Rating: 
Summary: Professional, yet easy-to-learn self defense
Review: Great book, great techniques! Some of the techniques clearly reveal the origin of the system, the israeli army, and are especially useful for professionals. Still the book offers something for everybody. Hope we don't have to wait long for Volume II with more easy-to-learn defenses.
Rating: 
Summary: Material seems poorly presented
Review: Having studied the 5 part Krav Maga video series,which was excellent, and then comparing that information presented with this book, I was disappointed. This book is supposed to be the only authorized written guide for a fighting system developed over a plus 30 year period. This fighting system is widely respected and adopted by many institutions, yet the book does not address in any significant detail, the basic building blocks upon which the rather advanced techniques which are shown must be based. The book addressed defense against knife, handgun, long gun, multiple bad guys, and hand grenade (I'm not joking). Yet basic stances, blocks, strikes, and training methods are barely discussed. As a manual or reference guide, this book is very poorly written. Purhaps I missed the point and the purpose of the book was not to instruct by rather to foster interest in people with regard to this self defense system by showing its capabilities.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book but not without practice
Review: Hey everyone, I've read some of the reviews here and I don't agree with the NEGATIVE ONES. This book is unique. I wholeheartedly reccomend it. Great stuff.
Rating:
Summary: a Self Defense method that WORKS
Review: I crossed the way of a drug addict one evening, on coming back home. It was not a place known as a dangerous one, and I wasn't looking for fighting... when he threatened me with his knife I was paralyzed with fear. I thought he would do no harm to me if he could take my money, my jacket, my nikes as he wanted. he stabbed me twice anyway, just for fun. Lucky me, it wasn't a serious wound. just 1/5 inch aside, it would have been. Obviously "the stand quiet so everything will be alright" doesn't work.Since then I've looked for Self Defense courses. the technics that traditional martial arts use are long elaborated moves not easy to apply in any situation, not easy to remind when under stress. Krav Maga is the opposite. Natural, reflexive and efficient technics to get ride of such troubles in few seconds. No need to be a victim anylonger just because we're weak or "beginners". No need to be shaped like Rambo to apply. This book shows how security is now for all, including untrained people who are normaly frightened in such a case. The writting is very clear, the described technics can be trained at home. Most of them are so natural and obvious that we just wonder how we didn't think of reacting that way before....
Rating:
Summary: Krav Maga: How to defend yourself against armed assault
Review: I have bought a copy of the Krav Maga book "how to defend yourself against armed assault". I trained in Krav Maga in the early 90's, but I have not been exposed to hands on instruction since then. I have found this book to be an invaluable aid in assisting me to train by myself. I find the book to be very clear, to the point. The text is well supported with photographs in a stepwise manner. The book offers an in depth insight into each applied situation. It differs from a number of self-defence books that provide a simple overview of techniques. I feel that this book mirrors the principles of the system of Krav Maga, in that it keeps to the pure facts and the directness and simplicity of the moves displaying accuracy. I give this book a five star rating because it is without doubt the best of its kind, that I have ever read. Kevin Todes Sydney Australia
Rating: 
Summary: UPGRADED REVIEW
Review: I have upgraded my review to 4 stars - I did not think I would create such controversy. I have to apologise if I seemed overly critical in the last review because I have over 15 years experience in specific anti-gun and anti-knife techniques so when I looked at Krav Maga I didn't think 'wow something that really works!' I thought 'mistake, bad foot work, wrong position elbow, what if attacker does this, telegraphed movement, approach from wrong side' etc.. However after thinking about it, compared to what other books are out there it is quite good. Certainly what I have learnt in my training I have NEVER seen in any book. For me KM was nothing new. It was a good read and interesting and gave me an insight into the psychology and social history behind its development. Maybe I should write a book ' seriously, maybe I will. Kjetil Moland you asked what techniques I advocate against guns, knives and sticks ' I recommend techniques similar to Krav Maga ' but when I saw the KM techniques I picked them apart, I forget that what I know is not widely practised. I made specific points in my other review. THERE ARE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE TECHNIQUES IN THE KRAV MAGA BOOK. If you can't pick up on them then you need more experience. Coat your practise knife in paint and see where you get cut. Karate, Taekwondo, Ju Jitsu, Judo, kickboxing, thaiboxing are inferior to KM for real world self defense (although Ju Jitsu should not have been too bad) they all have their own strengths but in all that I have seen of those you mentioned I have never seen adequate real world techniques taught. 