Get fitter, stronger and more energetic.
You sit all day and exercise never happens. Every class is movement, strength and repetition, built at the level you are at.
Krav Maga · Amsterdam East · since 2014
Krav Maga in Amsterdam
Practical self-defence for people who have never fought.
Small groups, two fixed evenings a week, taught in Dutch and English. We train at Sporthal Bajeskwartier in Amsterdam East.
⭐ 5.0 (89 reviews) · Since 2014 · Instructor is KMG certified · 4218+ students trained nationally · NL / EN
Sound familiar?
Why people walk in here
Usually nothing bad has happened. There is just the feeling that you want to stand more firmly, in your head and in your body.
Our Krav Maga group classes in Amsterdam are built for adults doing this for the first time.
- 01
You are switched on all day and your head keeps going in the evening.
- 02
Exercise has slipped for months and you can feel it in your fitness.
- 03
When something happens on the street or at work, you only know afterwards what you wanted to do.
- 04
Saying no works better in your head than in the moment itself.
- 05
You have not lived here long and want something where you also meet people.
You do not need to recognise anything on this list to start. Plenty of people come simply because they want to move and learn something that makes sense.
Is this for me?
01
No experience needed.
Most members started without any martial arts background.
02
Any level of fitness.
You train at your own pace. Our oldest member is over 70.
03
No egos, no showing off.
If you come to prove something, this is not the place.
04
Two languages.
Instructions in Dutch and English.
What you learn
What is Krav Maga?
Krav Maga was developed by military experts as a self-defence system, not as a sport. It builds on natural reflexes rather than learned stances: what your body already does under stress becomes the basis of the technique.
There are no competitions, no points and no rules. The goal is not to win but to get away. That is why it is quick to learn — you do not have to build years of form work before anything works.
In the gym it starts with awareness and de-escalation: seeing what is happening, keeping distance, walking away when you can. Technique comes after that, and always with control over power.
The goal is not to win. The goal is to get away.
What you get out of it
Three things you notice outside the gym
More quiet in your head, less tension in your body.
Your head keeps spinning and your body stays tense, even when you are off. In the gym you can only do one thing: watch, breathe, move. The result: you walk out emptier than you came in.
Stand stronger and steadier in difficult situations.
An unpleasant situation leaves you unsure, and only at home do you know what you should have said. Here you practise realistic scenarios, first calmly and then under pressure. That is what self-defence is about in practice: not about winning, but about choosing.
What a class looks like
Every class follows the same structure
You always know what to expect. This is what every Krav Maga group class in Amsterdam looks like with us. A class takes 60 minutes.
- 01
Check-in
Briefly check in and mention if there is anything the instructor should take into account.
- 02
Warm-up
Building up calmly, mobility and strength, so your body can handle the class.
- 03
Technique block
One technique step by step, for example escaping a wrist grab or defending against a push. Slow and clean first, then up to speed.
- 04
Under pressure
After intensive conditioning drills, you apply techniques while fatigued. This teaches you to act effectively in realistic scenarios with resistance, pace and pressure.
- 05
Close
Cooling down, a short look back and naming what went better than last time.
No experience needed
You start at the basics and practise with someone who takes that into account. The exercise adapts to you, not the other way around.
Control over power
Nobody hits hard. You practise with the intention that you both learn something.
What to bring
Sportswear (white t-shirt, shorts or trousers without a belt), shoes with a light sole, water and a towel.
For a trial class you need nothing else.
Instructions are given in Dutch and English.
Progress
From your first class to your first exam
Everyone starts at B0. After about three months you take your first exam (B1), together with your group. You do not have to do anything extra for it — it is built into the classes. From B2 onwards exams are held nationally.
Your first months
- B0
Your first class
Everyone starts here
- B1
Your first exam
After ± 3 months · together with your group
- B2+
National exams
From B2 onwards
±3months to your first exam
The grading system4 levels · 15 grades
- BBasicB0 → B2You start here
- AAdvancedA1 → A4
- SSpecialistS1 → S5
- EExpertE1 → E3
09
When do we train?
| Day | Time | Class | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 19:00 – 20:00 | Krav Maga group class | 16 – 80 years |
| Thursday | 18:30 – 19:30 | Krav Maga group class | 16 – 80 years |
Two fixed moments a week. No shifting schedules. You train with the same group every week — your progress goes faster and the instructor knows exactly where you are.
Location
Sporthal Bajeskwartier, Amsterdam East
Monkees Krav Maga AmsterdamH.J.E. Wenckebachweg 401096 DC Amsterdam
Metro
Metro 50 and 51 stop at Spaklerweg, a short quarter of an hour's walk from the gym.
Bike
Bike parking at the entrance. From East or De Pijp you are here in ten to fifteen minutes.
Car
Paid parking in the streets around Bajeskwartier; come a little early if you drive.
Easy to reach from Amstelkwartier, Overamstel, Watergraafsmeer, Duivendrecht and Amsterdam Southeast.
11
What does it cost?
