Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Krav Maga” mean?
Krav Maga (Pronounced “Krav Muh-Ga”) is simply Hebrew for “Contact Combat”. Details of it’s origins can be found on our “About Krav Maga” page. Unfortunately, since its translation is such a generic term there is no legal restriction on using it, which has been taken advantage of by gyms and fake instructors with only rudimentary knowledge, teaching under the tag “Krav Maga” and claiming affiliation with bodies to which they do not belong. Be sure your teacher is currently affiliated with a recognized body.
Why train with Pro Krav Maga Ireland?
We are a legitimate KMG body based in Dublin, and have an international support network with a constantly evolving training methodology coming direct from the source in Israel. Your training will be recognized, and your gradings will count! There won’t be a ceiling beyond which you cannot pass, and further down the line should you wish to broaden your knowledge you will have access to a wide range of courses and facilities around the world. Your instructor is also required to keep his training up to date to hold his license! So you know what you are getting is the best. There is very poor regulation on this in Ireland, and for the reason outlined in the last question the term Krav Maga is bandied around by unlicensed instructors. If you are thinking of taking regular tuition, it would be unwise to take an unofficial route as you will have nowhere to go once you reach a certain level, and your training will not be recognised should you decide to switch to a “real” KM body.
I’m not interested in becoming a martial artist or learning the whole syllabus, I just want to learn to protect myself
No Problem! We have a range of short courses designed specifically for this purpose, dealing with several different aspects of self defence from beginner to more advanced levels. This is actually an excellent way to learn to defend yourself in numerous situations fast – as you’re not concerned with learning the finer or more technical points, but can get into the “cool stuff” sooner. We are in fact the only legitimate KMG body in Ireland that offers this service!
Do I need to be super fit to do this?
No. At Pro Krav Maga academy we believe that self defence is a right for everyone. As a general requirement for our regular (non special needs) courses, attendee’s should be in good physical and mental health and have no disabilities that would put themselves or others at risk. And be prepared to sweat – regardless of your fitness level 
Is it good for fitness training?
Yes. As per the previous question – be prepared to sweat when doing these classes. You will be surprised by how much your fitness will increase during the training. I personally believe this is some of the best fitness training around – students frequently push themselves beyond what they normally would do, yet they are having fun doing so!
Is it dangerous?
Any sport or physical activity carries a risk of injury. Our first rule is safety in training.
Is it suitable for girls?
Absolutely! Unfortunately, violence against women is not uncommon and being the physically weaker sex they are more vulnerable in a confrontation… unless of course they’ve been trained by us! We like to have a mix of students of both sexes, since it makes the training better and more realistic for everyone as they get to practice on people of varying size and strength.
Why is the course adults only?
KMG rules require that all practitioners are at least 16 years of age, and thus we accept students to regular classes to follow the KMG syllabus from that age. For our short courses, the minimum age is 18. This is because we realize the potential for abuse of the information. Younger students may be considered under special circumstances, but an accompanying guardian may be required.
Who are Krav Maga Global?
There are a few reputable Krav Maga organisations in the world, all of whom eminated from personal students of it’s source Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld). Eyal Yanilov is one of only two people in the world to have ever been awarded the founders diploma of excellence by Imi, and was personally chosen by Imi to head the Krav Maga professional committe, with responsibility of preparing the Krav Maga curriculum and keeping it up to date. Eyal eventually went on to form KMG and is currently head of the institute, and today he continues to maintain and improve on the system.
I’ve seen other instructors claiming to be affiliated with Eyal, but not under the flag of KMG
Short answer – they are lying! At best they trained with Eyal in another life and stopped training when they got their instructors diploma. They are not qualified to grade anyone, and any training you do under them will be unrecognized at best, and wrong/dangerous at worst.
Are there any Krav Maga classes suitable for children?
There are KMG classes designed for children. At this time we do not offer them, but we will gauge interest going forward and may decide to run them based on our feedback.
