Despite having slammed one student into the wood floor and demonstrated multiple knees and punches on others, Etay Furman says that he thinks of violence as being a last resort.
Furman gave a demonstration Monday night at Irving Gym of Krav Maga, an Israeli system of self-defense.
"I learned Krav Maga during my basic training in the IDF (Israeli Defense Force)," Furman, a former IDF soldier, said. "Basically every single soldier in Israel needs to start with the basics of Krav Maga. During my basic training, I studied mostly melee-attacks with the M16, not to shoot it, but [to strike with it]. Today, however, I am teaching self-defense."
Furman was exposed to Kung Fu before he was professionally trained in Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that involves dance-like moves, he said.
"I then joined the army, and I took up practicing Krav Maga again after I stopped," Furman said. "What's so fascinating about Krav Maga is that it allows you to defend and attack at the same time. "
Alex Amira, a student of the Krav Maga Worldwide Center in Indianapolis, helped Furman demonstrate some of the techniques and methods he taught Monday night. The defense system prepares those who learn it to defend themselves in various situations, Amira said.
"In class we do a lot of cardio work that wears you down to simulate what would happen if you're out late at night and something goes down," he said. "I like the fact that it teaches you that no matter what state you're in, it can still be applied. We have drills where people have their eyes closed, we have loud music playing to simulate a club scene, any place where you may need it."
Graham Watson and Carrie Arnold both attended the class Monday and also participate in classes held by the Ball State Martial Arts Club. Each found something different that made them interested in the martial art.
"[Krav Maga] is amazingly practical," Watson, a Ball State alumnus and web development specialist for the Center for Business and Economic Research, said. "It seems to be the most efficient martial arts form for actually learning how to defend yourself in a variety of situations that you may find yourself in."
Arnold, a graduate student, said, "The military aspect interests me. Self-defense without necessarily having a weapon is cool."
Other martial arts have rules that don't allow certain moves, whereas the Israeli form of self-defense doesn't have any of those, Furman said.
"Every other martial art has rules and boundaries," he said. "You're not supposed to hit under the belt, you're not supposed to touch the eyes. In Krav Maga, there are no limits."
Furman demonstrates a basic punch in karate using a normal fist. The basic punch in Krav Maga, though, uses an open palm strike to the nose.
"[In the army], you're wanting to break [the opponent's] nose, you want to make sure oxygen is not going to his brain. Only in this martial art is the basic punch deadly. In the army, you are taught all the basic things to make sure you take someone down for good."
Examples of Krav Maga:
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