One of the few martial arts to originate outside the Asian Pacific, Krav Maga was developed in the years following World War II in Israel. After the establishment of the Israeli State, the Krav Maga technique was commandeered to be taught to the Israeli Defense Forces. It was developed by Czechoslovakian-born Imi Lichtenfeld, a champion heavyweight boxer, an expert in Jujitsu and Judo, and an acrobat. Due to the fact that it is strictly a self-defense and military combat system, Krav Maga is constantly changing.

The main thing that sets Krav Maga apart from other styles is that it is less a lifelong discipline, and more a streamlined set of self-defense tactics that prepare students for efficiency in as little time as possible. In Krav Maga, there are no hard-and-fast rules. It must be stressed that Krav Maga is not a sport and there is no competitive component for exhibition. Krav Maga techniques focus on maximum damage efficiency in real-life conditions. In Krav Maga, the attacks and defenses are intended to inflict the most pain possible on the opponent.

If you're looking for Krav Maga schools, every day there's a better chance one will be in your city. A typical Krav Maga session is about an hour long and mixes aerobic training with self-defense exercises. First, the instructor will run a drill to get the class's blood flowing. After stretching, the instructor will offer Krav Maga training tips. First will either be combatives (punches, hammer-fists, knees and roundhouse kicks, etc.) or grappling (breaking out of chokes, or moving from defensive to offensive positions). After that, the class usually moves to a drill that combines the Krav Maga techniques just taught with an aerobic technique designed to completely expend the students' remaining energy.