What Do We Cover?

The following summarises the syllabus that all qualified Urban Krav Maga instructors will have covered. This is not the complete syllabus, it just shows the minimum number of techniques that our Instructors need in order to become certified. Urban Krav Maga students will have the security of knowing that their Instructor has a more comprehensive range of knowledge than that of any instructor in any other self defence system, and will have a ground game to match the growing levels of Ju Jitsu skills out there due to the popularity of MMA.

LEVEL 1

This syllabus will be built around defences against the 10 most common street attacks. Students who complete Level 1 will learn defences against:

Ten Most Common Street Attacks

These are listed in frequency order.

  1. One person pushes, hands to chest, which is normally followed by the pushee striking first, to the head.
    STUDENTS WILL LEARN 4 PRE-EMPTIVE MOVES AGAINST A POTENTIAL ATTACKER TO AVOID THIS PUNCH TO THE HEAD
  2. A swinging punch to the head.
  3. A front clothing grab, one handed, followed by punch to the head,
  4. A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a head butt.
  5. A front clothing grab, two hands, followed by a knee to the groin.
  6. A bottle, glass, or ashtray to the head.
  7. A lashing kick to groin/lower legs.
  8. A broken bottle/glass jabbed to face.
  9. A slash with knife, most commonly a 3 to 4″ lock blade knife or kitchen utility knife.
  10. A grappling style head lock.

This is based on information supplied by Law Enforcement; instructors will set up scenarios for students that mirror the top 10 street attacks; students will be taught to understand the dynamics of the situation as well as the techniques that can be used to deal with them.

In addition to the tai sabaki and hand/arm movements necessary to defend these attacks students will learn:

Pushes

  • Grappling/striking responses to an aggresssive pushing attack prior to a fight

Punches/Strikes

  • Left jab
  • Right cross
  • Left hook
  • Right hook
  • Left/right uppercuts
  • Left/right uppercut/horizontal elbow strikes
  • Use of all the above singly and in combination with appropriate footwork
  • Defences against all the above: singly, when thrown in combination and with appropriate footwork. Counter-strikes following the defences with appropriate footwork.

Takedowns

  • Setting up a takedown
  • Effecting a Takedown
  • Follow-up to a takedown
  • Defending against a takedown
  • Delivering and defending front rising and stomp kicks.
  • All the above (and groundwork – see below) tested in MMA sparring style

Knife Threats

  • Defending/disarming against knife threats from the front to:
  • Throat
  • Side of neck
  • Abdomen
  • Rear threats to lower/upper back and kidneys
  • All threats with/without control from attackers non-weapon wielding hand

Grappling

Defences against:

  • Attacker in full mount punching/choking
  • Attacker inguard choking/punching
  • Scarf hold
  • Attacker in mount pinning both arms down
  • Rear, front and side chokes-inside and outside
  • Rear stranglehold
  • Clinch, attacker striking with knees
  • Defending kicks when on the ground and getting up safely
  • Backwards break fall
  • Backwards roll

LEVEL 2

All the above plus:

Striking

  • Side kicks
  • Jumping side kicks (to the knee)
  • Low/high Roundhouse kicks (high kicks for learning defenses only)
  • Straight finger jabs
  • Appropriate use of hands, elbows, knees, feet and shin in combination.

Knives

  • Knife Threats to the rear, all around the body with control from attacker’s non-weapon wielding hand. Threats with point and edge of weapon
  • All Slashing/stabbing knife attacks; defend and take the weapon
  • Take-down defence against knife when attacker holding shirt/ lapel with one hand and stabbing with the other; dealing with knife threat in similar situation.
  • Appropriate use of ‘knee shoot’ against slashing knife attack

Guns

  • Defending gun threats from “hands up position”
  • Response to gun threats when attacker pulls the weapon back quickly

Grappling

  • Appropriate use of arm bars on ground and defending against application of arm bar
  • Defending full mount when attacker high up your body, i.e. knees in armpit
  • Use of half guard
  • Defending Side mount
  • Defending RNC on ground
  • Applying and defending Full Nelson
  • Forward roll
  • Side breakfall

LEVEL 3

All the above plus:

Guns

  • Gun threats from “hands down” position
  • Rear gun threat head forced against wall

Defending stick attacks

Defending Chain Attacks

Garrotte Defences

Groundwork

  • Attacker chokes, in rear mount, with and without hooks

Application of and defence against:

  • Americana
  • Triangle chokes
  • Kimura
  • Omoplata
  • North/South hold
  • Heel Hook
  • Ankle Wrench
  • Shin Bar

Knives

  • Knife threat, blade held horizontally to throat, attacker pushing you against a wall.
  • Knife threat to rear, blade held under armpit
  • Knife threat from rear: knife held to left side of throat, attackers arm under your right armpit and vice versa
  • Free knife fighting i.e. defending against attacker aggressively attacking with knife and use of improvised weapons where possible

Instructor Requisites

All instructors must, at least:

  1. Teach successfully at least 5 techniques to instructors and students – correction/coaching, set drills etc.
  2. Undergo 12 minutes pressure testing being sequentially attacked by 4 others – attacks covering all the above levels
  3. Demonstrate appropriate sparring skills on ground/floor and free fighting