Krav Maga Force Training Division: Houston Detachment

INTRODUCTION

The Krav Maga Force Training Division is dedicated to the advancement of defensive tactics training for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 1985, Krav Maga has been taught extensively to over 200 U.S. law enforcement agencies. Originally developed in Israel, Krav Maga is the official system of self defense employed by the Israeli Defense Forces, the Israeli National Police, as well as the Israeli Special Operations and Security units. Cognizant of the different use-of-force standards between Israel and the United States, critical steps have been taken by the Krav Maga Force Training Division to refine and adapt Krav Maga in law enforcement. Keenly aware of the use-of-force issues facing law enforcement, the Force Training Division gather top authorities in the use-of-force field, including deputy district attorneys, police liability lawyers, police administrators, and top defensive tactics instructors to create an effective system for the street – based upon sound legal principles.

Krav Maga emerged in an environment where extreme violence was commonplace. The system has had ample opportunity to be tested and improved under real-life conditions, proving to be an ideal means of defending LEOs in the face of life threatening danger. No defensive tactics system in the world is more street and battle-tested than Krav Maga.

UNIQUENESS

Krav Maga is NOT another police defensive tactics system based upon traditional martial arts approaches. It IS a modern, reality-based method of training characterized by coherent and logical thinking that builds easily, naturally, and practically – utilizing a common set of principles to address a wide variety of attack scenarios. Thus, the system can be learned in a relatively short period of time. The techniques are easy to retain and can be performed effectively under stress.

APPLICATION

The Krav Maga system has received international recognition as an innovative and highly practical defensive tactics system, ideally suited for law enforcement. According to law enforcement officers who have undergone Krav Maga training, the most beneficial characteristics of the system are:

EFFICIENT TRAINING PERIOD: High proficiency, short training time
RETENTION OF TECHNIQUES: Principles, instinct, and gross motor skills
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES: Effective and simple
PERFORMANCE UNDER STRESS: Training simulates stress
USE-OF-FORCE ISSUES: Manage stress effectively w/o distraction
OBJECTIVES: De-escalation of force and outcome by objective

SERIES TRAINING MODULE (1 of 5): HANDGUN

BASIC COMBATIVES

The Krav Maga system of combatives provides an effective approach to teaching officers how to safely and effectively deliver a variety of counterattacks, such as punches, kicks, and other strikes. Officers are taught to perform in the fight from various positions of disadvantage and in varying degrees of readiness under high stress scenarios, all of which is important to ensure that the officer can respond mentally and physically in a time of need. The goal being the elimination of "freezing" or "shutting down" while under stress.

WEAPON RETENTION

An effective and realistic weapon retention system must include training from at least two standpoints:

Dealing with a preceding struggle, even before a subject reaches for an officers weapon, and
Dealing with a subject who has actually secured the officers firearm, wether holstered of withdrawn.

Krav Maga provides a state-of-the-art, easy to learn weapon retention system that addresses both scenarios. The system has received overwhelming recognition because of its no-nonsense, effective approach to one of law enforcement's most serious challenges – whether the officer and/or subject is standing or on the ground. Genral principles are utilized so that an officer's defenses are equally effective regardless of how the subject secures the weapon.

DEFENSIVE TACTICS VS. HANDGUN

The Krav Maga gun disarming system offers practical, empty hand method of defending against, disarming, and controlling a subject who, armed with a handgun poses an immediate threat to the life of the officer or third party. Threats are dealt with 360 degrees around the body, including high stress scenarios such as pushing, punching, and being moved from one location to another, encountering a firearm being retrieved from a concealed area, and third party / hostage situations.

LECTURES / TECHINCAL ASPECTS

This process is integrated into the training outlined above and includes:

Transfer of knowledge and principles
Safety in training
Warm-up and stretching
Improving stress management
Technical aspects of advanced and high risk movements
Moving from a passive state to action

PHILOSOPHY OF TACTICS SELECTION

The primary concern of defensive tactics is the safety of the officer. Historically, some defensive tactics programs have preceded with the goal of producing an individual both physically and technically superior to his/her anticipated antagonist. While this is an ideal goal, it is simply unrealistic. Secondly, in situations where LEOs are totally dependant upon physical superiority in a confrontation, a lack thereof is terribly unforgiving. Today, the demand for peace officers is tremendous and growing. As the pool of candidates grows, so does the diversity of experience and capabilities of LEOs. We find that the current hiring trend within the law enforcement community does not necessarily produce individuals who are physically and mentally prepared for confrontation. We view law enforcement as a profession and as such, the safety of those involved is our primary concern.
As stated, a defensive tactics system and arrest tactics need to be practical, effective, and teachable/learnable. The techniques need to be of use to the LEO community and teachable/learnable within training time constraints common to most law enforcement agencies.
The various techniques and arrest tactics are selected to specifically fit a law enforcement environment. Techniques and positions that have their origin in other confrontation disciplines have not been selected if, at any time, during execution, the LEO is placed in jeopardy. Vulnerability of the LEOs handgun or long gun or to the LEO him/herself at ant time, is considered a major flaw and those techniques and purged from consideration. Because LEOs must deal with physical skill and high stress levels, techniques should be forgiving when possible.
The individual currently employed in law enforcement needs a number of specific skills to do his/her job. The system re-enforces the concept that we must consider starting at the lowest level of force (verbalization) and terminates with deadly force. Deadly force most often being the use of a handgun in a close quarter confrontation. As a result of the wide range of techniques needed to adequately cover the spectrum that exists vertically as "escalation of force" and laterally in numerous situational circumstances, the number of responses has been intentionally limited.
To make teaching / learning easier, the techniques are totally integrated with one another. The program begins with the establishment of a balanced, mobile, and protected individual and proceeds to add capabilities to the individual in building block method. Whenever possible, the system incorporates natural and instinctive movements.

To learn more about Krav Maga, our school, programs, or instructors, click HERE
Email the Chief Instructor directly @ ckirk@kravmagahouston.com
Serious inquiries may call 832-603-3473 to speak with the Chief Instructor.