The UK's No 1 Krav Maga School

The Upminster Academy is the longest established (IKMF) affiliated Krav Maga school in the UK. Opened in October 1997. Many instructors, including Expert levels, have trained here under the head instructor Jon Hegan. No other club has the same level of experience in reality based combat or the broad range of martial arts qualifications amongst its instructors.

Krav Maga (a Hebrew phrase meaning 'contact combat') is today's cutting-edge self-defence and hand-to-hand combat system. It has gained international recognition from experts in martial arts and combat instructors as an innovative, effective and highly practical self-defence and fighting method. Initially developed by Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld) for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and other national security forces, Krav Maga has been thoroughly adapted to meet civilian needs.

Krav Maga is not a sport, it has been constantly tested and improved under real-life conditions, proving itself a highly effective and realistic method of personal survival suitable for men and women, regardless of age or physical strength.

The techniques are simple, quickly learned, practical for use in real fight situations and do not rely on size or strength. As the movements are based on natural body reactions, a good level of proficiency can be achieved after only a short period of instruction.

Krav Maga covers virtually all attack situations including ground fighting, multiple attackers, edged weapons, sticks, chains and firearms. The system is in demand throughout the world from various military, law enforcement and security agencies.

'So that one may walk in peace...'
— Grandmaster Imi Sde-Or