Central Ohio's Self Defense Headquarters
Affiliated with the United States Krav Maga Association,
with 56 training centers across the country.
Get Started Today! 45 minute Intro to Krav Maga
Come experience why Krav Maga is the #1 rated self defense system in the world. Start with our 45-minute Intro Class for only $20. Includes a t-shirt, and another hour of training with our regular member's class right after.
Wednesday evenings at 6pm,
by appointment.
Self Defense for Kids
Where children can build strength, grow self-esteem, enhance discipline, and learn the value of self-defense. Ages 6 to 11.
Sign up for a Kid's Intro Class and see if we're a good fit for you and your child. Only $10, includes a 45 minute Intro and another hour of training with the regular Kid's Krav class right after.
Our Training
If you’ve never taken a martial arts lesson in your life, no problem! We cover everything you need to know from the ground up. And if you’ve trained in a traditional martial art for years or even decades, we won’t try to get you to abandon your roots. Instead, we’ll show you how your current skills fit into this system and how you can modify them for maximum effectiveness on the street. Simply put, there’s no better self-defense system or program in existence.
Our techniques are kept to a minimum so you can master them in a matter of months rather than years. The defenses are designed to rely on gross motor movements, which means they’ll work under pressure in a real fight. Most importantly, the entire program was created as a lawful self-defense system, one that teaches legally defensible responses to attacks.
Jack Gabalski - Krav Maga Instructor
USKMA Black Belt
https://uskma.com/uskma-black-belts/
Jack started his martial arts journey at the OSU Shotokan Karate Club where he earned his brown belt in the late '80's. Eager for training that was less traditional and more practical, he began working out at the International Martial Arts Academy of Columbus learning elements of boxing, grappling, and stick and knife fighting. After hearing a friend's recommendation about the attributes of Krav Maga, Jack joined a gym in Gahanna and hasn't looked back. He has been instructing for several years at local Krav gyms, at The Ohio State University, and local community groups with his passion for helping people learn to stay safe. Jack is Co-Owner of Buckeye Self Defense.
Joseph Winter - Krav Maga Instructor
USKMA 2nd Degree Black Belt
https://uskma.com/uskma-black-belts/
Joe has been practicing Krav Maga for over 10 years. He got his start at the largest Krav Maga Gym in central Ohio at the time in late 2011, and began instructing in 2016.
Joe earned his Black Belt with the United States Krav Maga Association in 2017, and earned his 2nd Degree in 2018. Joe has a passion for child safety and teaching children principles of discipline to keep Krav Maga as a defense option for kids. Joe currently serves as Lead Instructor at the gym, and Director of our Kids Krav Maga Program. Joe has acquired knowledge through several different systems over his years in martial arts as a practitioner and instructor, including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Martial Blade Concepts, Boxing, and Muay Thai.
Our Mission
Above all, our mission is to help our members become safer and healthier. We strive to be a positive influence in our members’ lives and in our community. We take this mission very seriously and we aim to fulfill it daily.
Our Facility
Our modern gym is conveniently located between Gahanna and New Albany, at 929 East Johnstown Road. We have over 2,000 sq ft of padded floor space for a wide open and safe training area. We are in the process of adding a strength training facility to add to our mission of health and safety.
History of Krav Maga
Krav Maga is a self-defense system originally developed for the Israeli military. It consists of a wide combination of techniques sourced from Boxing, Combat Sambo, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, Judo and Jujitsu. Krav Maga’s speciality is its focus on real-world situations and its simple, efficient, yet brutal counter attacks. Krav Maga is literally translated from Hebrew as “contact combat”.
Krav Maga was founded by Imi Lichtenfield in the 1930s who had a need to defend Jewish quarters against fascist groups in Czechoslovakia. Imi was a proficient boxer and wrestler. Following his immigration to Israel in the 1940s, he began teaching this form of self-defense to the Israeli Defense Force which then became known as Krav Maga. It has also been further developed for civilian and police applications and become a popular global self-defense system. Today, Krav Maga continues to be taught to the Israeli Defense Force, along with police and military forces around the world.
Krav Maga encourages students to avoid confrontation. If confrontation is inevitable, then the objective is to finish the fight as quickly as possible. This is achieved by use of strikes to vulnerable parts of the body and utilizing the surrounding environment to one’s advantage. Students learn to defend against a variety of attacks including weapons and multiple attack situations and are taught to counter in the quickest and most efficient way possible.
Krav Maga has a philosophy emphasizing threat neutralization, simultaneous defensive and offensive maneuvers, and aggression.
Proud Member of the U.S. Krav Maga Association
