Relative Exercise Intensity and Energy Expenditure of a Krav Maga Workout

Introduction: Krav Maga is Hebrew for “close combat” and combines self-defense moves from a variety of disciplines to provide a total body workout. Krav Maga has become increasingly popular as a group fitness class. To our knowledge there is no data documenting the intensity of this type of program. Purpose: To determine the relative exercise intensity and energy expenditure of Krav Maga. Methods: Six male (age 23.5 + 3.89 years) and 10 female (age 20.2 + 1.23 years) subjects performed a graded exercise test on a treadmill. After habituation, subjects also performed a 60-minute Krav Maga workout. Heart rate and VO2 were monitored every minute throughout the workout and perceived exertion was recorded approximately every 5 minutes throughout the session using the Borg 6-20 RPE scale. Results: It was found that subjects exercised at an average of 78 + 2.0% of HRmax, 66+17.0% of VO2max, 8.8 + 1.97 METs, and an RPE of 12.8 + 1.15. Average energy expenditure was 616 + 216.7 kcal/session (males= 884 + 141.1; females= 492 + 107.1). Conclusion: The Krav Maga workout resulted in a moderate-to-vigorous intensity workout that can provide a viable option for individuals looking for alternatives to traditional aerobic training programs.