Swoop Scoop

Whether you’re walking the dog, heading home late after work or getting in your car alone, you encounter potentially unsafe situations every day. Since it’s impractical to hire a bodyguard or carry a machete on your person at all times, it’s smart to equip yourself with the skills to fend off attackers and escape to safety. Learn reality-based self-defense skills at a Krav Maga Worldwide Official Training Center with today’s Swoop: $30 for a two-hour self-defense class (a $99 value) at POW! Mixed Martial Arts in River North or the West Loop or Krav Maga Illinois in Highland Park. Choose from introductory, women’s self-defense and gun defense workshops:

• Introduction to Krav Maga
  • Saturday, Jan. 21, 2-4 p.m. (West Loop)
  • Saturday, Jan. 28, 1-3 p.m. (Highland Park)
  • Friday, Feb. 3, 7-9 p.m. (West Loop)
  • Saturday, Feb. 4, 1-3 p.m. (River North)
  • Sunday, Feb. 5, 1-3 p.m. (Highland Park)

• Krav Maga: Basic Gun Defense
  • Sunday, Feb. 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (West Loop)
  • Saturday, Feb. 25, 1-3 p.m. (Highland Park)
  • Sunday, March 11, 2-4 p.m. (River North)

• Women's Krav Maga Self-Defense
  • Sunday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (West Loop)
  • Sunday, Feb. 26, 1-3 p.m. (Highland Park)

These three official Krav Maga training programs provide practical self-defense methods emphasizing real-world situations. The Israeli system of reality-based defense, Krav Maga is used by law enforcement agencies and military units around the world. The training focuses on simple but effective techniques and combines many boxing, Muay Thai and kickboxing drills. For a Krav Maga crash course, sign up for the introductory workshop, which teaches the basic combative moves before turning to defensive drills, including chokes, holds and grabs. Lean, mean ladies will have nothing to fear after the women’s self-defense workshop, which addresses fears about being a victim in addition to teaching Krav Maga fundamentals. They’ll learn how to react in different street situations and even how to protect others, including children, from potential attackers. And those who want to prepare for the most serious situations that involve an armed assailant can opt for the gun defense class, which teaches basic methods and footwork for disarming an attacker. So swoop in on today’s deal and make sure you have more than just a scream to protect yourself in a dangerous situation with.