Best money I've ever spent for personal fitness. Self defense techniques are very practical too. Next to competitive swimming, this is the hardest workout I've ever encountered. I was introduced to Krav by my GF when there was a groupon this past winter. When you go through the aerobic warmup and fight sequences, you really realize how out of shape you really are. 4 months later, I am nearing the best shape of my life, similar to the competitive swimming days. There are a lot of other fad fighting competitor gyms out there, but this one is unique. All the teachers, notably Ivo, are stellar. read more

I have been coming here 2 years now. Great trainers, great people, great facility. Some classes are more of a workout, and some classes are more about technique (it all depends on which instructor is teaching that day). They have a lot of knowledge, and you can share a dialogue about different moves and questions you have. I feel safer walking around the streets of Chicago knowing that I can defend myself. Plus, the owner Jeff usually has some good stories if you show up to class early. read more

Let me begin by saying that while I love how you feel and look when you work out consistently, I just can't muster up the motivation to make myself do it! I dislike running, and I push myself harder when working out with a group. Clark and I wanted to take some type of a workout class together...him acting as my new motivation to get in shape. When it came down to decision time, we were between yoga and Krav. We decided to check out Krav since both of us knew what yoga was, and the rest is history. I NEVER feel obligated to come to class - I always want to go! (This is NOT normal for me!!!) We began attending Krav Academy around mid-March and have thoroughly enjoyed it every step of the way. Not only am I getting a great work out in, but I am learning how to get out of a dangerous situation quickly and safely. My funds are limited, but I can certainly justify this work out as it is not merely to "get in shape." The Academy is hosted by FFC Old Town, which is a fine enough facility itself. What I really appreciate is that the Academy is SEPARATE from FFC, so I do not pay for an additional membership at the gym (great news for people on budgets!!). There is a $100 equipment fee when you first sign up and the unlimited monthly package is $130. I believe there is an option for a 2 classes per week membership, but I certainly recommend going w the monthly. As for the instructors: all are seriously great. Ivo and Erin in particular do an exceptional job at demonstrating, explaining, and teaching different moves and defenses. It is obvious that Ivo has been doing this for a very long time and is very passionate about it. While many can be considered a "professional" in something, not all can teach. Ivo makes things so easy to learn and keeps it fun! He pushes you, teaches you, and jokes with you. I've quite literally never met a teacher or coach that has been able to teach me something new as Ivo has taught me Krav Maga. As a previous reviewer wrote: the instructors here are incredibly helpful. They want to teach you and take on a genuine interest in your improvement. I typically need a lot of help going through drills and getting better at them, but I have not felt like I've been a burden to anyone teaching there. People in class are always friendly and it is easy to join and feel welcomed. It helps a lot that the other students in the class that have been there for a few months also help instruct you and help you improve. I seriously cannot write enough good things about Krav Academy. I have a ton of fun, I'm learning how to keep myself safe, and am getting in better shape than I have been in the last 7 years! Everyone involved is seriously great and I really look forward to continuing my involvement in Krav Maga here! read more

This program is not for the faint of heart. During my first class, I threw up, and had to quit halfway through. I mustered up the courage to come back again the next day, though, and the rest is history. Practicing Krav is usually the highlight of my day, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Couple key points: 1) The instructors are amazing. They will push you beyond your breaking point, but will always be there to support you. Everyone is extremely qualified, and offers plenty of feedback to help you develop and refine the various techniques being taught. 2) Everyone is super friendly. Even as a beginner, I felt very accepted into the group, which is constantly growing. During drills, students push and motivate each other. 3) If you are not used to intense physical activity, the first few classes will be challenging, but just push through. Eat a solid pre-workout snack before class, take hot showers after, and load up on protein and liquids to help your muscles recover. Trust me when I say that it will get easier and easier the more you do it. You'll notice how much progress you made when you see 1st timers on the verge of passing out while you have barely broken a sweat. No matter how out of shape you are when you start, you will get there. 4) Everyone is very safety conscious, but you will (very likely) get hit, and you will have bruises. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. As the popular saying goes, it ain't about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit. It's unrealistic to assume that you'll get out of a street fight without so much as a scratch. You might get a black eye, you might get hit with a baseball bat, but you will survive and get home safe. This class physically and mentally prepares you for the scary world that you read about in the papers. In short, if you are willing to work hard, to push through the pain and exhaustion, and to make a commitment to a disciplined life, you will love this program. If not, well, better hope you are with someone who does the next time you are standing at gunpoint. read more

