Aikido vs. Krav Maga
Quick answer
Aikido and Krav Maga have no common root, but Krav Maga lists aikido among its sources for throws, escapes from holds and defense against weapons. Aikido is a Japanese art of joint locks, throws and falls practiced mainly as paired kata with a cooperating partner, Krav Maga an Israeli self-defense system with punches, kicks and stress scenarios. Krav Maga has no sport competition, aikido has it only in some schools, and neither is Olympic.
At a glance
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan | Israel |
| Origin | 20th century (present form) | 20th century (present form) |
| Founder | Morihei Ueshiba | Imi Lichtenfeld |
| Contact | Light contact | Light contact · Full contact (depending on style) |
| Sparring | Partner drills only · Light contact (depending on style) | Light contact · Full contact (depending on style) |
| Competition format | Mixed | No competitions |
| Olympic status | Not Olympic | Not Olympic |
| Ranks | Yes (belts) | Yes (belts) |
| Rank recognition | fragmented | fragmented |
| Attire | Gi required | No specific attire |
| Weapons | Weapons optional | Weapons optional |
| Forms | Forms optional | No forms |
| Relative cost | low | medium |
| Techniques in the encyclopedia | 14 | – |
Scales 1–5
Rated for the typical training of an adult beginner in an ordinary club, calibrated across all arts.
What each art is built from
Editorial rating 0–3: how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
History and relationship
Aikido and Krav Maga have no common root. Aikido comes mainly from Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu, Krav Maga from European boxing, wrestling and street fighting. Among the sources of Krav Maga, aikido is cited for throws, escapes from holds and defense against weapons.
- 1915: Morihei Ueshiba began studying Daito-ryu under Sokaku Takeda.
- 1942: the art received the name aikido.
- 1948: Imi Lichtenfeld became chief instructor of Krav Maga in the Israeli army.
- 1968: Eli Avikzar, Lichtenfeld’s first black belt, began practicing aikido.
Technique
- The principles irimi, tenkan, atemi, kokyu-ho and sankaku-ho.
- Joint locks and throws: ikkyo to gokyo, shiho nage, kote gaeshi.
- Techniques standing and seated.
- Atemi as a strike to vulnerable points or preparation for a throw.
- Fists, hammer fist, elbows, knees and kicks.
- Targets such as the eyes, throat and groin.
- Joint locks, throws, chokes and ground fighting.
- Defense against a knife, a stick and a firearm.
In aikido strikes prepare a joint lock or a throw, and a large part of the structure comes from kenjutsu. Krav Maga builds on punches and kicks and attacks until the opponent is unable to fight.
Training
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Pillars of teaching | paired kata (uke attacks, tori responds), junbi taiso warm-up, falls | techniques, stress drills, scenario training, sparring |
| Partner resistance | the starting point is cooperation, Shodokan tanto randori with resistance | in some organizations up to grade G2 slow and light sparring |
| Weapons | bokken, jo, tanto, Iwama aiki-ken and aiki-jo | defense against a knife, a stick and a firearm |
| Frequency | the Hombu dojo trains 7 days a week | IKMF Netherlands: 9–18 months twice a week to the first examination |
Aikido stresses relaxation, mobility and flexibility rather than strength, Krav Maga calm under stress. We have not been able to document the ratio of technique and sparring in a lesson.
Progression and ranks
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | kyu (white belt) and dan (black belt) | IKMF patches P, G, E and Master, elsewhere belts as in judo |
| Who awards | Aikikai: a certificate signed by the doshu | the club’s organization, with IKMF some examinations centrally |
| Minimum times | we have not been able to document them | IKMF Netherlands: at least 45 lessons to P1 |
In both arts the standards differ by organization. In aikido randori against several attackers is required for higher grades.
Physical load and risks
- Zetaruk et al. (BJSM 2005, 47 aikidoka of 263 participants): injury with lost training time within a year in 51% of aikidoka, in karate 30%.
- Compared with karate a higher risk of injuries to the head and neck, upper limbs and soft tissues.
- Typically soft tissues, joints and fingers, often when tori misjudges how uke will cope with the throw.
- 946 injuries of IDF soldiers from training (Military Medicine 2017): mostly mild, most often fingers, hands and wrists (31%) and shoulder (16%).
- Questionnaire of 109 practitioners (Cureus 2024): most often lower limbs and ligament sprains, the data partly contradict each other.
Who it suits
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | Hombu dojo: women’s class | IKMF Netherlands: the Stay Away course |
| Older age | Ki Society teaches all age groups | we have not been able to document a program for seniors |
| Professional groups | Yoshinkan Senshusei with the Tokyo police | police and army alongside civilians |
| Competitive ambition | Shodokan, Ki Society taigi | there is no sport competition |
Children
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Age of programs | the Hombu dojo has a children’s class, we have not been able to document the age | IKMF Netherlands: from 5 years, juniors 12–15 |
| Children’s training | we have not been able to document it | the youngest play games without examinations, then partial examinations |
| Children’s competition | we have not been able to document it | there is none |
| Studies and medical positions | we have not been able to document a study of children or a position | we have not been able to document it |
Self-defence
- Joint locks, throws and falls against a partner’s attack.