4 of those you mentioned are purely sport and the other 2 are a combination of sport / traditions and none of them strictly taught without any pure real-world self defense practise are adequate for the real world ' you should know that. p24 Stab to the Stomach from the Side, Oriental Hold, Forearm defense. Anyone skilled with a knife will immediately twist with the knife and slash the veins along your forearm, retreating and driving the blade down into your throat. Even if the attacker has no knife skills and just lunges at your stomach, you would be lucky if the knife was short enough to not hit you regardless. Either way you have put yourself in the path of the blade. Do you honestly believe that after blocking with your right forearm you are able to then move your right arm and grab the same position on the attackers wrist with your left hand while he stands there not moving? He has a huge knife, any movement he makes with his arm is leveraged with the length of the blade. Slash your forearm, hook it up into your armpit or bicep, not to mention your throat, the knife wielding attacker has the advantage of reach speed and leverage (not to mention the sharp edge) and the KM guy is basically saying 'don't stab my gut, stab my throat instead'. You would be far better off initially trapping the arm by deflecting it to your right, leaving you on the outside of the attacker (on his right hand side past his arm) and able to break his arm at the elbow or drive him down. However after criticising that technique I will say this: what they show IS instinctive, simple, easy to apply even in for example a really crowded place with people all around, easy to learn, and most importantly could well save you especially if the person attacking you is just some ordinary guy with a knife trying to stab you, and not a trained killer (with a cool head, knife skills and a deliberate intent). More likely than not, if you practise these KM skills, then in that situation your trained reflexes will save you and give you the edge over the attacker (the last thing he would expect is a competant counter attack). Also I would point out that many martial arts, if you had learnt them instead of KM, you would have the reflexes to block the initial stab but you probably would not instinctively grab the knife etc... like KM would teach you. The traditional martial arts generally do not give adequate training for real world events. KM does fill the gap quite a bit. I am sorry if I seemed overly critical before but remember I didn't look at KM and think 'gee I never saw this before' If you do not think you can defend yourself against knives, guns, sticks (or grenades ' something I hope I never encounter) then you would probably learn a great deal from this book ' and then you must practise it a lot as realistically as you can. Get it, get a friend, practise practise practise ' experience is the real key. Practise until it is second nature and then practise some more but with chaotic unpredictable opponents (not just rehearsing) (like the reviewer who mentioned going all-out with pads). Tell your partner: "Take this knife and kill me or die." Dip the practice knife in paint. Use a water pistol with food dye in it. Make no excuses. And don't go thinking KM is the be all end all just because you've never seen techniques like these before. Everyone loves to think their martial art is the best and to pretend to themselves that because their technique is superior they will be OK ' don't fall in that trap, practise, learn what is useful and what works. Good luck and may you never have to use these skills. I also recommend 'Bouncers Guide to Barroom Brawling' - an accurate account of street fighting, however it does not have many illustration or specific techniques like Krav Maga does.
Rating:
Summary: A good book from a to z.
Review: I recently bought this book because I was hearing a lot about this self defense system. I've been practicing Wing Chun for about 4 years now and I think this is a good book that emphasizes on good close quarters defense. It is a very good good to buy if you practice ANY martial art style. The late Imi Sde-Or and Eyal Yanilov did a tremendous job writing about this system. I STRONGLY recomend this book.
Rating:
Summary: "SELF DEFENCE FOR EVERYONE."
Review: In this book you will find the tools to survive an armed attack in the real world.Krav Maga was built from the ground up for survival for the average person, be they Man, Women or child.It uses natural reflexes and simple techniques that anyone can perform under a very stresfull situation.There are many books on Martial Arts out there which may be good for the expert but this book is designed for the average person like you and me who wants to survive and go home to there family. Krav Maga is economical, simple, yet effective.
Rating:
Summary: a useful manual for everyone
Review: It always amazed me how violence can reach every place and every kind of people, though the "good" still say again and again how defensive skills are not for everyone... This book helps to change the balance. The author has found a way to share his knowledge with people of any physical skills. It's not a martial arts training book, but a useful surviving manual for everyone. Eyal Yanilov's book deserves to be widely spread.
Rating: 
Summary: Hapkido, Hapkido, Hapkido
Review: Krav Mag = watered down (with good intentions) Hapkido. If they would simply recgonize the roots of aiki-jutisu and hapkido...
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