We live in a dangerous world where anything can happen at any given moment.
It is in our best interest to be physically and mentally prepared for any potential threats that come our way.
Participating in martial arts and self defense classes is a great way to not only know how to fight, but be able to stay in shape while having fun.
Widely considered one of the most effective and brutal martial arts in the world, Krav Maga originates in Israel that emphasizes the use of efficient hand to hand combat in order to neutralize a threat quickly.
It has become increasingly popular in the United States, especially along the East Coast.
In the state of Connecticut, the best studio to study the ever growing phenomenon is Israeli Krav Maga CT located in Norwalk.
Originally stationed in Darien in 2009, Israeli Krav Maga made the move to Norwalk a few years ago as a result of the influx of newcomers requiring there be more space.
“ It is the best system out there,” said Gus Bottazzi, owner and instructor of Israeli Krav Maga CT. “ Krav Maga is the most effective and aggressive martial art as our main goal is to teach how to neutralize a threat within 10 seconds.”
While it is a system that tends to appeal to an older demographic, Bottazzi has incorporated kid and teen classes that start as young as six and go to the age of 15.
“I implemented a kid’s class so children can be exposed to Krav at a young age, learning basic principles and fundamentals as they go along,”said Bottazzi.
The kid and teen classes have become a popular after-school activity for youth in the Fairfield County running Monday through Friday.
Initially, Krav Maga kids classes was not really a thing because “ people thought it was too dangerous,” said Beth Lopez, a co-instructor at Israeli Krav Maga CT.
But now, it has become a hot commodity for the studio as the the youth program is run differently than the adult classes, being more “game”orientated rather than the typical situational setting.
“Kids are still learning basic Krav principles, but we make it more game orientated,” said Lopez. “ We avoid the scary things like gun and knife defense, but we still do address it through situational awareness.”
The kids are put through some aggressive drills that put them in a compromising position as they literally have to work from the ground up.
“One of the drills that the kids love to do is when one kid is placed on the ground and the others dog pile on top of him holding pads,” said Lopez. “The premise of the game is for the kid on the bottom to fight his way to his feet and then sprint to do punching combinations.
Aggressive drills like that are appealing to the kids of the class, especially to those that come into Krav with a “timid” attitude.
“Showing aggression is important in order to not be a victim,” said Bottazzi. “ They must act in away to be able to defend themselves in any circumstance.”
Bottazzi states that some kids that enroll in his Krav program is because of bullying problems that they are dealing with at school.
“I’d say three to four of my students that enrolled last year were because they have been victims of bullying.”
Other reasons that kids enroll into Krav is because parents want to see their children “toughen up.”
“There are kids that start off being shy, but over time they learn through physical contact to come out of their shell,” said Lopez.
Bottazzi believes that Krav will continue to grow as a martial art as his studio continues to garner interest from parents and children alike.
“Krav is becoming more popular because of how it really can apply to many situations,” said Bottazzi. “ Our studio is a safe, friendly environment where people of all ages can come learn skills that could potentially save their lives.”
Gabe Bottazzi is a Print Journalism Major at Quinnipiac University. He is covering Youth Sports for his beat. To reach him follow him on Twitter @Gabewade23 or email him at gabehoops@gmail.com.
Q Reporting 