“Knees and elbows, guns and knives.”

That’s how martial arts master Chris Pline describes the practice of krav maga – and he has the black belt to prove it.

Pline has offered krav maga classes at his studio since 2013; he is now starting a black belt program – the only one of its kind in Traverse City.

The owner of ATA Martial Arts in Traverse City achieved the second black belt of his 30-plus years as a martial arts teacher this past winter. In 2006 he earned a 6th degree black belt in taekwondo.

He says obtaining a black belt in krav maga was “definitely one of the toughest and most rewarding martial arts challenges I ever undertook.”

“Krav maga is straight forward self-defense and fitness,” says Pline. “Taekwondo is more artistic.”

Krav maga, which means “contact combat” in Hebrew, is a hybrid form of martial arts hand-to-hand combat. It is based on a combination of street fighting, wrestling and boxing, and was first developed as a self-defense system for the fledgling Israeli military in the late 1940s.

Pline originally started practicing krav maga as a way to get more physically fit.

“But I quickly found out that, in addition to helping you stay in stellar shape, krav maga also prepared your body and mind for the most feared real-life situation of all: defending yourself on the street against a sudden and violent encounter.”

Pline has never been attacked, but that is beside the point. “The world is potentially an unfriendly place,” he adds.

“The beauty of krav maga lies in its simplicity,” he adds. “For any self-defense technique to work, the system needs to be simple because in a life or death situation the sudden shock of being attacked causes fine motor skills to vanish. You get tunnel vision and your breathing quickens, all at a time when you need to be able to respond quickly and decisively.”

Pline, who will turn 59 next month, spent the last three years training for his krav maga black belt – thousands of sit-ups, push-ups, kicks, punches and taking down bigger men armed with handguns, knives and other potential weapons.

For the final test, he had to complete a written examination on krav maga philosophy and methodology, and then executed a 90-minute physical test that included a series of simulated, real-world encounters with violent attackers. For one test his hands were duct-taped together, for another a bag covered his head. He was graded on technique, speed and aggression and passed in all areas.

While just a decade ago, krav maga was barely known outside the elite military and law enforcement circles, Hollywood action films and celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Daniel Craig have helped turn it into a popular trend in “functional fitness.”

Pline says the typical student in his classes ranges from 30 to 60 years old, both men and women. It’s evenly split between those looking for fitness and those looking for self-defense, he says.

The basic krav maga 12-week class is open to anyone 18 years and older at ATA Martial Arts. Pline does also offer a teen class, absent the guns and knives.