LEVEL 2 OVERVIEW

Level 2: Building on the Fundamentals

Summary

After completing Level 1, students progress to Level 2. This intermediate level focuses on refining previously learned skills and adding more complex techniques. Students will develop additional punches, kicks, and defenses, including responses to bearhugs, headlocks, and choke variations. Regular practice, averaging twice a week, should enable students to complete the curriculum in six to nine months before testing for Level 3.

Overview

The Orange Belt, or Level 2, is the second stage of the Krav Maga curriculum. Here, students are introduced to new strikes like hook punches, uppercuts, side kicks, and back kicks. Training at this level continues to build on fundamental self-defense principles and teaches defenses against more aggressive attacks, such as bearhugs and choke defenses against walls.

Training an average of twice a week for six months will prepare students to advance to the next level. Emphasis is placed on practical application, ensuring that techniques are not only performed correctly but are also integrated into fluid combinations.

Curriculum Highlights

1. Combatives:
   The goal of Level 2 is to master individual strikes and develop combination attacks.

   • Students practice seamless transitions between punches, elbows, knees, and kicks.
   • Basic combinations focus on multiple angles and varying attack heights, making them practical in real-world situations.

   Pro Tip: Overlapping strikes—where one strike is en route while the other is retracting—maximize efficiency and create continuous offense.

2. Defenses and Self-Defense:

   • Leg vs. Hand Defenses for Kicks:
     Krav Maga emphasizes defending low kicks with your legs but introduces hand defenses when necessary.
   • Choke Defenses Against Walls:
     This technique teaches how to address being driven backward and pinned to a wall. Students learn to create space and respond with counterattacks.
   • Headlock Defense from Behind:
     Previously introduced at Level 1, this technique is critical because headlocks are dangerous and require immediate action.

   Bearhug Defenses:
   Bearhugs are addressed as a common attack scenario, focusing on:

   • “Space and Base” Reaction: Shifting your hips back, assuming a fighting stance, and lowering your center of gravity to maintain balance.
   • Counterattacking quickly to neutralize the attacker’s hold and gain control.
   • Preparing for potential scenarios such as being carried away or dumped to the ground.

3. Falls and Ground Fighting:

   • Falls: Learning how to fall safely and recover quickly is essential, whether you slip or are taken down.
   • Ground Fighting Expansion:
     Building on Level 1 groundwork, students learn to defend themselves when an attacker is on top. These explosive responses are intended to neutralize threats rather than engage in extended grappling.

Level 2 Mindset and Tactics

Mindset:

• Take Action Now:
  Building on the “Fight Back” principle from Level 1, students learn that quick, decisive action is essential. Acting immediately creates more options, while hesitation can lead to failure.
• Be Offensive with Every Action:
  Students shift to a more proactive and aggressive mindset, using offense to disrupt the opponent's rhythm and neutralize threats quickly. This mindset isn’t about initiating violence but understanding that offense is often the best defense in dangerous situations.

Tactics:

1. Moving on Angles of Attack:
   Students practice moving diagonally and in circles, rather than just forward and backward. This tactic:

   • Throws off the opponent’s aim.
   • Opens new angles for counterattacks.
   • Makes it harder for the attacker to predict or track movements.

2. Effective Targeting and Positioning:
   Rather than striking randomly, students are trained to target vulnerabilities.

   Understanding anatomy and leveraging weaknesses ensures that strikes are efficient and effective.

Why are These Mindsets and Tactics Important?

• Mindset:
  A proactive approach increases your chances of survival and prepares you for more advanced training. Immediate action and offensive thinking give you a critical edge in self-defense scenarios where hesitation can be dangerous.

• Tactics:
  The tactics learned in Level 2 build on foundational principles from Level 1. Moving on angles and targeting weak points enhances adaptability and effectiveness in high-pressure situations. These tactics also prepare students for the challenges of more advanced levels, where fights become more unpredictable and complex.

Progression to Level 3

Students will refine their Level 2 techniques over six to nine months before testing into Level 3. This phase is essential to solidifying their understanding of combatives, self-defense principles, and tactical positioning. Once complete, students will be ready to explore more advanced ground fighting, fall recovery, and complex threat scenarios in Level 3.