This article is dedicated to the invincible warrior Kaicho Raffi Liven. We will ask questions and try to answer them about this legendary man: What did Jon Bluming write about Kaicho Raffi Liven? Who was Jon Bluming? What is the connection between Kaicho Raffi Liven and Imi Lichtenfeld? What are the Guinness records of Kaicho Raffi Liven? What is the life story of Kaicho Raffi Liven? What certificates and higher ranks does Kaicho Raffi Liven have? What is special about The World Academy of Martial Arts? What is the philosophy of Sho-Shin Karate-Do and Krav-Maga-Li based on? What is the peculiarity of the fighting styles of Sho-Shin Karate-Do and Krav-Maga-Li?
What did Jon Bluming write about Kaicho Raffi Liven?
Raffi Liven and Jon Bluming had an especially warm and family relationship, they were close friends and colleagues in the martial arts.
Raffi Liven brought him to Israel several times so that he could get to know the Israeli fighters. Jon Bluming, in one of his letters to Raffi Liven, recommends writing a book about his life in order to pass on his spirit and fighting style to future generations. The book was later written by Hagit Maor under the title Invincible Raffi Liven; In his letter, Jon Bluming refers to the fighting spirit and inner strength of Raffi Liven, comparing him to Martial Arts legend Kenji Kurosaki Dan 10 in Kyokushinkai Karate; He noted that Raffi Liven is "One of the best Teachers and Fighter I have ever seen"; He also mentioned that Raffi Liven demands from his students' Achievements of the impossible in Karate and Martial Arts, as he would demand from himself; In his letter, he wrote: "If you want, you can always try him out, don't eat with him, but fight him then you know for sure you will get enough".
Who was Jon Bluming?
Jon Bluming was a Dutch Martial Artist and Film Actor; Known as a pioneer in various Martial Arts; Master of 9th Dan in Judo, 10th Dan in Karate and 10th Dan in Hapkido; He was a Judo coach of two-time Olympic champion William Rusco; Good friend of Masutatsu Oyama and Raffi Liven; Also created the Kyokushin-Budokai method. Whereas Raffi Liven has 10th Dan in Kyokushin-Budokai. In fact, the difference between the Kyokushin Karate method from Masutatsu Oyama and the Kyokushin-Budokai method of John Blooming lies in the combination of Judo and wrestling exercises in Karate. When the new method was much more realistic and effective.
What is the connection between Kaicho Raffi Liven and Imi Lichtenfeld?
Kaicho Raffi Liven first met Imi Lichtenfeld, the founder of Krav-Maga, in 1966 when he visited his Dojo on Pinsker Street in Tel- Aviv. When Kaicho Raffi Liven was 16 years old, and Imi Lichtenfeld was over 50, a special relationship was formed between them: “Two Masters who understand each other” despite the age difference. Whereas Kaicho Raffi Liven had extensive experience and knowledge in conducting practical street fighting. He contributed to the subsequent development of the Krav-Maga method. As a result, at one of the meetings in Israel, Imi Lichtenfeld asked: "Tell me, Raffi, are my disciples stupid?" Raffi asked him why? He replied: "After so many years, none of my students developed the Krav-Maga method further", "Only You did it." As a result, Imi Lichtenfeld respected and loved Kaicho Raffi Liven.
What are the Guinness records of Kaicho Raffi Liven?
Kaicho Raffi Liven holds 12 Guinness World Records, but in this article, we'll take a look at the Guinness record for breaking 199 brick blocks in 60 seconds. According to the book by Hagit Maor, a representative of Guinness Book Records called Kaicho Raffi Liven and explained that he came to him after doing thorough research about him, adding the following sentences: "Journalists in Europe never stop praising you", "In any Karate competition you have participated in, you always win". A Guinness spokesman told Raffi that there is the place for a new Guinness record. According to Hagit Maor, Raffi immediately replied, "I break bricks, I don't break records". After a telephone conversation, they met in a cafe and agreed on the date and place of the event. Raffi Liven immediately called his assistant and asked to fund the purchase of brick blocks to prepare for a new Guinness record. Whereas the previous Guinness record was for breaking 100 brick blocks in 52 seconds. At that time, Shihan Raffi Liven had to beat his own record that is, breaking 200 brick blocks in 60 seconds. To this end, Shihan began training before the competition, crushing a thousand bricks a day. As a person who believes in God, he was convinced that he would give him the strength to meet this impossible task. According to Hagit Maor, Raffi decided to devote one day remaining before the competition to rest. When "Two fingers on his right hand were broken and his heel tormented him while walking". At that time, Shihan Raffi Liven, 8th Dan in Karate, took the stage to "break the record and get into the Guinness Book of Records". A minute before the start of the competition, silence reigned, and after the start sign “In a panther jump, Raffi Liven waved his hands towards the first row of bricks: at that time he did not feel how his fingers were screaming in pain”, “The left hand was breaking, the kicks were crushing” thus he smashed the first, second, third row ... After 60 seconds, the referee confirmed a new record for Shihan Raffi Liven, who broke 199 brick blocks in 60 seconds. According to Hagit Maor, the sounds of “Hatikva” were heard in honor of the culmination of the Shihan, “As a stream of renewed forces washed his limbs under the hymn of the State of Israel,” and Liven stood at attention. According to Hagit Maor - without a doubt, this is a moment that a person will never forget, and an experience that not many get ...
