Krav Maga

One of the things I always preach about fitness is variety. Anything you do too long, at the same intensity and duration, will get stale. With that precept in mind, I have been taking classes in self-defense this summer that I found very interesting.
I consider it no-frills self-defense: a variety of punches, some kicks, blocks, and a bunch of body weight exercises mixed in for "fun." It's actually basic Krav Maga, the martial art system invented by the Israeli Defense Forces in the late 1940's, that blends styles from many other martial-arts disciplines. At its essense, it's about responding quickly to an attack, using whatever method creates the best opportunity for you to repel it.
Drills we do include lying on the floor, holding off some one, getting up and attacking; Fighting off two attackers at once; evading someone rushing at you; etc. You can practice with a friend with just a pad and a pair of boxing gloves. Think of any attack scenario and ways to thwart it:
fingers to the throat, fingers to the eye, kick to the knee, anything! Practice the moves you feel most comfortable with, and hopefully, if you ever need it, you would have the confidence to
defend yourself.
One thing they say in class: fight as if a family member, not you, was being attacked. Think about it: you'd protect a family member with anything and everything you have: that's the essence of Krav Maga!