In a world where acquiring self-defense skills is becoming a top priority, many people turn to Krav Maga in hopes of giving them the physical tools and confidence to handle themselves and protect their families. Krav Maga’s reputation as a practical and effective self-defense system has garnered mass appeal since it was introduced in the early 20th century, which is likely why you are looking for Krav Maga classes in Atlanta.
But before you commit to Krav Maga, let’s peel back the layers and dive into the deeper truth. Despite the flashy techniques and the captivating display of Krav Maga on the Hollywood big screens, the shortcomings of Krav Maga become more apparent as we break down the intricacies of self-defense and real-world scenarios. And the further we look, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stands out as the go-to martial art for self-defense.
What Is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a ground-based martial art that uses leverage, manipulation of energy and momentum, and submissions to neutralize an aggressive opponent. Even one much larger than you.
What separates Jiu-Jitsu from martial arts such as Krav Maga is the implementation of “Aliveness” in its training. Aliveness is all about training under realistic resistance and is the foundation our philosophy at SBG Atlanta was built on. This is where Krav Maga fails its students when it comes time to use the skills they’ve acquired in a dangerous scenario. The ability to navigate the elements of fear, resistance, adrenaline, and timing proves Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to be invaluable and highlights the incompetence of Krav Maga.
The Transformation At SBG Atlanta
Over the last 14 years, we’ve seen people from many different backgrounds come through the doors at SBG Atlanta. One that stands out is our newly minted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, Vanessa Taylor.
Prior to coming to SBG Atlanta, Vanessa was a practitioner of Krav Maga. After recognizing the limitations of the art, she decided to look for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes in Atlanta. Once she made the switch, she never looked back. Here’s what Vanessa had to say about her experience:
“After training Krav Maga for almost a year, I felt stagnant in my progress, and my overall goal of being able to defend myself as a woman in Atlanta began to feel unachievable. A friend of mine told me to try Jiu-Jitsu and it checked all the boxes I was looking for in a martial art. Since beginning my Jiu-Jitsu training, I have been able to train with live resistance, which makes me think and react under pressure. I have more confidence in my ability to effectively defend myself because I am training under pressure every day…. And I still manage to feel safe in the training. And I get my physical needs met by getting the challenge of an intense workout. I love Jiu-Jitsu”.
Conclusion
One thing that global fighting promotions like the UFC have proven to us over the course of three decades is which of the martial arts truly work against an uncooperative opponent. In that time frame, fighters who were rooted in a grappling background, specifically Jiu-Jitsu, had an overwhelming advantage over other fighters who did not.
As for Krav Maga, while the level of competence in its technical abilities has been brilliantly showcased in big-time Hollywood films, it has fallen short and failed many of its practitioners in navigating real-life self-defense situations.
So now with a little more background knowledge, it is safe to say that not everything with flash carries substance. You owe it to you and the safety of your family to err on the side of efficiency and effectiveness when it comes to devoting your time to developing self-defense skills. Both of which Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has built its reputation on. In these dangerous and uncertain times, the SBG way of aliveness and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is our greatest ally amongst all other martial arts.
