CATSDG stands for Civilian Anti-Terror & Self-Defence Group.
Krav Maga is the self-defence system we use. This was developed by the Israeli Defence Forces (‘IDF’) and is used by law enforcement, tactical and military units around the world.
To be more specific, we teach Urban Krav Maga, which is tailored around real life day-to-day scenarios and the most common street attacks that affect normal people, both standing up and on the ground. It’s practical, efficient and can be learnt relatively quickly.
The London Bridge Terror attacks involved multiple knife attacks. The Nice Terror attack in France also involved multiple stabbings. We train a wide range of armed and unarmed defences, hence this part of our name.
Please note: We do not claim to be Terrorism experts or come from an Anti-Terrorism Unit, nor is that our objective. What we care about is helping normal people to have the knowledge and know-how to address common unarmed street attacks; and for those keen to learn, armed attacks involving knives, shanks, guns, sticks and bats. We are very clear about this. We also do not claim that you will be able to single handedly disarm a team of highly trained and heavily armed individuals by undertaking a single course / lesson with us. Common sense is required. The learning process is never-ending for all of us.
There are many great schools out there. Our approach is a little different though.
Have a look at the pictures and reviews of what we do, and come for a first lesson to see for yourself.
THE CATSDG SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
If you don’t find your first lesson helpful or learn any useful techniques, we guarantee to refund you without question. That’s how confident we are you will find it both useful and enjoyable!
DG set up CATSDG Krav Maga to help make self-defence more accessible to normal people. Simple, down-to-earth and effective self-defence for normal people living their daily lives.
DG is a qualified Urban Krav Maga Instructor, and a licensed Instructor with the British Combat Association.
He trained intensively with the founders of Urban Krav Maga whose lineage stems back to Eyal Yanilov and the founder of Krav Maga, Imi Lichtenfeld in Israel:
DG applied himself strongly to our training over a prolonged period; he worked really hard to turn himself into a better instructor and practitioner.
This hard work is now reflected in his knowledge and teaching ability. We’re very glad to have him in the organisation.
Chief Instructor, Urban Krav Maga & Civilian/Law Enforcement Instructor with the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF).
DG learnt from a 4 time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion (and training partner to former UFC Champion Vitor Belfort) on his groundwork in preparation for becoming an instructor, and has also had instruction in the US with John Danaher and the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu team.
DG has undertaken Carbine and Tactical Handgun instruction in the US with MARSOC (the United States Marines Forces Special Operations Command) and US Air Force veterans with 20 and 30+ years of active service/experience operating in hostile environments respectively.
DG has trained everyone from vulnerable single parents, teachers, lawyers, and fitness experts, through to high profile figures, stunt actors and victims of serious armed attacks.
DG works with a number of other highly experienced and licensed instructors.
Firstly these are key life skills to help protect you, boost self-esteem and confidence in all aspects of your life.
The facts:
- Nearly 1 in 5 armed robberies take place in your own home.
- 1 of every 1000 adults in the UK will be assaulted this year.
- Every 98 seconds some is sexually assaulted in the UK.
- Every 18 seconds a burglary takes place in the UK.
What are you going to do when it happens to you?
Secondly, it’s great fun! You can learn on an individual basis, with your friends or with your partner, and you can learn at your own pace – which is why we only focus on tailored private sessions tailored around your needs.
Learn how to channel natural fight or flight reactions into swift defensive tactics
Time Magazine
The focus is on courses/lessons being educational and technique focused. It depends on the course/lesson and the preference of the students as to how much conditioning is included.
We would recommend stretching and working on HIIT and plyometric fitness conditioning separately as much as possible.
Ofcourse we hope not, however, the figures speak for themselves. London is the highest risk.
You will be trained to deal with many knife related scenarios and defences that can be applied quickly and effectively regardless of gender, size or strength.
Knife crime in England & Wales increases by the largest margin ever
Office for National Statistics (2018)
Knife crime is a persistent and worrying concern…it’s at a seven year high…with London recording the highest rate of offences
UK Parliament (2018)
Knife crime has surged by 16 per cent in the capital
Met Police (2018)
London bloodbath continues to spiral out of control
The Express (2018)
Rise in serious violent crime in England and Wales, especially knives
Financial Times (2018)
Met warns of steep rise in gun and knife crime – 42% and 24% respectively
The Guardian (2018)
Knife crime soars by almost a quarter amidst warnings
The Telegraph (2018)
London’s bleeding
The Economist (2018)
Unfortunately gun incidents are significantly increasing too.