- Randori against several attackers at higher grades.
- Critics point out that weak attacks by uke lead to conditioned reactions.
- Punches, kicks, joint locks, the ground, weapons and de-escalation.
- Scenarios with several attackers.
- Partner resistance limited up to G2 in some organizations.
Aikido works with a joint lock and a throw after the partner’s attack, and resistance is added mainly by Shodokan. Krav Maga practices strikes and scenarios under stress. We have not been able to document a study of effectiveness against a real attack for either of them.
Practical use
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Studies | review of 20 articles (Archives of Budo 2017): flexibility, balance, mindfulness, weak methodology | 16 female university students (PeerJ 2020): 15 minutes of instruction improved both the punch and the kick |
| Balance and fitness | 30 beginners, 8 weeks (Saruhan and Bavli 2023): improved static balance | a lesson from a DVD in 16 people (ACE): 78% of maximum heart rate |
| Professional use | Yoshinkan Senshusei with the Tokyo police since 1957 | the Israeli army and police |
The studies concern small groups and short programs. No general conclusion about suitability can be drawn from them.
Competition
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Sport competition | only some schools, Aikikai does not compete | there is none |
| Shodokan | tanto randori, toshu randori, embu, ippon 4 points, world championship every 2 years | not applicable |
| Ki Society | taigi | not applicable |
| Other forms | not applicable | IDF annual competition since 2013, rules not documented |
Some aikidoka regard the competitions of the Shodokan school as contrary to the spirit of aikido.
Gear and costs
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | white keikogi, in many schools hakama from dan | IKMF: gray T-shirt and black trousers with a patch |
| Equipment | bokken, jo, tanto | gloves, mouthguard, shin guards |
| Relative costs | low | medium |
Availability and organisations
| Aikido | Krav Maga | |
|---|---|---|
| Organizations | Aikikai (Hombu dojo), IAF, Yoshinkan, Shodokan, Ki Society | IKMF, KMG, Krav Maga Worldwide, IKMA |
| Recognition of grades | within the Aikikai valid worldwide, between schools not | we have not been able to document it |
Aikido has in the Aikikai one center in Tokyo. The Krav Maga organizations arose from succession disputes after Lichtenfeld’s death in 1998.
Switching and combining
- Throws and escapes from holds, which Krav Maga also links to aikido.
- Add punches, elbows, knees and kicks to pads.
- Get used to stress drills.
- Escapes from holds and defense against a knife.
- Learn ukemi and the role of uke.
- Treat atemi as preparation for a throw.
On the left is the transition from aikido to Krav Maga, on the right from Krav Maga to aikido.
Philosophy
- Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi: the aim is to overcome oneself, not to cultivate violence.
- Takemusu aiki from the late period in Iwama.
- Ki Society: One Point, Relax Completely, Keep Weight Underside, Extend Ki.
- The IKMF motto: So that one may walk in peace.
- Avoid violence, attack only as a last resort.
- According to an article in J. and Jewish Ideas Daily without Zen elements, with the aim of ending the fight quickly.
Joseph Isaac Lifshitz wrote in J. and Jewish Ideas Daily that he left Krav Maga for aikido because, in his view, it lacked values. This is the author’s personal opinion.
Forms and terminology
Aikido is taught mainly through the paired kata, and Shodokan has the Junanahon set of 17 techniques. Krav Maga has no stylized forms, and techniques and scenarios are examined according to grade.
Training culture
- The Hombu dojo in Tokyo, headed by the doshu from the Ueshiba family.
- The uchi-deshi program, living in the dojo.
- Above the Law (1988) with Steven Seagal, the first American film with aikido in its fight scenes.
- With IKMF a patch on the trousers, elsewhere belts as in judo.
- A military and police branch alongside the civilian one.
- We have not been able to document the greeting and the address of the instructor.
Common misconceptions
- Aikido does not compete anywhere: Shodokan has held competitions since 1967.
- Krav Maga does not have a single organization, the IKMF, KMG and IKMA have their own grades.
- We have not been able to document a link between Krav Maga and the Mossad.
- Steven Seagal’s claims of study under Ueshiba are disputed, Ueshiba died in 1969.
Which to choose
Frequently asked questions
Did Krav Maga take anything from aikido?
Throws, escapes from holds and defense against weapons are in Krav Maga linked, among others, with aikido. Eli Avikzar, Lichtenfeld’s first black belt, practiced aikido from 1968.
Is there sparring in both arts?
In aikido the paired kata predominates, and resistance is added by Shodokan in tanto randori. In Krav Maga, in some organizations sparring up to grade G2 is slow and light.
Do both arts have competitions?
Krav Maga does not. In aikido Shodokan and Ki Society compete, and Aikikai does not.