Krav Maga Institute — Attraction in New York

After training in Krav Maga for 5 years in a very reputable school in California, I moved to NYC and was looking to continue my training here. However, I wanted to make sure that I won't get taken for a ride by so many schools that claim to teach the "real" and "true" and "original" krav maga, whereas all they do is just milk you for $ and teach you some stuff they saw on youtube. Afterall, with your life on the line, you should invest in the best training out there. After observing just one class with the Krav Maga Institute, I knew these guys were the real deal.Here are the reasons why I decided to sign up for classes with the Krav Maga Institute (KMI)

1. Instructors are highly skilled, approachable and extremely dedicated to teaching you the most effective and efficient self-defense skills without any fluff or tough guy attitudes. I mean they will push you and push you hard, but they will will lead and guide you every step of the way. Every instructor on their team is certified by the International Krav Maga Federation, meaning that they are held to the highest standard of quality by the official organization that has been certifying instructors around the globe since Krav Maga made the transition into the civilian training. What really struck me is that the KMI instructors are extremely attentive to all the students and will not take any shortcuts because they know that it is our safety that is on the line here. The also make safety during training their priority and will not cut corners in terms of safety requirements. Every student is expected to wear groin protection, a mouth guard and gloves. Higher levels where full contact sparing is involved will require full protective gear. It makes sense, as the only rule of Krav Maga is "Don't get hurt and don't hurt your training partner".

2. Classes are extremely affordable. Monthly membership is just a fraction of the cost of what some other schools in NYC charge. They also keep the class size relatively small and have multiple instructors assisting in the same class, so you get plenty of attention and feed-back.

3. Multiple locations in the city with simultaneous classes on the same day make it easy to fit krav maga training even in the busiest of schedules. They also offer 1-on-1 private classes for people who can't train in group classes because of their travel schedule.

4. The student body is made up from some of the friendliest, cool and supportive people that I have had the pleasure to train with. You will make great friends here! I mean this should not be your primary reason to join, but it is a great benefit not to deal with people with enlarged egos and other attitude issues.

5. If you are unsure if Krav Maga is for you, they also offer a no strings attached induction class that every student has to take before being allowed to take regular classes. I think this is great because they give you the option to test it out before you commit. The membership options include month-to-month plans, no joining fees or paying half-a-year ahead!

In the end, this is a very solid school that offers more bang for the buck, including both the quality of their staff, locations, student body and affordability! You will gain a peace of mind while also getting in the best shape of your life and make...

I saw a promo on LivingSocial for 5 classes at Krav Maga Institute, and I thought I'd give it a try. That was about 1.5 years ago, and I've been hooked ever since!

I had previously trained in Muay Thai and had done my own research of other martial arts out there: capoeira, boxing, Brazilian Jiujitsu, MMA... all great martial arts, each with advantages and disadvantages, but I felt that Krav Maga was the one that checked all the boxes for me.

Among the strengths of Krav Maga that resonated with me were: (1) It's a highly practical self-defense system. (2) It's easy to learn and you can be effective from even just the basic training. (3) It teaches striking, getting out of holds (chokes, headlocks, bear hugs, etc.), and surviving once the fight ends up on the ground, whereas the other martial arts focus only on one or two of the three. (4) The emphasis on awareness and surviving real-life scenarios, such as multiple attackers and being in a street/bar fight. (5) When the situation requires, it encourages the use of high level of aggression and employing all means (i.e. even stuff considered illegal under competition "rules") with the goal of getting home safely and live another day.

In terms of teaching Krav Maga, KMI is absolutely top-notch. The instructors are among the very best and highly-ranked instructors in North America and are affiliated with IKMF, the largest Krav Maga organization in the world. They are also incredibly patient and incredibly detail oriented, so students like myself are able to truly learn under an encouraging and positive atmosphere. Speaking of students, there is so much camaraderie, support and friendliness inside and outside of classes that I can truly say that the institute is one big Krav Maga family! I've met a lot of interesting people at KMI and making new friends in the process is icing on the cake.

I also love that there are several locations available (Downtown, Midtown and Upper West Side) and there are classes almost every day of the week, so it is easy to fit classes into my busy schedule. The prices are also very competitive compared to other places, plus with the amount of hard-core cardio and conditioning involved in each class, I don't feel the need to enroll in a gym any more. All in all, I'm glad to be a part of the KMI family and I just wish I had...

When I first started almost a year ago, I did not know how to do the following:

Deal with confrontations Throw a proper punch Deflect a punch or knife strike Get up off the floor without looking like a putz Successfully execute a choke, but more importantly, how to get out of one Throw successful kicks without losing balance How to even hold a proper fighting stance Neutralize someone that has managed to climb on top of you with intentions to either choke or strike you Deal with multiple attackers

I learned all of this and so much more in the short period of time that I've been here.

I can remember my first day of joining the Krav Maga Institute; I was a little nervous, unprepared, and feeling like a completely clueless newb. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, even though I had expressed the interest of joining a martial arts class for many years. Finally, after doing my research on the krav maga schools around here, I settled on the Krav Maga Institute based on scheduling, locations, and price. They seemed to offer the best schedule that fit my lifestyle, as well as a reasonable price. The founder, Patrick, who is very hands-on, led the induction class that all students are required to attend, and that night I discovered the positive, challenging, and encouraging atmosphere that can be found at this institute.

ALL of the instructors are so knowledgeable and helpful, it's very difficult to leave a class without learning something new. Aside from focusing on techniques, most of the classes are vicious workouts. I have noticed a difference in strength and endurance in my body, and you never realize how hard your body was working until the day after class.

One important lesson that these classes will drill into your head is AWARENESS. Being aware of what is happening around you can mean the difference between life and death. We all hope to never find ourselves in that kind of life-threatening situation, however it is comforting to know that by training we can at least try to prepare ourselves a little more to avoid panic that consumes most. I have found krav maga to be the most practical for an average citizen (as well as military, have you seen the Israeli Defense Forces?!), and the Krav Maga Institute to be the best at...