Last updated · By Tom Hill, Co-Owner and Chief Instructor
Kickboxing builds excellent striking, fitness and ring skills. Krav Maga is built for real-world self-defense. Here is how the two compare, so you can pick the one that fits your goals.
Both are legitimate. Both have strengths. The question is what you're training for.
A self-defense system. No rules, no competition. The goal is to stay safe and get home.
A combat sport with its own strengths. We respect it, but it serves different goals.
Kickboxing and Krav Maga share a lot of the same tools: punches, kicks, knees and footwork. The difference is the purpose. Kickboxing trains you to win a fair fight inside a set of rules. Krav Maga trains you for a situation that is not fair at all, where an attacker may be bigger, may grab you first, or may not be alone.
That is why Krav Maga classes go beyond striking. Students also learn to escape grabs and chokes, defend from the ground, deal with weapon threats, and stay aware of their surroundings so they can avoid trouble in the first place.
Kickboxing is a great choice if you want a sport, a hard workout or a path to competition. If your main goal is being able to protect yourself and your family, Krav Maga is built for exactly that. At Excelsior Self Defense & Fitness we teach Krav Maga for teens and adults, Kids Krav Maga for ages 12 to 14, and KravFit for adults who want a high-energy workout. We do not offer a kickboxing program.
If you want a sport with rules and rounds, kickboxing is worth a look. If you want striking that works alongside real self-defense skills, trained by people who teach it for that purpose, Krav Maga is the better fit. You can try it free for 7 days at our Bonaire studio.
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