Krav Maga (Hebrew קרב מגע: "close combat") is a self-defense and military hand to hand combat system. It came to prominence following its adoption by various Israeli Security Forces; now more widely in use including by the special forces of other countries. The version of Krav Maga taught in civilian martial arts classes is more often a simplified version that emphasizes personal self-defense, and is likely to exclude the killing techniques taught to the military, or the holds and come-alongs taught to police forces; there are legal proscriptions in some countries which govern and constrain the teaching of hazardous or life-threatening techniques to civilians. English-speakers often shorten the term to Krav.