Flex
€ 79
per month
- Unlimited classes
- 3 months, then cancel monthly
Ultimate
€ 59
per month — or € 640 one-time for 12 months
- Unlimited classes
- Annual membership
Basic
€ 50
per month — or € 540 one-time for 12 months
- Up to 4 classes a month
- Annual membership
Ultimate Teens
€ 45
per month
- Unlimited classes
- Annual membership
No registration fee. No administration fee.
Paying up front is cheaper — € 640 instead of € 708 a year on Ultimate, € 540 instead of € 600 on Basic. In Amsterdam we train on Tuesday and Thursday; with Flex or Ultimate you join both classes every week.
Who teaches
Who stands in front of the group
Ivo
Krav Maga Global · 14 years of experience
I have been teaching Krav Maga at DefenseMonkees since 2013. In that time I have trained thousands of people and certified several instructors. For me it is not only about defending yourself, but about discipline, persistence and building confidence.
I want people to leave stronger, more resilient and more sure of themselves — and to train new instructors who carry the same values.
Our partners & clients
Reviews
What members say
I've been taking classes at DM for about a year, and if you're a woman dealing with fear, I can't recommend these Krav Maga classes enough. I used to feel terrified just walking by groups of men at night—and for good reason. But in these classes, I learned how to move, fight back, and avoid freezing up. The instructors balance perfectly between practical self-defense and an intense workout, and they're really understanding about how triggering it can be. Now I feel more way more confident, empowered, and safer.
Regina ResheteevaBasic Krav MagaIn januari 2024 ben ik bij DefenseMonkees gegaan om weerbaarder te worden. De intensieve trainingen en het vrij sparren aan het einde, waar je je nieuwe vaardigheden kunt toepassen, zijn geweldig.
Rik DijkmanKrav Maga StudentGoede technieken, conditie oefeningen en leuke groep! Fantastisch verheug me op de volgende training.
David RBeginnerIk ben al acht jaar lid en ga al die tijd met groot plezier naar de lessen. Iedere week wisselen we verschillende technieken af en oefenen we andere vaardigheden. Hierdoor ben ik na al die jaren nog steeds niet uitgeleerd!
Roy ErkensKrav Maga StudentIk heb bij verschillende zelfverdedigingsscholen getraind, maar DefenseMonkees springt eruit qua kwaliteit en sfeer. Geweldig team!
Sofia GroenErvaren VechtsporterAls moeder vind ik het belangrijk dat mijn kinderen zich kunnen verdedigen. DefenseMonkees biedt een veilige en leuke leeromgeving voor hen.
Nadia BakkerMoeder van twee kinderenDefenseMonkees is een leuke en hechte groep waar de training altijd gezellig is. Alle leden motiveren en stimuleren elkaar om door te zetten. De lessen worden op een leuke doch realistische manier overgebracht. Tijdens de lessen krijg je individuele begeleiding van de instructeur zodat je de technieken sneller onder de knie krijgt.
Andre ArrindellStudent en later InstructeurWat doet krav maga met jou? Ik had niet gedacht dat het me zó te pakken zou krijgen! De trainingen motiveren me om mijn grenzen elke keer een beetje te verleggen. Ik voel me fitter, sterker en zekerder! Leuke bijkomstigheid dat mijn lijf ook strakker en meer gespierd is geworden!
SanneStudent Maastricht
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Most members started without any martial arts background. You begin at the basics and practise with someone who takes that into account. Classes are open level, so the exercise is adjusted to whoever is doing it.
Yes. You train at your own pace and nobody counts how much you do. The warm-up builds up gradually and you can always take an exercise lighter. Fitness is the result here, not the requirement.
Honestly: basic reflexes take a few weeks, real skill takes months. Krav Maga works with natural reactions, which makes the first techniques usable quickly. Anyone promising more than that is selling you something.
We work with control over power: nobody hits hard. Exercises build from slow to fast, and you mention beforehand if something is going on. Bruises happen, injuries are rare.
Kickboxing and BJJ are competitive sports with rules, weight classes and a ring or mat. Krav Maga has no competitions and no rules; the goal is to get out of a situation, including one that is neither fair nor one-on-one.
Almost certainly not. Our classes are for ages 16 to 80 and our oldest member is over 70. Plenty of members started in their forties or fifties. You train at your own level, not that of the youngest person in the room.
Sportswear (a white t-shirt and shorts or trousers without a belt), shoes with a light sole, water and a towel. For a trial class you need nothing else — no gear to buy.
Dutch and English. The instructor explains in both languages when English-speaking participants are in the group. Many of our members are expats who have not lived here long.
Yes, and many members do. About half the group is women. You practise in rotating pairs, always with control, and you can say who you would rather not train with.
You can try three classes first with no obligation to sign up. After that you choose a package: Flex runs three months and is then cancellable monthly, the other packages are annual memberships. No registration or administration fees.
Come and have a look.
You do not have to buy anything or be able to do anything. Come in sports clothes, join in as much as you want, and decide afterwards.
Try 3 classes with no obligation to sign up. Then you decide whether you stay.
Loved by4218+students
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