The number of lethal guns fired has increased by around 20 per cent since 2012…gun offences are disproportionately concentrated in London
Office for National Statistics (2018)
In practice guns are less prevalent than knives, however you will be trained to deal with gun related scenarios.
Yes. We focus on techniques, speed and aggression – not size.
We have run female self-defence courses for women’s safety groups, gyms and the media. One example is the female course we ran for Flex, a boutique gym and yoga studio in Chelsea, and The Daily Telegraph; you can read about this here.
Another is the session we ran for Wandsworth Angels, a women’s safety group whose goal is to empower women, which you can read about here.
We can also run female only private courses although the techniques covered in the public course are equally useful for men and women.
Krav Maga is definitely the best stress reliever.
Elle Magazine
Krav Maga is not as cinematic as other fighting systems but it is battle-tested and effective. That is why it is so popular with women.
Financial Times
Simply put, no. We work with all ability levels from complete beginners to more experienced law enforcement and security professionals.
No we do not. Whilst grading and belts are a good way of demonstrating progress through the many great martial arts out there, it is less relevant here. These are survival skills. Controlled aggression coupled with technique and movement/awareness is what we focus on primarily.
There is no pretentiousness, pomp or ceremony.
To simulate real life situations protective clothing is kept to a minimum and no equipment is required. We do recommend a groin guard/gum shield for protection when sparring.
Our syllabus is based around the most common street attacks. This is why it makes it so relevant and useful to normal people wanting to learn self-defence to protect themselves and their families.
We follow a rotating syllabus. The idea is that the basics are drilled constantly so that they become second nature. Once you have attended a few lessons you will start to see the benefits of what we teach and how those techniques and movements fit together. If you remain consistent in your attendance then we will cover anything you might have missed:
We cover:
1) Street striking techniques;
2) Fight finish strikes and pre-emptive moves;
3) Escapes from headlocks/chokes;
4) Pre-fight indicators and situational awareness training;
5) Resisting and escape from a multitude of grabs and holds;
6) Pre-emptive defence against weapons – knives, bottles, guns, batons, baseball bats, sticks, shanks etc.;
7) Most common ground fighting scenarios and defence/escape techniques;
8) Switching from passive to controlled aggression state; and
9) Adrenaline management and control.
Krav Maga is the most effective self defence and fitness training system in the UK today
The Sunday Times
Urban Krav Maga focuses on techniques, speed and aggression, which apply to all professionals in the security industry. That said, please contact us before booking a course as some courses may be more suitable for experienced practitioners than others.
I work as a Bodyguard doing convoy protection and personal security detail in Iraq. I always train in Urban Krav Maga…it is some of the most realistic I’ve experienced…and the best self-defence training I’ve ever done.
Close Protection Operative-Hostile Environments
I would put Urban Krav Maga as one of the most practical self defence forms out there
Madison Police, Wisconsin USA
Krav Maga is battle-tested and effective. That is why it is practised by so many police forces and special military units across the world.
Financial Times
The techniques used must be applied appropriately and care must be taken at all times. Safety is always paramount. Whilst injuries are extremely rare in training since we operate in a controlled environment, we recommend you to obtain training insurance for peace of mind. We can help with this. Egos will not be tolerated (no matter what your background, size or experience) and must stay at the door for safety purposes. CATSDG reserves the right to exclude any individual from any lesson / course if we have reason to believe you are not following our instructions or may be a danger to yourself or others.
As an organisation CATSDG is insured and we hold an up to date First Aid Certificate from the British Red Cross.
Despite taking these precautions and training for years, we have never had to draw upon either of these as we take the safety of participants seriously.
Come in casual gym gear or casual clothes (we recommend the former as it can get sweaty when doing certain drills).
Please bring:
- Water
- Snack
- Note pad and pen
This not a fitness class; but you may like to jot down some important tips and techniques.
Please see the Learning Options page, and select either from the Public course/lesson(s) or Private ones.
If you have specific requirements or want to discuss your specific needs please Contact Us and we will do our best to help.
Every participant is required to confirm that they do not have any Covid-19 symptoms prior to attending.
Each participant is encouraged to take a rapid antigen test before any session. These are available for free through the NHS.
Prior to arriving, participants should sanitise their hands and whilst not obligatory, they are encouraged to wear a face covering during the session (particularly when doing technique work rather than pressure testing).
If at any time, a participant becomes unwell during a class/lesson, they should immediately notify the Instructor, who holds a valid First Aid Certificate from the British Red Cross.
