Krav Maga was invented by Hungarian born Jew, Imi Sde-Or, as a response to anti-Semitic riots that raged in Budapest in the late 1930's. A champion wrestler, boxer, and gymnast, Sde-Or (originally Lichtenfeld) gathered a group of Jewish boxers and took to the streets of Budapest where they defended the Jewish community.

During that time Sde-Or honed his skills as a fighter, developing practical methods and new techniques of fighting. Krav Maga (lit. contact combat) specializes in the neutralization and simultaneous counter of attacks, as well as the ability to quickly and efficiently defend oneself in any situation.

In 1942, Sde-Or immigrated to Mandatory Palestine and joined the Haganah, where he trained soldiers in the arts of Krav Maga and physical fitness. When the state was established in 1948, he was appointed Chief Instructor for Physical Fitness and Krav Maga at the IDF School of Combat Fitness. He served in the IDF for sixteen years, during which he fine-tuned Krav Maga and established it as the leading self-defense technique of the military.

After retiring from the military Imi continued teaching Krav Maga to civilians and law enforcement units, and in 1978, established the Israeli Krav Maga Association. Imi passed away on January 9, 1998, at the age of 87.

Krav Maga has been proven to be a very effective form of self-defense, so much so that every combat soldier in the IDF undergoes a course in it. It has become a staple part of Israeli culture and has spread internationally as well.