Krav Maga self defense is all about learning how to protect yourself in real-life situations. It is not about being the strongest or toughest person in the room, but about learning how to use your body effectively and efficiently in a fight.
Your basic fighting stance is the foundation for all your Krav Maga self defense techniques and it’s essential to get it right from the start.
Basic stance is the ready position in Krav Maga.
It means we are ready to fight.
It is the most common stance that we use to defend, start combat and execute our self defense moves.
Check out our guide to striking to learn how to generate more powerful punches.
Every martial art and combat sport has a basic fighting stance and Krav Maga is no different. This technique is simple yet critical to the foundation of your training. For a beginner, the basic stance is the place to start.
Let’s perfect it.
Contents
- Krav Maga Basic Fighting Stance Technique
- 10 Steps For Krav Maga Basic Fighting Stance
- Why We Should Master The Basics In Self Defense
- Important Krav Maga Self Defense Tips To Consider
One of the most important things to keep in mind when in your basic fighting stance is to always keep your eyes on your opponent. You want to stay aware of their movements and anticipate their attacks. This is where your peripheral vision comes into play. While your focus is on your opponent, you should still be aware of your surroundings.
Below I’ve shared clear steps to achieve Basic Stance so you can easily follow along.
Krav Maga Basic Fighting Stance Technique
A key element of your basic fighting stance is footwork.
Your feet are your foundation, and proper footwork can make all the difference in a fight. You should be light on your feet and ready to move in any direction. Your footwork should be fluid and natural, not stiff or awkward.
We want a strong base. The position of ours legs will determine this.
The distance between your feet will be a little bit wider than the width of your shoulders. If your feet are too close together, you will not have a stable foundation.
Take a step forward as if you’re taking a step during a leisurely walk outside. This will determine the distance between your front (left) foot and your back (right) foot.
Put a little bend in your knees. Your back foot will have its heel off the ground.
Now that we have our feet in place, let’s raise our arms up, hinging at the elbows, until our hands reach about face level.
Keep your hands open.
Check your elbows to make sure they aren’t flared out to the side – keep them close to your ribcage to protect your body.
Finally, you’re going to lean forward slightly with your upper body so you aren’t standing completely upright. This makes you a smaller target and provides some balance. At this point, try gauging how much weight you have on each foot.
Try to equalize that weight distrubution so that it’s about 50/50.
10 Steps For Krav Maga Basic Fighting Stance
Feet face forward, just about shoulder width apart or slightly more.
Take one step forward with the left leg.
Knees are slightly bent.
Back foot (right foot) heel off ground.
Body faces the direction your feet are pointing.
With elbows close to ribcage, arms are raised, bent at elbow, to face level.
Hands are open (no closed fists).
Weight is distributed 50/50 on each foot.
Slight lean forward with your upper body.
Chin is slightly tucked towards your chest.
The two photos below will be your Basic Stance.
If following along with a video is helpful for you, check out this video by Rhon Mizrachi from the Krav Maga Federation.
Why We Should Master The Basics In Self Defense
Mastering basic self defense moves is important in any martial art, and Krav Maga is no exception. Basic techniques are the foundation of your self-defense training.
Having a mastery in basic self defense knowledge and practicing it routinely is a requirement in any martial arts training. The best way to learn self defense techniques is through repetition.
Without a solid foundation, your advanced techniques will be ineffective, and your defense will be compromised.
One of the benefits of mastering basic techniques is that they are versatile. Basic techniques can be modified and adapted to different situations and scenarios.
You can apply them in various ways to suit the situation you find yourself in. Once you have mastered the basics, you can modify them and use them in more complex situations.
Mastering basic techniques is essential because it helps build muscle memory. Repetition is key.
By repeating the basics, you will train your muscles to respond automatically when you need to execute a technique in a high-stress situation.
Your muscle memory will help you respond quickly and efficiently, without hesitation, when under attack.
In addition, mastering the basics will improve your confidence. Knowing that you have a solid foundation in the fundamentals will give you confidence when training and in real-life situations.
This confidence can help you remain calm and focused in stressful or dangerous situations, allowing you to assess the situation and react accordingly.
Important Krav Maga Self Defense Tips To Consider
Executing strikes and defensive techniques from an uncomfortable or unbalanced position will hinder their effectiveness and therefore diminish your overall self defense. We want to feel stable, balanced, and ready to strike from this stance.
It’s also important to remember to breathe while in your basic fighting stance. Breathing helps you stay calm and focused, which is critical in a fight.
Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will help you stay relaxed and maintain your energy throughout the fight.
In conclusion, perfecting your basic fighting stance in Krav Maga self-defense is critical to your success in a fight. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can achieve a strong and stable stance that will help you execute your techniques with precision and power.
Keep practicing and refining your stance, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering Krav Maga self-defense.