What is the life story of Kaicho Raffi Liven?
Kaicho Raffi Liven was born on March 3, 1949, in Tel Aviv to a Russian father and a Yemeni mother. At the age of 6, he began studying Judo and Kyokushin Karate with a fighter and a guest from Japan, who was doing science in the country at the time. Since he continued to practice Karate and various martial arts on a daily basis at the age of 15, he received the 1st Dan Black Belt in Kyokushin Karate. He has practiced many martial arts for over 65 years, including Shotokan, Kyokushin, Muay Thai, Kendo, Judo, Aikido, Kobudo, Kickboxing, Original Okinawa-T, and Fully Contact Karate. The World Academy of Martial Arts has connections, a large number of followers and members of the Academy in Denmark, Israel, Norway, Slovakia, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, USA, Brazil, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Hong Kong, New Zealand, India, Nepal, and others countries ... In almost all of these countries, Kaicho Raffi Liven has held seminars and participated in a TV show about martial arts. At the age of 18, he volunteered for the paratroopers of the 890th regiment of the 35th brigade; He participated in many retaliatory actions and pursuits to find terrorists and bring them to justice after committing terrorist acts. From 02/02/1967 to 02/02/1981 served in the Israel Defense Forces. In 1967, Kaicho Raffi Liven participated in the Six-Day War, and in 1973 in the Yom Kippur War, and between them, he took part in other hostilities.
Then he trained the Special Forces; from 1977 to 1978 he worked as the president's bodyguard on the island of Martinique. Also during this time he twice became the European champion in karate. In 1980, Kaicho Raffi Liven was diagnosed with a malignant tumor and was diagnosed with lymphoid sarcoma, and cancer of the front of the head. As a result, on December 23, 1980 (during the third candle of Hanukkah), he underwent a serious resection operation and the next night fled by taxi from the hospital to conduct training in his martial arts hall in Ashdod, with a bandaged face. After training that night, he returned to the hospital again for further treatment of his illness. A month after the operation, Kaicho Raffi Liven began treatment in the oncology department, radiation, and chemotherapy at the Sharet Hadassah Institute in Jerusalem.
During the same period of time, Kaicho Raffi Liven was invited to participate in the international karate competition held in the city of Venice, Italy. For health reasons, the leadership of the competition did not agree to accept a person who is undergoing oncology treatment. As a result, Kaicho Raffi Liven chose two Israeli fighters who seemed to him capable of competing at this level, one of whom was his senior student Moshe Buchnik, and the other was Eli Bitran, who demonstrated an excellent fighting level. To prepare them for this competition, Kaicho Raffi Liven took them with him to Norway for karate training in 1981, while he himself was invited there by the Norwegian Karate Association to prepare their fighters for the European Championships held in Venice, Italy. Moshe Buchnik and Eli Bitran respectfully represented him and the State of Israel at the tournament, although they did not manage to bring victory because they did not know the rules of the tournament. After returning to the State of Israel in early 1981, Kaicho continued to receive radiation therapy at the hospital, and at the same time, he was traveling from Jerusalem to the Maccabiah village in Ramat Gan to prepare the fighters for the 11th Maccabiah in Karate. In addition, at that time he passed the first in the history of the State of Israel course of international refereeing under the guidance of Max Vishal from France, which was held from 06 to 16.07.1981. When the doctors told him to rest, Kaicho Raffi Liven did the exact opposite, that is, he continued to train twice as hard. The life milestones that helped him overcome the disease were as follows: Never give up; Continue to follow your principles; Don't let weaknesses prevail. While he drew physical and mental strength in the character of his father (Fifke), who gave him the strength to fight and defeat cancer. When he was in Norway, he found that the cold climate was good for his health. As a result, he decided to settle in a country with a similar climate. At the end of 1981, he moved to Denmark and continued teaching martial arts there. In 1985, a sports center was opened, where Sho-Shin Karate-Do and Krav-Maga-Li are taught to this day. In all the years that Kaicho Raffi Liven has practiced and taught various martial arts, he never found the perfect method. He saw the mistakes of different masters and always felt that something was missing. In the late 80's he began to develop his own style called "Sho-Shin Karate-Do", which means "True and Pure Way". He also developed his own improved method called "Krav-Maga-Liven-International", with the support and permission of Imi Lichtenfeld, which is taught to men and women (There are no competitions in Krav-Maga because everything is allowed).
