Skip To Content
JEWISH. INDEPENDENT. NONPROFIT.
The Schmooze

Hollywood Hunks Get Ripped With Krav Maga

Details has only just now caught on to the popularity of Krav Maga, the famed Israeli approach to self-defense training. The magazine seems to have noticed a critical mass of male celebrities using the program to get in touch for their roles on screen — and in life. “Made in Israel. Imported by Hollywood’s A-List. Coming soon to a health club near you,” shouts its article’s subtitle.

Among the Hollywood hunks mentioned in Details’ Krav Maga story are Daniel Craig, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and John Mayer. British actor Jason Statham reportedly also used the technique to train for his role as “an ass-kicking man of mystery” in his new movie, “Safe.”

“Directors are coming to us because they want realistic fight scenes,” Darren Levine, founder of Krav Maga Worldwide, told Details. David Kahn, U.S. chief instructor of the Israeli Krav Maga Association, added that the “emphasis on ‘continuous combat motion’ provides the toning you’d get from boxing, with better full-body results.” But “most people are never going to have to use the fighting skills, but they’re going to come out of a workout feeling empowered.”

Ashton Kutcher is also reportedly a Krav Maga devotee. He has said that he does it so he can be in proper shape to “save the people I care about.” That’s a lovely, caring sentiment. But we shouldn’t discount the simple fact that what might be motivating him is that when you start training you begin “envisioning yourself as a bad-ass,” as Kutcher’s instructor reflected.

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly. 

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

Republish This Story

Please read before republishing

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search.  See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.

To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at editorial@forward.com, subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.

We don't support Internet Explorer

Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site.

Exit mobile version