by Daniel Barry

• A
• A
• A

"Mind. Body. Spirit."

The three words were written on a white dry-erase board in a tiny tae kwon do studio in North Jersey. While a bit clich, the three words represent what the martial arts are all about. However, on that particular night, the small, poorly lit room wasn't being used for tae kwon do. It was being used for Krav Maga. A particularly brutal form of self-defense developed by the Israeli military.

The instructor walked up to the dry-erase board and replaced the three words with his own personal mantra:

"Kick him in the balls."

While not as politically correct or sexy as the tae kwon do mantra, it says everything you need to know about Krav Maga. It is an extremely vicious and effective form of self-defense that teaches you to do whatever it takes to escape a dangerous situation. It also said exactly what I wanted to hear.

You see, I wanted to learn how to defend myself and I wanted to learn quickly. I didn't have time for mind games and I didn't really care about belts or uniforms. I just wanted to learn how to kick some ass. And during the course of our one-hour training session, we touched on a variety of simple techniques that you won't learn in a typical kickboxing class. For example, who knew that spitting in an assailant's eye is a great way to temporarily blind your opponent, so you can deliver a massive head-butt to the bridge of his or her nose? Or that when someone puts you in a head lock, the best thing to do is try and bite out a large chunk of flesh from your assailant's midsection? In Krav Maga, there are no fancy moves, no concrete blocks to break and no silly sayings. Just combat proven techniques that teach you how to get out of life threatening situations.

I have been involved in martial arts for quite some time. But, when I left the tae kwon do studio that evening I felt that I had actually learned something that could come in useful one day. So, if you're looking to take a self-defense or martial arts class, I suggest finding a Krav Maga instructor. It may not have the allure of kung fu or tae kwon do, but it can provide you with proven techniques that are used every day during Israel's war on terror.

Learn more about this author, Daniel Barry.

Add your voice
Know something about Best martial art forms for self defense? We want to hear your view. Write now!