To maintain physical, mental, and spiritual fitness, Kaicho Raffi Liven practices the art of breaking hard objects with The impact of body parts without any protective measures (Tameshiwari - is the art of using parts of the body, such as hand, elbow, head, or foot to break wood, tile, bricks, stone, ice, baseball bats ....). He holds the 1990 world record when he broke 199 brick blocks in 60 seconds; In 2002, he smashed 151 brick blocks by Gyaku-Zuki (straight punch) in 25 seconds; In 1992, he smashed 130 kg of massive concrete with a Yoko-Geri blow (side impact); He is also the world record holder for a series of 161 kicks with Mawashi-Geri (sickle-shaped kick) without interruption at a height of more than 5 crates of beer - 150 (cm) without touching the floor in 60 seconds. The runner-up from France managed 92 kicks in just 60 seconds; in 2004, he broke 10 fresh and thick trees in 8 seconds; in 2017 in the city of Brno, Czech Republic, in front of an audience of 5,000, Kaicho Raffi Liven blew 6 bottle heads with one quick, precise and sharp blow of Shuto-Uchi (sword strike).
What certificates and higher ranks does Kaicho Raffi Liven have?
On July 16, 1981, he was appointed the first international judge in the history of the State of Israel under the guidance of Max Vishal from France.
On December 10, 1999, he received his 9th Dan in Kyokushin-Budokai from Jon Bluming from the Netherlands and Kenji Kurosaki from Japan, who at that time were held in 10th Dan in Karate.
On November 20, 2004, he received the 10th Dan from Dr. Dennis Hanover on the hand-to-hand combat system (Hisardut Dennis Hanover system).
In 2005 he received his Doctor of Philosophy and Science degree in martial arts (Woma International Council For Higher Martial Arts Science Education INC., USA).
On June 26, 2016, he received his 10th Dan in Kyokushin-Budokai from Jon Bluming from the Netherlands.
On April 7, 2018, he received a Platinum Award from The International Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
On 15 January 2019, he received a Lifetime membership of honor - From the World Chuan Fa Martial Arts Organization.
On August 20, 2021, he received an Honor Certificate - From the World Federation of Self Defence Sciences.
What is special about The World Academy of Martial Arts?
The World Academy of Martial Arts is a meeting place for fighters from all over the world in the fields of traditional Karate, such as Sho-Shin Karate-Do, Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Vodu-Ryu, Kyokushinkai, etc.; Krav-Maga - preparation for realistic scenarios for special forces and security forces S.A.A.T. (International Academy Of Security And Anti Terrorism); Pankration - An old mixed martial arts style; Kyokushin-Budokai and Mixed Martial Arts - MMA. Whereas the Coaches of the Academy teach in different styles. The philosophy of Kaicho Raffi Liven teaches us: "Do not be afraid of the big and do not underestimate the small", "When you leave, go, When you sit, sit down, But never swing between". The World Academy of Martial Arts method focuses on efficiency and progress, continuous improvement and innovation, openness to criticism, great for Self-Defense, and provides solutions in Real-Life Situations on two main levels against an unarmed enemy and an enemy armed with a Knife, Stick, and Pistol. Thanks to the training method based on multiple repetitions of techniques standing, in the clinch, and on the floor, the skills of instinctive reaction in stressful situations in front of the enemy are acquired. This method is great for people who work in positions that require high physical fitness and cardiopulmonary endurance: for security personnel, doctors, teachers, police officers, and military personnel.
What is the philosophy of Sho-Shin Karate-Do based on?
