Body Movin'.

Stay Safe at KravMaga DFW.

Welcome to Body Movin', our recurring feature where, each week, we take a closer look at wherever you'll find health-minded folks jogging, crunching, lifting or otherwise moving their bodies in the name of fitness. Because, listen, we all need to get off of our ass from time to time. Hey: No pain, no gain. Check out this feature's archives here.

This week, we prepared for the worst at KravMaga DFW.

Fast Facts on KravMaga DFW.
• Degree of Difficulty Scale For Beginners: 3 out of 10.
• Calories Burned in One Hour: 550.
• Muscle Soreness After The Fact: 5 out of 10.
• Location: 1201 Turtle Creek Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207.
• Classes Offered: Six levels of KravMaga, striking/combination classes, four different cardio classes and ground survival.
• Introductory Offer: First class free.
• Price: $109/month with a one-year commitment. $89/month with a two-year commitment.

Overview.
It's easy to hear Israeli-based self-defense and quickly be intimidated, but KravMaga is possibly one of the most important fitness facilities in Dallas to open in quite some time. KravMaga is an older Isreali creation that took civilians and turned them into soldiers as quickly as possible. It has only recently made its way to America and has transformed into a program more fit for the everyday person.

Steve Paek is one of KravMaga DFW's main instructors, and he also helped those in the beginner level class we attended learn how to kick, hit and get out of a choke hold — all in an hour's time! He emphasized to us how easy and important this program is for a beginner: “KravMaga is designed to use the body's instinctive movements and turning them into a dynamic defense. It's a very no-nonsense, attack the attack, move into the attack defense system.”

This is not a facility for an aspiring MMA fighter; these classes are simply designed to create a better version of you. They will also help you know how to defend yourself in the worst possible situations.

Class Structure.
KravMaga offers six different levels of training. Completion of a level can only be granted by an instructor or an optional four-hour test of your skills and knowledge. The test isn't to grant you access into the next level, but a test of your own survival to grant you a personal badge of honor.

Or as Paek puts it: “A lot of people go through the test to have that experience and say okay, I survived this, and anytime you survive something like that mentally and physically you grow stronger.”

Besides the standard KravMaga-style class, this gym also offers a class called Ground Survival. This class is specifically designed to help you learn what to do when a fight lands you on the ground. The level of discomfort when someone is attacking you from above becomes a little less shocking once you've been faced with the situation in class and train to know all of your options.

They also offer striking and combination classes that teach you how to strike quickly by providing a high-intensity work out with multiple different combinations and moves. And if that doesn't get you sweating, they also offer four different cardio classes to keep your endurance level strong and your movements quick.

Getting Started.
Your first class with KravMaga DFW is absolutely free. This is such a valuable program and education that everyone should take full advantage of.

The first class allows you to realize that anyone could walk into a bad situation and shows you that you do have the capability of defending yourself if necessary.

According to Paek, there are people who walk in that have been through some kind of negative experience looking for that education. However, most people are simply looking for a new way to work out that also helps prepare them for anything that comes their way.

“If we can put ourselves through something where you're mentally stressed, physically tired, ready to give up, and we push ourselves through it, we have a better shot if something like that were to happen,” Paek says. “Have those options to where you hope you never have to use it, but if you need it, you better be damn glad that you have it.”

Grade.
Overall, I'll give KravMaga DFW an A.

Previous Body Movin' Grades:
• CorePower Yoga: A+.
• Flywheel: A.
• Indo Row at Crowbar Cardio: A-.
• Title Boxing Club: B+.
• Pole Class at Vertical Fitness: B.
• Bikram Yoga Dallas: B.
• East Dallas CrossFit: B-.
• City Surf Fitness: B-.
• The Gym of Social Mechanics: B-.
• El Centro Tai Chi: C.
• White Rock Paddle Co.: C.