Total Self Defense
Our master instructor Shlomo Kapelnikov brings decades of martial arts and teaching experience to Machatz. He is trained in the arts of Machatz, Kung Fu San Soo, Muay Tai, Kadochnikov (Russian Military hand-to-hand combat), and Israeli self-defense. He has fused the most effective techniques from these arts into one system. Machatz teaches you simple yet effective self defense, designed to end any confrontation quickly. To put it simply, Machatz simply works, against any opponent.
Machatz works with body mechanics. You may find some of the concepts familiar if you have studied Kung Fu, Aikido, Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Wing Chun, Wu Shu, Krav Maga, Russian Systema, or Karate. However, Machatz is a very specific and unique distillation of several martial art forms, bringing the most effective techniques to real life self-defense.
Why Learn Here?
Machatz specializes in teaching a system of self defense that works for anyone, regardless of age, size, sex, or any other factors. We encourage men, women, and children of all ages to experience the boost in self confidence that comes from training at Machatz.
We also welcome people with physical limitations to study at Machatz. Because Machatz training is based on a foundation of sound principles of self defense – rather than rote techniques – you can learn to defend yourself even if you don't have full use of your limbs, or are in a wheelchair!
Have you been bullied or abused? Are you afraid to go out at night? People who have experienced trauma can benefit greatly from Machatz self defense. Many other martial arts spend a lot of time teaching particular techniques. At Machatz, we teach principes of self defense, so you will learn real and effective ways to defend yourself, in any situation.
Does Machatz win competitions?
Machatz is self-defense, not sport, and thus we do not compete. We are not interested in trophies or awards. We respect the many styles of martial arts that do compete, but we teach self defense.
In competitive sport martial arts, there are rules for what a person can or cannot do. Adherance to these rules, while crucial for the safety of contestants in a competitive arena, can be hindrances – or even fatal – to someone in a life-threatening situation. At Machatz, the rule is Total Self Defense. We work with the entire potential of the human body and mind. The result is effective self-defense ... in any situation.
When the focus is on winning, many students tax their bodies beyond their limits, resulting in life-long injuries. Machatz encourages each student to follow his or her own pace. This ensures that your training is both safe and effective. We help you to develop and maintain your body, no matter your age, size or gender.
We also teach control. While it is possible that we may find ourselves in a life-threatening situation, most confrontations are much less serious. Maybe you don't want to harm your attacker, but only embarrass him. Or maybe you simply want to distract him for a moment, enough time for you to run away. Without the emphasis on rules and 'winning' found in sport martial arts, this level of control comes naturally.