Operational Krav Maga

Operational Krav-Maga is a unique adaptation of Krav Maga for training security, police and other governmental units in hand to hand combat as well as developing additional operational skills. The method began in the late 1980s by Gabi (Gabriel) Shai when he was chief instructor of Krav Maga in the Israeli Security Agency. When he retired from active duty in 1996 Shai continued to develop the system and adapt it for civilian use. He created the International Federation for Operational Krav Maga (OKMIF). Today this style is utilized in its civilian and operational capabilities in various organizations and entities around the world.
The Goal of the Method
The goal of Operational Krav-Maga is constant improvement of the trainee's operational ability when the technical/combat training becomes as a mean into itself in order to induce additional operational skills by optimal use of the individual trainee's training time. In its civilian version the goal is to improve skills for one's life, in addition to training the skills that are required for self defense. This training improves the practitioner's overall quality of life when it comes to dealing with problems in one's daily life, and more specifically, it helps the practitioner deal with crime and violence.
Core Assumptions of the Method
The failure of governments and security agencies worldwide in dealing with the growing and renewing presence of international terror and urban crime. At the heart of the system is a change from a reactive-passive approach to a proactive one, whose primary goal is to prevent crime/violence by improving security awareness, improving operational capabilities and early detection of the adversary's intentions.
Various analyses of security situations where security forces failed in their engagement against the adversary pointed out the fact that the lack of training or technical failures were not the primary reasons for to failure, but other factors as well, such as lack of awareness, not paying attention, lack to detect the adversary's intention early enough, lack of conflict management and decision making and other multiple factors that most other standard/traditional Krav Maga and martial arts systems do not address. Proper application of Operational Krav-Maga principles can bridge the gap between the operational requirements (what is needed in the field, continuous security methods and the adversary's mode of operation) and the classical methodologies that do not apply to the changing reality.
Principles of the Method
1. Relevancy- the training is a means to improve the desired operational level of the trainee. Matching training content and type of training for the future operational job. Understanding the operational role at hand, understanding the adversary and his/her mode of operation, adaptation of the training to the group of trainees.
2. Functionality: adapting the level of training and the skills that are taught to the needs of the field and the ability of the trainee to use it in the future during real life situations. Learning the principles of action and reaction, proper adaptation of basic techniques to the characteristics of the group of trainees, their initial training level, amount of training time allotted and the frequency of training.
3. Realism- as close as possible to reality. The adaptation is done in every parameter possible: Personal dress and equipment, area of activity, external factors: exhaustion, surprise, noise, changing light conditions, physical and psychological pressure and so on. For example, a member of security forces who carries a personal weapon as a part of his or her job would train Krav Maga with his or her weapon on his or her body, even if weapon use would not directly come into play. Contrast this with traditional training methods, where training is usually done in sterile and comfortable conditions and without carrying weapons.
4. Holism - gradual incorporation of all the necessary components/factors that are relevant and/or the factors that might affect one's performance. Integration is done in three layers:
Components- integration of activities designed to develop and improve operational physical conditioning, technical components of unarmed combat and armed combat (if the role requires this), the ability to recognize and identify , body language and detail recognition, identification of suspicious persons, application of relevant workplace rules and regulations.
Decision making: The incorporation of tactical components and decision making while dealing with various situations. Incorporation of mental and psychological components. Training during real life surprise conditions.
External factors: Crowds, noise, changing light conditions, and so on.
5. Experiential: Experiential learning through continuous experience via problem based learning and dealing with changing conditions that leads to understanding the rationale behind every action.
6. Optimal use of resources (budget and training time) - Embedding varied operational skills (in addition to combat skills) and experience that is close to reality while optimally utilizing the training time that is allotted. Extensive training, not just during the standard training periods, but during breaks, in transit from lessons and so on.

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