Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself against Physical Attack

by Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld) & Chief Instructor Eyal Yanilov

Krav Maga, developed by Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld) since the 1930s, was once a method of hand-to-hand combat strictly confined to security agents and members of the MOSSAD and elite IDF units. The method has been adapted for civilians so that anyone, of any age, sex, or physical ability, can utilize it. Based on natural reactions of the human body, the discipline is easy to learn and perform, and practical to use.

Krav Maga has rapidly gained in popularity and earned recognition by experts the world over. In the US, South America, Europe, Australia, and the Far East, this unique self-defense method has already been taught to and used by official law enforcement agencies, as well as many ordinary citizens.

Written by Imi Sde-Or and his senior disciple Eyal Yanilov as part of the Founder’s Series, Krav Maga: How to Defend Yourself Against Physical Attack is the first of two volumes presenting the key principles and training methods for unarmed combat. Laid out an accessible, step-by-step format, the book covers the basics, from safety in training, warm-up, stretching, and flexibility to principles of attacks, stances, and starting positions. The authors offer strategies for every imaginable scenario: defending punches and kicks, releases from chokes, headlock and nelson, grabs, punches, throws, and more. Also emphasizing the psychological underpinnings of the discipline, the book expands its usefulness with sections on mental training, vulnerable points, multiple attackers, and women’s self-defense.

About the Authors
Eyal Yanilov began training in Krav Maga with Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or when he was 15. Yanilov was the first person to begin training Krav Maga instructors outside of Israel, and he has taught special units, the military, and civilians in over 18 countries. Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or, Founder of Krav Maga, passed away in 1998 at age 88.

An English-language North-American edition has been scheduled for publication in fall 2020.

Each volume contains 240 pages, altogether 800-plus b/w photos & illustrations; 16.5 x 24 cm.