Everything you need to know about the Keysi Method

The Keysi method was founded by the Spaniard Justo Dieguez in 1980. Since then, it has grown massively in popularity, before starting to decline in terms of influence. Often referred to as KFM (Keysi Fighting Methods), this martial art is often used in Hollywood movies, because its combat style looks good when it comes to fighting choreography. This gets people questioning whether the Keysi Method is legitimate, or whether it’s simply something that looks good in movies.

In this article, we shall go over everything involving the Keysi Method and how it works, as well as its legitimacy as a martial art, or whether it’s just a load of garbage.

Is the Keysi Method a legitimate martial art?

Before its involvement in movies, the Keysi Method had been taught for many years as a martial art. In this sense, it’s fair to say that the Keysi Method is a legitimate martial art. In short, the original idea was to be able to use a number of different fighting techniques and throw them together to make a more efficient fighting system. This wasn’t the first time that a new martial art had come along with this belief, and it probably won’t be the last either.

The point of the Keysi method was originally to use these techniques and use them during a street fight or self defense encounter. Typically, the Keysi method involves using a mixture of striking and some grappling, where the emphasis is on striking. It often involves using the elbows both offensively and defensively. As a result of its broad approach, it is often compared to the Self Defense Lab which is another modern martial art that teaches similar methods.

One main criticism of the Keysi method is that it’s actually too broad and lacks any specialist movements. For instance, if you want to learn how to strike, you should learn kickboxing or Muay Thai. If you want to learn how to throw, you should do Judo or wrestling. Similarly, if you want to learn grappling on the floor then BJJ is an option.

The Keysi Method elbow defense

Perhaps the most unique part of the Keysi method is the use of elbows to shell up and defend against strikes. Often, boxers will raise their elbows to defend against strikes to their head, and Muay Thai fighters also take up a similar stance. However, the Keysi method offers something completely different. Here, its practitioners raise one elbow upwards like a boxer, whilst hugging it with their other arm in a horizontal line across their face.

Supposedly, the point of this is that it blocks to the side of the head like a conventional boxer would, whilst also blocking strikes directly to the face, by placing the other elbow there. As far as self defense goes, this isn’t really found in other martial arts, but it’s at least interesting. The point of this structure is that you won’t completely block blows to the head, but you should at least soak up most of the damage with your elbows.

In fact, it’s not just defense that this martial art uses its elbows in. If you follow the Keysi method, you’ll also see that one of its main attacks is done by elbowing the opponent which can turn attack into defense.

Over the years, some have been critical of this style, saying it lacks realism and exposes the one side of your head to blows. Generally, this is something that isn’t used elsewhere, but like everything in life, it’s up to the individual to deem whether it’s effective or not.

What movies is the Keysi Method used in?

Legendary movie director Christopher Nolan was a big fan of the Keysi method and often used it in his Batman films. It’s no secret that these movies earned high praise, and the fighting looked unique compared to previous action movies. For instance, when Batman fights Bane in Dark Knight Rises, he uses the Keysi method.

Perhaps the reason why it looks better than conventional fighting in films is that it looks more real. Oftentimes, if you watch something like James Bond, he will defeat his enemies with ease. At least with the Keysi method, it looks like either fighter is struggling and it’s a bit of a grind, which is often what fighting is like in real life.

Elsewhere, the Keysi method was used in Jack Reacher by Tom Cruise. This film was released around the same time as the Nolan movies, which is probably when the Keysi method was at the height of its popularity. Here, Cruise would partake in gritty fight scenes that weren’t as pretty as previous movies. As a result, you could say that both Christian Bale and Tom Cruise have some formal training in the Keysi method of fighting.

Since this era, the Keysi method has died down in terms of its Hollywood popularity. These days, you can often see more Judo and BJJ being used in movies such as John Wick which seems to be the current trend. Before the Keysi method era, you could also claim that Aikido was used commonly in the 80s and 90s. Like every martial art, mainstream culture shines its light on its methods every once in a while.

Conclusion

These days, learning the Keysi method is still plausible in the west, however it’s not as commonly taught as other martial arts. Still, if you’re desperate then there’s a possibility that a Keysi gym is near you. Similarly, there are probably a lot more Self Defense Lab classes in your locality which seems to have cornered the market in that section. So, if you want to learn this martial art then the Self Defense Lab may be more realistic in terms of classes.

As mentioned earlier though, one issue with the Keysi method is that it’s perhaps too ambitious in its approach. Unlike specialist martial arts, it tries to teach a bit of everything and ends up being too raw. Because of this, it’s often shunned by certain martial artists who see it as pointless compared to the disciplines trained in MMA.

Having said this, the likelihood is that a trained Keysi method fighter would beat an untrained opponent in a fight. Ultimately, this is what the Keysi method originally set out to do, so whilst it may not be the best martial art out there, it’s still effective in teaching people self defense which was its original aim.

To learn more about the Keysi method from the source, check out the DVD by Justo Dieguez here.