Kaicho Raffi Liven advises others to "not depend on something, but always have complete control over what you do". According to him, Karate is not only a martial art but also a way of life that requires deep understanding, helping others, patience, responsibility, order, and loyalty. Whereas this means that concentration alone in teaching karate techniques is not enough! "Keep your body strong and healthy, elastic, and fast." In this way, the mind is strengthened. This is the foundation of Karate: when we are morally strong, everything can be achieved. Technically, the style is constantly evolving, It is important to remain impartial because you can always learn from a good Coach or a young child. Following the style, in Sho-Shin Karate-Do one does not stop learning new things to always improve and enrich the style. Unlike other styles, Sho-Shin Karate-Do is a realistic method. Every movement in Kata has a realistic meaning, unlike other styles. In the Sho-Shin Karate-Do method, the opponent is quickly and accurately counterattacked during his attack, thus breaking his spirit. “Karatekas must understand the logic of the movements associated with special combat modes,” and this applies to Kata in Sho-Shin Karate-Do, as well as to the basic techniques and combinations taught with a partner. When all movements are fast, agile, powerful, with realistic and practical relevance to be effective for self-defense purposes. From the first hour of training, students of The World Academy of Martial Arts are asked to analyze the new knowledge gained and what is behind each movement.
According to Kaicho Raffi Liven, the people of Kyokushin karate are strong physically and spiritually. But do not try to protect their face from punches, so they can easily be punched in the face if they have to fight according to different rules or if there are no rules. Other traditional karate styles show martial arts beauty, strength, synchronicity, control, and focus, but they are not ready for full contact and as a result, can be easily defeated with a strong punch or kick to the body and/or a low kick to the legs. According to the philosophy of Kaicho Raffi Liven "The body and mind of a Karatekas should be hard as iron and soft as water". Sho-Shin Karate-Do combines strength and resilience with control, timing, and concentration. This is why the best Sho-Shin Karate-Do athletes compete in any karate competition with and without full contact.
What is the philosophy of Krav-Maga-Li based on?
According to Kaicho Raffi Liven, Krav-Maga means "Face to Face Battle", which "originated in one of the most beautiful countries on earth with an interesting and rich history". That this country makes endless headlines for attempted assassinations, bombings, and political and religious conflicts. According to him, it is not surprising that one of the most effective self-defense systems to date has been developed in the State of Israel. According to him "the idea of the Krav-Maga can be summed up in a few words: everything is allowed when you are fighting for the self-defense of your life and others who are in real and immediate danger". In accordance with which this the Krav-Maga method was developed to train soldiers in effective hand-to-hand combat skills in a relatively short period of time. Today it is also taught in the institutions of the Israeli Ministry of Education. The Krav-Maga was created by Imi Lichtenfeld, who developed it over the course of his incredible career, first as a chief combat instructor in the Israel Defense Forces and then in various civilian institutions.
In Krav-Maga there are no restrictions on the use of methods and techniques - everything is allowed, this is the official method of struggle and self-defense of the Israeli Army, Police, and Security Forces. The method was developed in a stressful environment full of internal and external enemies of the State of Israel, in which it was impossible to devote time to hours of combat training. The goal was to create a collection of effective and deadly techniques from all martial arts that could be learned relatively quickly. Kaicho Raffi Liven and Imi Lichtenfeld were very close, over the years they developed a father-son relationship. Imi Lichtenfeld loved Kaicho Raffi Liven because of his ambition and desire to be great. He was always impressed by his skills, especially his desire to constantly develop the Israeli Krav-Maga method. At one of the working meetings on this topic, Kaicho Raffi Liven demonstrated the possibility of further development of the method, to which Imi Lichtenfeld replied: "Tell me, Raffi, are my students stupid?" Raffi asked why? He replied: "Over the years, none of my students have developed the Krav-Maga method, only you." As a result, Imi Lichtenfeld respected and loved Kaicho Raffi Liven.
What is the peculiarity of the fighting styles of Sho-Shin Karate-Do and Krav-Maga-Li?
According to The Master, Kaicho Raffi Liven, The Philosophy of the World Academy of Martial Arts is aimed at developing in trainees such principles as Survival, Self-Discipline, Self-Confidence, Responsibility, and Respect; The Training concentrates 100% on Kumite, 100% on Kata, and 100 % on Mental Training, all equal to form the full Karate not one before the other; “person should never stop learning and keep an open mind to everything” to achieve life goals; Graduates of this Academy have won numerous medals and trophies in different methods of Karate and MMA.
What does the training equipment of the Self-Defense trainer include?
