I am a huge fan of both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  I just watched The Dark Knight for the third time and I have always been awed by the fight choreography. Coupled with the chaotic intensity of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker, The Dark Knight is a hard movie to beat.  But let’s not get sidetracked, you have all seen the movie.

My reason for bringing the Batman genre to light is that I have always wondered what fighting system inspired the Caped Crusader’s combat style.  The fight scenes in both movies showcased a brutal, in-close fighting style complete with headbutts, elbows, trapping, and limb destruction fused with quick, powerful transitions.  Think you have seen this before in other systems?  Well check this out…

The folks that brought us the darker and grittier Batman gave him a darker and grittier street combat style called the Keysi Fighting Method (KFM).  KFM was developed by Spaniard Justo Dieguez and Englishman Andy Norman.  Both men have legitamate credentials in the martial arts and reality based fighting.  The melding of  both men’s fighting knowledge became the basis of KFM.  While you will see the the influences of other arts in KFM, there is a movement and style that is distinctive to KFM.

The majority of KFM instructors are in Spain and the United Kingdom with perhaps two schools in the United States.  The KFM website offers an online university for distance learning (perhaps a future project for the Fighting Measure team). Learn more about KFM through their website or just go and watch the Batman series (not the ones with Keaton, Kilmer, or Clooney).

I was impressed by this clip of KFM on ground. Very basic strikes, while in the guard, with total aggressiveness.  I don’t think many people can defend this attack for long. 

I hope KFM catches on at home.  This seems to be a valid combat method that many people can learn and employ.

Great stuff, Happy Training!

CD