Haim Gidon

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Haim Gidon is a world renowned teacher of Krav Maga (Hebrew קרב מגע: "contact combat"), an Israeli-originated self-defense and military hand-to-hand combat system taught to military, police forces and civilians worldwide.

He has been the Grandmaster and President of the Israeli Krav Maga Association and has been teaching Krav Maga since 1977, and was granted an 8th degree black belt by Imi Lichtenfeld (also known as Imi Sde-Or]], the founder of Krav Maga.^[1][2] As of 2007 he is the only person under the Israeli Association rules who may grant Black Belt status.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Biography

Haim Gidon (10th dan and IKMA President) is a member of Krav Maga founder Imi Lichtenfeld's first training class in the early 1960's.^{[citation needed]} Haim fought in the Six Day War, War of Attrition, and Yom Kippur War.^{[citation needed]}

Prior to the 1967 War, Haim resumed his competitive boxing and decided to learn more about the krav maga principals he had learned in the military. In 1978, Haim helped Imi co-found the IKMA. Along with Imi and other top instructors, Haim Gidon co-founded the Israeli Krav maga Association (IKMA) which he now heads as President. In 1994, Haim was elected as IKMA president and opened his current gym and the main training center for the IKMA located on Ben Zion Street, Netanya, Israel. In 1995, Imi nominated Haim as the top authority to grant 1st dan krav maga black-belt and up. In an IKMA ceremony, Imi awarded Haim Gidon 8th dan and stated 9th and 10th dans "were to come" designating Haim as the highest ranking krav maga instructor.

Imi approved of Haim's adding extensive groundwork modified weapons defenses and other additions/improvements to the krav maga system. Gidon is also a committee member of the Wingate (Israel's national sports institute) professional committee representing the self-defense style of krav maga. As President and of the IKMA, has taught the Israeli Police defensive tactics for the last thirty years to Israel's security and military agencies. Imi approved of Haim’s additions and modifications to the krav maga system, especially the development of retzev, the extensive groundwork and weapons defense modifications. Haim represents the krav maga fighting system as a member of the Wingate Professional Committee (Israel’s national sports institute).^[3]

[edit] Notes