Following the history of the method, great importance is attached to the formation of functional muscles. On the one hand, it is necessary to work on speed and agility in movement, and on the other hand, to develop muscles to increase strength and power. To succeed in this task: Need to work with small weights, many reps in each set; Also combine with strength training, it is advisable to consult with a trainer so as not to damage the muscle ligaments; It is recommended to work with a wrist expander and rubber for dynamic loading; With heavy training rope; a lot of reps on a heavy and light boxing bag; With a punching bag, etc ... It is imperative to practice throwing, choking, blocking, kicking and punching. Punches and knees on the trainer's abdomen may only be performed with suitable and safe belly protectors! In the tactical training of Krav-Maga, rubbery equipment is used like knives, padded sticks, etc... One needs to use equipment that has passed strict safety tests. When signing up for a club, check if their gym floor is well protected and if there is a suitable protective pad against falls, throws, etc. Below is a list of the recommended trainer equipment when teaching Self-Defense:
How important is personal protective equipment when practicing Self-Defense?
Good schools understand the importance of protective equipment when teaching martial arts in general and in combat in particular. Demonstrations and battles are not allowed without appropriate protective equipment! These are usually inexpensive shields compared to the physical damage they prevent. Also, there is no insurance without protective equipment! When striking a punching bag, be it a jab, cross, hook, or uppercut, boxing gloves should be used. It is recommended for full contact to use a body protector that maintains the integrity of the ribs. Also, shields for the head, teeth, groin, and legs are recommended.
It is very important to practice Self-Defense using rubber training knives and even more important during training to wear appropriate protective equipment: such as glasses designed to protect the eyes; a body protector; a Head guard against receiving an unwanted blow. The following is a list of recommended equipment for knife defense studies:
With what equipment is it recommended to practice Self-Defense at home?
To learn Self-Defense, one needs to practice the same thing, many times over. This is not a theoretical area compared to other martial arts where one can learn from a trainer by watching directly through a computer. So practice and interaction are of the utmost importance. Although, it is worth it and even recommended to work at home on punches and kicks, strength training, etc. For this purpose, it is possible to purchase minimal personal equipment that does not take up much space at home. Prepares physically for classes in the section. It also improves the following parameters: Strength, flexibility, cardiopulmonary endurance, and more.
Using a yoga mat, abdominal muscles can be improved; Training weights are to improve muscle strength; Using an adjustable strength bench can strengthen chest muscles by lifting weights; A free-standing punching bag is a perfect solution for punching and kicking improvement at home ... Below is a list of recommended equipment for home exercise:
Home training is recommended to be performed under the supervision of a certified trainer. It is recommended to avoid exercising alone at home!
How important is cardiopulmonary endurance in Self-Defense workouts?
First of all, this is health, and secondly, in a battle that does not end in a short time, the one who has cardiopulmonary endurance wins. To improve cardiopulmonary endurance, it is recommended to take brisk walks, combined with running, to increase and decrease the pace. These runs can be done outdoors, on the coast, on a Treadmill, or on a Home spinning bike. Recommended: Wear suitable shoes while running, and document and monitor your calorie burn and heart rate with your Smartwatch. Also, with the help of this it is very easy to see improvements in cardiopulmonary endurance, In fact, all your actions are recorded using a computer, and there is a training history. The following is a list of recommended personal equipment for home workouts, for developing cardiopulmonary endurance, and for monitoring and controlling progress:
Home training is recommended to be performed under the supervision of a certified trainer. It is recommended to avoid exercising alone at home!
Summary of the topic about the invincible Kaicho Raffi Liven
In this article, we scanned sources on the topic of Kaicho Raffi Liven and learned a large number of interesting topics from his life. We have seen, with what respect and gratitude Jon Bluming speaks in one of his letters about him. We were trying to figure out who the legendary Jon Bluming was? We saw the relationship of Master to Master between Raffi Liven and Imi Lichtenfeld. Respect and love of Imi Lichtenfeld for Raffi Liven due to the further development and improvement of the version of the Israeli Krav-Maga and more specifically in the creation of a better and more perfect version, namely Krav Maga-Li. We delved deeper into his Guinness record, where he broke 199 brick blocks in 60 seconds, and briefly skimmed over his other Guinness World Records. We looked at the life story of Kaicho Raffi Liven. We tried to understand what is the peculiarity of The World Academy of Martial Arts; In the philosophy of Sho-Shin Karate-Do; About Krav-Maga-Li and what is special in the fighting styles of Sho-Shin Karate-Do and Krav-Maga-Li.
The Article by Gil Peleg, student, and fan of Dr. Kaicho Raffi Livan.
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Oss Great Master Dr. Kaicho Raffi Livan.