Learn about the Defendo Alliance - European Martial Arts Style

The Defendo Alliance is a European martial arts focused on realistic self-defense training. Schools are primarily located in Scandinavian countries but this association expanding globally (i.e. USA, Ireland, Poland, etc.). Given this organization's focus on "facing different violent threats that we might confront in the modern society", it is similar to martial arts such as Krav Maga. In fact, the Defendo Alliance has partnered with a number of Krav Maga schools in the USA.

While the Defendo Alliance has a name similar to Defendu (which was created by William Fairbairn), the Defendo Alliance is not associated with this older martial arts. The Defendo Alliance was founded in 2005 by Jyrki Saario. According to Scandinavian Defendo, Jyrki Saario combined his years of martial arts experience with techniques "found from old hand-to-hand-combat manuals, like in Codex Wallerstein (year 1470), Defendu (1926) and Hand-to-Hand Combat (1943)". Moreover, according to Defendo Alliance Poland, Jyrki Saario in 1996 "introduced Krav Maga to the Scandinavian countries and was one of the first Krav Maga instructors in Europe".

Defendo Alliance training includes the following:

• Conflict situations
• Simulated training
• Scenario training
• Attacks from the front
• Attacks from behind
• Surviving on the ground
• Defense against weapon threats and attacks

References

1. Defendo Alliance, Scandinavian Defendo - Background And History, http://www.defendoalliance.com/en/defendo/history, Added - 10/16/14
2. Defendo Alliance Poland, Jyrki Saario, http://defendo.co/about-us/jyrki-saario/, Added - 10/16/14
3. North American Defendo Alliance, http://www.defendona.com, Added - 10/16/14