For expats in Prague looking for a way to exercise, relieve stress, build confidence, and learn usable self-defense skills, Krav Maga is a unique and exciting activity to try.
Krav Maga Prague offers classes for all ages and skill levels of the Israeli self-defense system. Led by certified Krav Maga instructor Miklos “Mike” Handa, participants can train toward better physical fitness, self-defense skills, and conflict management.
“Seeing my students becoming more assertive, more decisive and being able to effectively defend themselves is very rewarding and motivating for me,“ Miklos Handa says on the Krav Maga Prague website.
Handa has studied karate as a child and later moved on to boxing, then kickboxing which he practiced at a competitive level in Hungary and UK. Handa began training Krav Maga in 2012 and now shares his skills as the head instructor at Krav Maga Prague.
According to Handa, out of all the forms of martial arts, he has seen, Krav Maga is the most effective for self-defense. Krav Maga incorporates both physical and mental preparation and also teaches conflict prevention and tactical thinking.
Krav Maga, which is Hebrew for “contact-combat,” is a military self-defense system that consists of a combination of techniques from boxing, wrestling, muay Thai, jujutsu, aikido, judo, and practical fight training. The technique was created based on the street-fighting experience of Hungarian-Israeli martial artist Imi Lichtenfeld. Today, Krav Maga is known for being the official combat and tactical system of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Although the martial-art form is most famous for its connection to Israel, it also has historical roots in former Czechoslovakia. Imi Lichtenfeld, the martial artist who created Krav Maga, grew up in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. During the mid-to-late 1930s, Lichtenfeld used his street combat training to defend the Jewish quarter against fascist groups.
Krav Maga classes focus on self-defense, fitness and stress tolerance training. Krav Maga teaches the combat skills needed to protect oneself from a variety of attacks but also encourages conflict prevention and de-escalation. Students learn to identify, avoid, and neutralize potentially dangerous situations.
Krav Maga has also become a popular form of exercise and trains students to build both physical and mental strength.
Krav Maga Prague offers classes in the mornings and evenings, perfect for before or after work. All classes are taught in English, and there are also options for personal training sessions. Krav Maga Prague offers classes for all ages and skill levels, with children and teen classes several days a week.
Adult classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday at 7:15 – 8:30 a.m. and 7:30 – 8:45 p.m. Krav Maga Prague is located at Fugnerovo Nam. 1866/5 in Vinohrady(?). For the full schedule of classes and to book your spot, visit Krav Maga Prague’s website
