training Krav Maga is no more beneficial then training in any other fighting system like MMA, Muay Thai or boxing where the opponents are only prepped for fighting on equal terms, overlooking the element of self defense and surprise. So next time you hear your instructors tell you to act out the problem, start from a particular position or to delay your response, keep in mind it is the key to properly conditioning your body and mind to efficiently respond to the problem at hand.