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I'm currently in the process of choosing schools to learn Krav Maga (if the regional context is relevant: in the UK and Germany). My main concern is to learn practically applied skills and safe training (in detail, I want to improve my skills, which are moderate as of now, and get skills that are as practical as possible; I want to make progress, i.e. have demanding training, while training safely and reduce the likelihood of injuries from training to a minimum).

For this, I was wondering if people have experiences with practical indicators and what to pay attention to (the more specific the better) - both in terms of a school's formal qualifications and things to look into when attending practice:

  • what do you think is important to pay attention to when assessing training quality?
  • what do you wish you had paid attention to earlier?
  • what do you particularly enjoy in your Krav school, and why do you feel it helps you - and what are indicators one can notice within one training session or even without any training in that particular school?
  • what "warning signs" to look for (the more specific the better!)?

Looking forward to your comments and responses.

Mike P
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Ivo
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    Possible duplicate of How to select the right Aikido dojo – Sardathrion - against SE abuse Apr 13 '18 at 11:43
  • I believe with substantial differences between Aikido and Krav Maga, this question is by no means a duplicate. – Ivo Apr 14 '18 at 08:11
  • Most of the answers there are applicable here, thus it is still a duplicate. – Sardathrion - against SE abuse Apr 14 '18 at 11:06
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    Ivo, differences between the arts don't mean that the answer to your question is any different. Personally I think your question is too broad and is aiming for discussion style answers - you can do that in the chat room. – slugster Apr 14 '18 at 12:59
  • With Krav being less formalized and primarily meant to teach practical application (which is not the case for e.g. Aikido), there are huge differences in what you WANT from the school, thus there are huge differences in what you should pay attention to. – Ivo Apr 14 '18 at 13:15
  • (Furthermore, and this is just a side-note, I agree that the responses are rather general. That's why I think that it doesn't make any sense to to expect someone to pick a Krav school by responses given to the question how one should pick an Aikido school ;) ) (Of course, points like approachable teachers, no hidden fees etc. are common sense but that's not what I'm looking for.) – Ivo Apr 14 '18 at 13:18
  • Updated question to highlight the points discussed in the comments. – Ivo Apr 14 '18 at 13:25

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@Sardathrion already linked some indicators that can be applied to any gym.

As Krav Maga is supposed to be a self defense system, it's effectiveness is important. So look at formal qualifications of both the school and the teachers.

On top of that, make sure that both the teacher and the school are a member of an (international) organisation. This ensures that:

  • Teachers receive training to keep their skills up to date
  • The curriculum is being updated to reflect what works and doesn't work in real life.

Teachers who do not have a organisation behind them are more likely to use outdated techniques, or use techniques that they think are effective - without having the exposure or experience to incorporate all scenarios. (Not all techniques work against all attackers - not all students have the physical capabilities to use all techniques.)

(Source: Personal experience: I've trained for 6 years, and have quit gyms because of the above.)

Bert Blommers
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You will definitely want to pay attention to the organization a gym and its members are part of. Check out the requirements for an instructor course in the organization, this can tell you a lot. For example:

KMG: 24 day course, 2 day exam and a P3 minimum as prerequisite (about 2 years of training).

Mike's S.E.A.L. Commando Krav Maga System: 2 day course, 4 hour exam. No prerequisites (obviously a fictional name, however, this is in fact the requirement for a school in my area).

That aside, most gyms will offer a free class, you should definitely try that as well before you sign up. Look for these indicators:

  • How are the communicative skills of the instructor?

  • What's the atmosphere like? (preferably friendly)

  • Are stress drills involved? (preferably yes)

  • Is there any sparring? (preferably yes)

  • How long is a class? (preferably 70 to 90 minutes)

Chavez
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