Krav Maga Institute — Local services in New York

I've studied a variety of martial arts all of my life and nothing compares to Krav Maga. The tactical and problem solving nature of the class that is purely focused on self-defense and safety is the most empowering and useful skillset I’ve ever learned.

I'm a native New Yorker and growing up in NYC wasn't always the safest place for a young girl to walk around on her own. As an adult woman, I'm still acutely aware of the dangers of walking around the city. Through Krav Maga, I've truly never felt more safe and confident in my ability to protect myself and the people I love -- Not only because of the tactical and efficient techniques you learn to trouble shoot through a bad situation but more importantly because of the mental toughness training you receives that teaches you to survive, never give up, and no matter how bad the situation is, you still have the power to stand up and fight if you have to fight or the focus to gather yourself and your loved ones and get them all out of harms way.

I’ve been a student of Krav Maga Institute for over 6 years. KMI is hands down the best Krav Maga school - and martial arts program - that I have ever trained with. Through KMI, I’ve improved my fitness & health through a variety of combat-focused cardio classes, I’ve learned new skills to round out my training with Muay Thai and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu), and watched the school open up classes centered around important social issues such as women’s self defense and a Krav Maga kid’s class geared towards anti-bullying.

However, the best part of the school besides the classes, is the KMI community. The school is incredibly welcoming and the students are amazing. The day I joined KMI, I instantly felt like I found myself a new ass-kicking family, and I’ve been thankful for the opportunity to watch my family grow over time.

In full disclosure, as I rose through the ranks at Krav Maga Institute, I was given the opportunity to become an instructor at the school. You may think my opinion of KMI is biased based on my employment, however, I certainly would have never stuck around long enough to build the skills I would need to become an instructor and I certainly wouldn’t have agreed to go through the brutal KMI instructor course (One of the hardest mentally and physically challenging things I’ve ever done) if I didn’t truly love and believe in the school and the instructors and managers who stand behind it and the students who show up every day to give everything they’ve got in their training.

I could not recommend Krav Maga Institute...

I've dabbled in different forms of martial arts for the past few years. Earlier this year, I decided that it was time to give Krav Maga a shot to see what it was all about. After a decent amount of research on Krav schools around NYC, I decided to try out the Krav Maga Institute(KMI).

Picked up the phone to call and ask a few question and ending up speaking directly with Patrick - the founder of KMI. He explained that all new students had to go through an induction process as the very first step. I wasted no time in signing up for the induction class(that very night). Been hooked ever since.

The instructors are uniform in their approach to teaching and they take the time to explain each and every single move properly. Then they have the students practice at a slow, controlled pace to make sure everyone understands it completely. They do so by breaking each move into smaller steps and having everyone go through the individual steps multiple times until it sticks. Classes are structured in a way so that you are warmed up prior to learning whatever technique is being covered that day and then on to practicing with your partners.

Classes are always fun and interesting. All techniques are taught in a way that mirrors real life scenarios. Best part of this for me is that fact that you walk out of each and every class feeling like I picked up a new move / way to protect myself. Have met some cool people as well!

The instructors are very friendly and approachable. They are very helpful and will stop to break things down and explain until you fully understand (Individual attention is KEY and you get that here). KMI has multiple locations around Manhattan which has been key to my attending 2-3 classes per week. The latest location at 10 Hanover square is located at the complete body gym which is a superb location.

I would recommend KMI to anyone who is interested in trying out Krav. Oh and two things: Get Groin Protection and a...

I would like to preface this review on what Krav Maga at the Krav Maga Institute NYC is not:

This is not a place where you will feel bullied, overwhelmed, or unsafe during the classes.

This is not a place where you will train for tournament style fighting.

This is not a place where you will not feel welcomed based of your age, background, skill level, height, weight, race, or any other identifiable trait.

What the KMI NYC represents and delivers is an inclusive and alternative approach to getting in shape, feeling good about yourself, and most importantly teaching you skills and techniques that may one day save your life.

KMI NYC offers world class instruction, dedication, and accreditation in Krav Maga which is a self-defense and combat system. If you have ever felt unsafe in a subway car, dark city street, crowded bar, or simply just walking in broad daylight through Central Park, KMI NYC will teach you to channel that fear and anxiety into a tested and tried self defense methodology that is taught around the world including our own police and military.

I joined the KMI MYC in Jan 2014 and went 3 days a week for 8 months until I had to relocate for work. This was arguably the best money I had ever spent on physical fitness and will be rejoining once I return. As a former collegiate athlete, I wanted something different than the routine of normal working out and was not that interested in Crossfit. I needed something more, something tangible, something applicable. Simply put, this was it.

My recommendation: try it out. Attend an intro class, see what it's about, especially if you are new to this brand of training. If you are familiar with Krav Maga and want to get started or further your development, this is the school. I'll save you the time; I did my research, this is the place.

My only caution is this: You might get addicted and make some friends along the way.

All the best and hope to...