Krav Maga is the official system of defensive tactics, hand-to-hand combat and self-defense employed by the Israeli defense and security forces, the Israeli national and military police, and its special operations and anti-terrorist units.
The self-defense makes the foundation of Krav Maga. It contains techniques that enable the practitioner to effectively defend himself against both armed and unarmed attackers. The techniques are practiced in unknowned situations, like in the dark, on the ground, outdoors and in situations which limits the trainees movement. Hand to Hand combat is an advanced level of Krav Maga. Here the student learns how to defeat an opponent quickly and effectively. This involves different elements of a fight : tactics, techniques, combinations, psychology and mentality of a fighter. The techniques are easy, natural and practical and involve simple bodymotions. There are no rules or limitations. Therefore there are no Krav Maga tournaments.
The Krav Maga was developed in Israel in the early forties when the underground liberation organizations were fighting for the independence of the State of Israel. The inventor and developer of the Krav Maga, Imi Lichenfield, was a champion heavy weight boxer, a judo champion, and an expert in jujitsu. 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, who was career IDF officer and chief instructor at the armies physical training facility at the Wingate Institute. Over the years, the Krav Maga has turned into an integrated part of training in many disciplines such as educational institutes.

Information supplied by: http://www.webmartial.com