Martial Arts in Hawthorne

Lee Lavi Ramirez, North Valley Aikikai’s chief instructor, sees martial arts as a mode of self-discovery, rather than a stylized battle between competitors. This philosophy shines in her studio’s Iaido class, which centers on sword-drawing as practiced by feudal Japan’s samurai; students practice the art alone with an instructor. The philosophy also prevails during aikido body art classes, which emphasize introspection and observation. Although the practice of aikido is noncompetitive, advanced sessions incorporate weapons such as the wooden knife and plastic spork. North Valley Aikikai further supports the pursuit of focus and grace through yoga classes. Vinyasa sessions knit breath and movement into a fluid discipline, and parent-child sessions foster bonds of trust and teamwork.

Perhaps the only thing as impressive as Roy Elghanayan’s reign as a two-time Israeli Krav Maga National Champion is the students with whom he’s shared his incredible skill. He first was hand-chosen to devise the Israeli Special Forces’ training program. In 2011, the Argentinean Marines enlisted him to teach the sport to their soldiers. He even trained actress Jessica Chastain for her role in the movie The Debt. Today, he continues to travel the world to teach Krav Maga and works out of his studio, Krav Maga L.A.

Krav maga is a more rigorous form of self-defense developed by the Israeli military when they realized that ancient martial arts would translate to modern battlefields. Roy and his staff helm classes for both adults and children as part of a six-day schedule that divides students by their skill level. Beginners’ classes corral 18 participants or less so that instructors can easily oversee technique while still having enough bodies to build a human pyramid if morale is low. With continued practice, the instructors at Krav Maga L.A. hope to imbue their students with the physical and mental skill to escape threatening situations should they ever arise.