I have been actively training in Krav Maga for about six months, which is not a long time if your new to the concept. It is a self defense system used by the Isreali military. I choose Krav Maga because of it's promise of self defense and fitness. I chose this school because it was close to my home, but feel like I get really lucky. I'm in better shape than I have been in at least 10 years (I'm mid-30's) and I'm not sensing an iota of burn-out. The Instructors I've worked with, Jeff, Erin, and Ivo, are very amiable and knowledgeable. I feel they work together well to give the student the necessary tools for confidence and success. -Jeff (the owner) is very passionate and the usefulness and reality of the world around you, and how to prepare. He's also a testament to the fitness arm of Krav Maga, considering he's in his late-fifties and can beat me in a push-up contest. -Ivo produces a lot of motivation for me as practitioner because of his speed and accuracy, and his workouts can only be described as gruelingly creative. He clearly loves what he does, and he does it really well. -Erin is inspiring to the women who make up a lot of the class and who may be a little intimidated by the potential violence of a self defense class, but when the guys realize she hits harder then them, she gets their attention pretty quickly too. I highly recommend Krav Academy. They have a free class policy where you can come and try it out. If you don''t like it; you may get a chance to hit me for wasting your time. read more

Have yet to make it to an actual class but I must say this has been the best experience of try and fail I have ever encountered! I have had multiple phone calls with Jeff about my missing introductory classes and he couldn't be a nicer guy! If you ever have any interest in this class, just register! No hassle and less pain than others I have experienced! Hope to make it soon! read more

I started going to Krav Academy after one of my wife's friends was accosted by a homeless person. Fortunately that friend knew some self-defense and scared the attacker away. That story was enough to decide my wife and I needed to take a self-defense class together. Krav Academy offered a free class so we decided to take part. We were SO SORE the next day! They said each session burns 800-1000 calories. We signed up the next day. KA has enough different classes to keep things interesting: my wife loves the Women's Empowerment Movement (WEM) class, we both like the Krav classes, and have enjoyed Boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the past as well. They now offer Muay Thai, which looks really interesting too! I've lost a considerable amount of weight in the six months we've been attending, and my wife has gained a ton of confidence. Her friends have even pointed out that she stands up a little straighter. She feels much less scared riding the CTA by herself at night, which is totally worth the monthly fee. Here's a quick summary: Pros * Really great instructors who push you to get better/faster/stronger * Learning techniques that would combat assailants in many different situations (getting attacked at a bar, getting in a car, at a urinal, on the train, etc) * The confidence that no matter your size, you can fend off an attacker and get home to safety * Fitness that is also fun * Camaraderie with other students (we've made many friends in the class) * The location is very convenient (less than a block from Clark/Division Red Line stop) Cons * The monthly fee is $129/person * Every class I've attended I've reached my limit to what I thought I could do, and had to push through to finish (the classes aren't easy!) read more

Did a couple months, stopped for a while when it turned out a fellow student had a staph infection (ew) and ended up never going back. Overall it was... good? Kind of expensive, and the "anything goes, no rules" techniques feel kind of silly when you're doing them half speed on someone who's not fighting back. We all know getting hit in the eyes or balls hurts, but there's a world of difference between pretending to slap a compliant partner's schmeckle and actually trying to disable an attacker whose attempting to knock your head off. Good cardio workout though. read more

While I have trained at a variety of different martial arts/self defense schools over the years, this has been by far the BEST. Erin, Ivo and Tony are all high quality instructors. These instructors all push you to your physical limits to ensure that you get a great workout and learn the proper application of techniques. If you want to get in great shape while learning a good, simple self defense system, look no further than Krav Maga Academy. read more

You will not regret training at Alpha Krav Academy. They will treat you so well, train you to be an excellent fighter that can realistically defend yourself and others from nightmarish situations. They also will get you in rockin' shape. The workouts are killer. Jeff runs and owns the school and you could not ask for a better teacher/leader. He cares so much that good people know how to defend themselves against the bad guys. That's what he truly cares about more than anything, to give us the power to fight for our lives. Every time you leave a class, you'll feel so strong and confident. And if you feel intimidated, know that the instructors will walk you through moves and techniques to help you advance at your own pace. And if it's any consolation, you'll be learning the fighting system that was originally developed to specifically fight Nazis! Which is awesome! Sign up for Alpha Krav Academy! read more

