I laughed hard when I overheard one of my students telling a friend who had asked what Krav Maga is “Well, basically we kick people in the jimmies”! If I had one sentence to describe Krav Maga I would probably say “it’s an Israeli self-defense system designed for real-world violence that is easy to learn, easy to remember, and effective.” If I got a blank look after this “We kick people in the jimmies” would probably be my next sentence! In Krav Maga, we do target the groin often. I can’t think of many arts or defense systems that have as many techniques that target the groin as Krav Maga. Most arts are sport-based and groin kicks are absolutely against the rules. Take Muay Thai for example. Groin kicks are forbidden in Muay Thai. They take such a wide stance in Muay Thai fighting because it enables the fighters to swing their shins out to block roundhouse kicks. That wide stance would get them kicked in the groin if such kicks were legal.
All sports make groin kicks illegal and it is apparent why. Have you ever seen an MMA match where someone takes a groin shot? The fighter usually drops right to the ground and they have to stop the fight! During the replay the whole audience groans! They give the fighter who was kicked five minutes for the pain to wear off before they restart the fight. This sounds like a great thing to do in a self-defense situation!
Groin kicks are an awesome target in self-defense situations! No matter how big the muscle head is he can’t build up his groin. This is just a fact of life! I get asked a lot if groin kicks are just as effective if the attacker is female. This question only comes from males as females know what getting smacked in the pubic bone can do. There can be some major soft tissue damage but the main damage to a female with a groin kick is the pubic bone, which is actually cartilage. The pelvic bones actually meet in a joint, attached by this cartilage. A solid groin kick can damage or even separate that joint, making walking extremely painful, if not impossible.
I was once told by a high school kid that if he kicked to the groin in a fight at school he would be branded a dirty fighter. I was taken aback. I told him that Krav Maga wasn’t invented for schoolyard fights but for the Israeli defense forces to save lives in real-world violent attacks. If my safety is on the line I’ll be as dirty as I can possibly be…I’m punting! Be safe.
