In addition, he was as a trapeze acrobat and a well-known dancer. The knowledge he thus obtained, contributed to the development of the Israeli martial art of self-defense. There is no hidden meaning behind the name Krav Maga, and literally means "contact fight / battle". 

The Krav Maga was put into practice originally by the fighters of the liberation organizations that often went to battle armed with knives or sticks and with the knowledge of Krav Maga, and they were very successful. After the establishment of the State of Israel, Krav Maga was adopted as the official martial art taught in the defense forces, and especially in the elite police and army units. 

Krav Maga was integrated into army training by Imi Lichenfield, a career IDF officer and chief instructor at the army's physical training facility at the Wingate Institute. Imi is
still actively involved in the Krav Maga Association, and maintains the role of president. 

Over the years, the Krav Maga has turned into an integrated part of training in many disciplines such as educational institutes. Krav Maga is taught in many public schools in Israel.

Krav Maga has no katas or specific sequences that must be followed. Students use the basic moves in conjunction with any one of a number of other moves to fend off an attack, the key idea being adaptability to new situations through improvisation. Emphasis is put on speed, endurance, strength, accuracy and coordination, especially for intensive Krav Maga training.