Hands down, a great experience. I've been attending since early December and have enjoyed every class I have attended. At $140~ a month, it is a great investment. It will help general fitness, you'll learn a new skill, and you'll have fun doing it. I highly recommend trying the free first class. It isn't easy, but it is worth it. -Location -People -Trainers -Class types -Gear/what to bring -What to expect when you show up -Advancement The location: Krav Academy is located in an easy-to-find area. The FFC gym that host it is a great facility and they have a lot of stuff available (eg. rock wall, weights, treadmills, locker rooms, etc). I live a couple blocks away and it's an easy walk, even through Chiberia and Snowmageddon. The people: First off, the staff of FFC are really friendly and courteous. Then you'll meet the people enrolled in Krav Academy and you'll be warmly welcomed to the class. For me, one of the things that caught my attention very quickly was the encouragement of the people I was training with. The first three classes I went to someone commented on "You did well today" or "You did XYZ well." Everyone is in it together, so in the few months I've been going the friendliness of everyone there has been great. The trainers (that I'm most familiar with): Ivo is the main instructor. He is there for most of the classes, and he does a great job teaching and explaining what is going on. He also has a couple warm-up exercises that will leave you saying "Oh S***" and "Oh F***" (those are actually what he calls those warm-ups). Geoff teaches a couple nights a week usually. He's great at explaining what he want you to learn and will work with you to help you get it down. Juan also teaches a couple nights a week. He'll teach you how to shrimp; which is as fun as it sounds. Again, like Ivo and Geoff, he is great at working with you, making sure you understand the move he is teaching. Jeff is the guy who will answer a lot of emails and runs the business side of Krav Academy. Jeff will give a speech about the dangers of the city and importance of Krav and how it can be a tool that will save your life. Then, he comes out and tries to kill you with his Krav F.I.T. class. In all seriousness, he does a great job encouraging people to keep coming back, and is a great instructor often walking around and helping point out what you can change to get better. (In my case, hip rotation is the big one) Classes: There are a few types of classes offered. 1) Boxing, which I have only done once so far, is an intense hour of being taught how to move or attack with boxing motions. 2) The Krav classes. Krav is an Israeli military self-defense system. It teaching how to stop, counter, and defend against attacks. 3) Krav F.I.T (I think it stands for 'fitness intensity training' but don't quote me). It's a fast paced hour of training using basic Krav Maga moves. 4) Trionis MMA (again, I've only done a couple of these classes) incorporates Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, and Krav Maga. It's intense, but a lot of fun. Gear/What you need: If you're a first timer, gym shorts and a t-shirt are fine. Though, if you have a athletic cup (guys) you may want to bring it. Nothing says "welcome to class" like a swift kick in the nuts. Other than that, you'll be given a couple shirts when you sign up and some hand wraps. If you want to attend the boxing or mma classes, you'll need gloves and pads, both of which you can buy through Krav Academy. What to expect: So what does an average night look like? Plan on showing up a few minutes before class starts. They do a good job at starting on time, so you want to give yourself a few minutes to change shoes, wrap up, and do a little stretching beforehand. Then you'll line up, the instructor welcomes everyone, you'll bow and class will start. First you'll do a 10-15 minute warm up. (If you are going to throw up, it's often during this time. If you do, don't lose heart! Take a break, walk it off, then jump back in). Often the warm-up involves jogging around the room, then a variety of burpees, push-ups, crunches, shoulder tag, planks, or whatever exercise the instructor feels like that night. Once you've done some warm ups, often times they will do a couple minutes of stretching. Once stretching is over you'll begin practicing moves, anything from punches and kicks, to fighting on your back. Other times it will be how to get out of a choke to how to disarm someone with a weapon. Usually, they break it down into several steps, then put them all together as the class goes on. Then class usually ends by doing whatever moves you've learned that night all together. Advancement: They do testing every few months and have some mid-terms at other times to see what students need to work on to advance to the next level. I haven't attended one yet, but I believe they last a few hours and cover everything in your current or previous levels of training. read more

Ivo is one of the best at what he does. My brother and I trained with Ivo for about 2 years and he has been one of the best instructors in Krav Maga. He takes time to make sure you have the correct form and always gives feedback. read more