Contact Us
Atlanta Krav Maga & Fitness
1530 Old Alabama Road Suite #200
Roswell, GA 30076
Phone: 770-817-KRAV
Fax: 770-992-7600
eric@atlantakravmaga.com
About AKMF
Atlanta Krav Maga and Fitness is proud to numerous class times per week for your convenience. All of our level 1 classes are perfect for beginners and experienced martial artists alike. In each class you will find Stay at Home Moms, Federal Law Enforcement, Doctors, Military, Executives, and people just like you! At AKMF all of our instructors are trained by the National Training Center in Los Angeles and we have the highest ranked instructors in Atlanta.
Our Instructors & Staff Members
Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Krav Maga and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise -- through extensive testing and certification -- to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.
Eric Sepeda (Chief Krav Maga Instructor)
Eric has been awarded his Krav Maga Black Belt from the Krav Maga Worldwide National Training Center. He is now 1 of only 3 Black Belts in the state of Georgia and 1 of less than 100 in the country! Eric has been training in Martial arts since the age of 12. His experience is in various arts like Goju-Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He leads our Krav Maga program and is the highest ranking and most experienced instructor in the Atlanta area.
Jesse Walker (Krav Maga Instructor)
Jesse began his Krav Maga training in September 2007 at Atlanta Krav Maga & Fitness. He received his Instructor Certification from the National Training Center in L.A in August of 2008. Jesse is also a certified Fit to Fight instructor. Jesse's background includes competitive gymnastics, Filipino martial arts and now enjoys fitness activities such as kettlebell training, to supplement his Krav Maga training.
Mario Carlomagno (Krav Maga Instructor)
Mario has been awarded his Krav Maga Black Belt from the Krav Maga Worldwide National Training Center February 2010. Mario who was formally an instructor at the National Training Center in LA.
Eric Vassy (Krav Maga Instructor)
Eric Vassy started studying Krav Maga in August of 2007 at Atlanta Krav Maga & Fitness. With their guidance, he qualified as an Instructor in August of 2008, at the National Training Center in Los Angeles California. He continues his training at AKMF as both a student and instructor.
Nick Levesque (Krav Maga Instructor)
Adolfo Salas(Krav Maga Instructor)
For more information about the Atlanta Krav Maga and Fitness staff or training programs, please contact us at 770-817-KRAV or by clicking here.
The History of Krav Maga
Krav Maga was developed by Czechoslovakian-born Imi Lichtenfeld, a champion heavyweight boxer, an expert in Ju-Jitsu and Judo as well as a dancer and trapeze acrobat. Imi's family was forced to emigrate, eventually landing in what was then Palestine and is now known as Israel.
Soon after the Israeli state was established in 1948, Imi was asked to develop a system of fighting and self-defense for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Imi carefully refined Krav Maga during his career as chief instructor of hand to hand combat for the IDF. Beginning with special forces units like the Haganah, Palmack, and Palyam, Krav Maga became the official combatives training for all military personnel, Israeli police and security forces. Faced with the task of preparing both fit and out-of-shape soldiers, Imi developed a comprehensive system that relied on simple, instinctive moves rather than rigid techniques requiring years of training.
In 1964, Imi retired from the IDF and began teaching Krav Maga to civilians, law enforcement, and military applications. In 1978, Imi and several of his students created the Krav Maga Association, which was aimed at promoting the teaching of Krav Maga in Israel and throughout the world.
In 1981, the Krav Maga Association of Israel and the Israeli Ministry of Education held the first International Instructor's Course at Wingate Institute for Physical Education. A delegation of 23 members from various cities in the U.S. attended the course, which was supervised by Imi himself. Californian Darren Levine was selected to be part of the delegation because of his martial arts and boxing background, as well as his involvement in the physical education program at the Heschel Day School near L.A. During the course, Imi befriended Levine and told him that he would come to the U.S. to teach and train him.
Levine went on to offer Krav Maga classes at the Heschel Day School. At Imi's request, Levine and one of his students, Joel Bernstein, along with other prominent members of the Jewish community in L.A., formed the Krav Maga Association of America, Inc. In 1987, Levine and his top students began teaching Krav Maga to law enforcement in the U.S. Under Imi's guidance, they adapted Krav Maga to suit the needs of U.S. law enforcement and military personnel.
Shortly after Levine received his 6th degree black belt in Krav Maga, Imi awarded him a Founder's Diploma for Special Excellence in Krav Maga. Imi has awarded this diploma only twice. Eyal Yanilov had also received the prestigious diploma. These diplomas were given to the people that Imi wanted to be the leaders of Krav Maga.
Krav Maga Worldwide Enterprises was formed in January of 1999 to expand and promote Krav Maga in the U.S. and around the world. Krav Maga is rapidly gaining in popularity and almost 10,000 people are currently studying the art. It is widely used by members of the U.S.'s local, state and federal police agencies, including the FBI, Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Celebrities practicing Krav Maga include singer/actress Jennifer Lopez, and actresses Jennifer Garner ("Alias"), Shannon Elizabeth ("American Pie"),and Mia Kirshner ("Wolf Lake").