KM for girls?

[SledgeHammer]

I went to the local dojo which has been certified to teach Krav Maga. It was a beginners class, with approximately 7 students. However, they were all female. Is KM unisex or mainly for girls?

Also it was my first time observing a class of any sorts - it is usual for students to have to do warm-ups (push-ups and sit-ups) at the start of class? Seems like a waste of class time.

[Kaminari]

Krav Maga is not unisex. In fact, I don't know of any styles that are only for men or only for women. It is also common for warmups to happen before doing anything in class, for a very good reason. Stretches will keep you flexible for the class, and decrease your chances of injury (pulling or tearing a muscle, etc.). Exercises like pushups and situps are part of basic strength and endurance training. In any martial art, these two things are important. Plus, situps are especially important because they will strengthen your core, which is essential to all martial artists, as your power doesn't only come from the shoulder in punches or from the legs in kicks, but from your whole body. The stronger the core, the stronger your techniques will be.

[glockmeister]

No it isnt only for girls. Warming up with exersizes a waste of time?? I have bever seen a martial arts school yet that didnt do soem type of work out to warm up, it keeps you from getting hurt.

[SledgeHammer]

By "waste of time" I was saying that a 1 one hour class shouldn't be filled with calisthenics. I would expect students to do their conditioning on their own.

Like I said, it was the first time I witnessed a class. So, if you're telling me that conditioning is a normal part of classes, then so be it. Just not what I expected.

[glockmeister]

I agree it shouldn't be all calisthenics, but they have always been a part of conditioning to some degree at any school I have ever attended. Some styles put more emphasis on them than others. In both KM and Haganah, we warm up and tend to do most of our actual hardcore conditioning at the end of class. You dont want to hardcore stiff to gas you out compleatly before working self defense techniques and get sloppy if you know what I mean. However some type of warming up should always be included in the beginning to loosen you up and get your muscles and tendons heated, otherwise you can be more prone to injury.

[JusticeZero]

I don't have people do 'calisthenics before class', I have them do exercizes that will warm their core temperature up so that they won't tear anything when we start drilling the kicks and such that follow it.

[orion82698]

By "waste of time" I was saying that a 1 one hour class shouldn't be filled with calisthenics. I would expect students to do their conditioning on their own.

Like I said, it was the first time I witnessed a class. So, if you're telling me that conditioning is a normal part of classes, then so be it. Just not what I expected.

I think you're going to be hard pressed to find any dojo that doesn't do a brief warm-up before hand. True, people should be conditioning outside, but if something were to do wrong due to lack of lack of proper calisthenics well... let's just say it's a sue happy world

On a side note, there aren't many Krav Maga places in Maryland. I know a big one just opened up in Columbia, MD. From the looks of there site, they look expensive. Whcih dojo are you a part of?

[SledgeHammer]

No, there aren't very many KM locations in MD. I was looking into an affiliate of the Columbia location. It is located in Germantown, MD with a sister site to be opened in Rockville.

I decided not to join because although I am interested in KM the only other style they teach is BJJ - which I am NOT interested in. And for the size, services and class offerings, I thought they were $$$ too. So I am still searching for a place to call home. It is just a very overwhelming process. I want to be sure about a school and style before I commit money and time in something that isn't what I am interested in.

[glockmeister]

Isn't there a way you can take KM by itself? I wouldn't think they would MAKE you take BJJ on the side if you didnt want to.

If you don't mind however, i would like to offer an opinion as far as women and BJJ. After my first few times taking BJJ, I was amazed that more women didn't take it. It seems it would be one of the ultimate arts for a woman to know especially due to the fact that when assaulted by men they are more often grabbed than punched making the throws a good thing to know. Also if a woman was dealing with a man who was trying to sexually assault/rape her, the guard position in BJJ and all the various ways a woman can use that bottom position to choce out or otherwise submit a would-be attacker....

would be worth it's weight in gold to know BJJ techniques from the guard..

Just my .02

[SledgeHammer]

I can take KM by itself, but this is a school who's moto is "Yes were are expensive, but you can take any class you want on the schedule."

I don't mind spending the extra money for the flexibility, but if i am only interested in one class, it kinda defeats the purpose.

From what i have seen of KM, it looks extremely practical, and it doesn't suprise me that women would be interested in it. But i was shocked that every student in that class was a girl. I'd feel more comfortable if there was one other guy in the class. I don't feel comfortable "fighting" girls - even if it just practicing moves on them. But that is just me.

As for BJJ itself, everyone talks about how good it is, but i am more interested in style who's focus is striking, rater than grappling. Again, that's just me. I just found a school who teaches Korean kickboxing/street fighting, so i think that is the way i think i will go. But we'll see...