Krav Maga is a form of self-defence originating from Israel and is used by their military. Along with this, it is a style of martial art that is valued internationally in terms of its realistic combat. So, why wouldn’t you want your kids to learn it? The kids Krav Maga class is open to children ,ranging from ages 8-13 years old, every Tuesday and Thursday at 6-7pm. It is located in Synergy Gym in Fairlop and they are eager for more students to attend. To find out more details visit their website: https://synergy-fitness.net/mma-krav-maga/.

 

Reasons why your child should join

Our current society is very dangerous— particularly for children. Unfortunately, many are victims of kidnapping, stabbings and serious fights. We can’t erase these issues but, Krav Maga could help reduce the impacts or avoid them entirely.  Krav Maga is Hebrew and translates to ‘contact combat’— it symbolises much more than this. Is your child lacking self-confidence or has low self-esteem? After attending a few classes of Krav Maga their confidence will boost indefinitely. Through continual partnered work, students are able to create friendships and also adopt respectful mannerisms. Along with this, team building is enforced through games played in the dojo, providing life skills that can be used beyond the class… all whilst having fun of course!

 

KRAV MAGA DOES NOT PROMOTE VIOLENCE

Krav Maga promotes self-defence and not to be the first to aggress. It is assumed that learning how to fight equates to uncontrolled violence and is therefore inappropriate for young children. This is most certainly not the case. In fact, a student who has been training at Fairlop’s MMA Krav Maga, Mia Kent, claims that, “I used to struggle a lot with my anger, particularly in primary school, but starting Krav Maga from a young age helped me control this and make the right decisions.” This increase in maturity and self-control is transparent of all the students.  As they continue training, they’ll leave class feeling relieved rather than agitated or aggressive. So, if you want your child to be disciplined and their behaviour to improve, this could be the solution.

 

Anti-bullying Ambassadors

Universally, bullying has become a pressing issue— Krav Maga aims to fight back. In October 2022, Synergy’s Krav Maga created a documentary with the BBC about anti-bullying which featured on the show ‘Crimewatch’ where Ricky Manetta the creator of MMA Krav Maga, expresses his concerns with bullying. Bullying is something that is unacceptable in the dojo. Instead, the dojo acts as a safe space for the kids. Studies show that 25-50% of children don’t open up to adults about being bullied. Instead of letting children suffer in silence, the anti-bullying ambassadors project was created. There are four student ambassadors ranging from the ages 11-14 who are always available to speak to if any of the students are struggling with bullying.  It is understood that it may be easier to open up to someone of similar age and a friend, rather than an adult like their instructor. The idea is to avoid any sort of embarrassment— all four of these approachable students can give advice on how to deal with bullying due to their individuals experiences with it.

 

Fairlop’s Krav Maga is a community accessible to everyone and they’d love for your child to join them today with their first lesson being free!

Aanya Narbheram, Year 12, Chigwell School