BACKGROUND

Our Krav Maga self-defense system does not adhere to many of the same ceremonial aspects still practiced in traditional martial art, but it does utilize a Krav Maga belt system that corresponds to the levels in which people train and achieve. There are six main belt levels in the Krav Maga Intense Personal Protection (IPP) self-defense that can be earned. Global One Defense Krav Maga does not award actual, physical, belts.

ABOUT BELT CERTIFICATIONS

Students are recognized with a certificate denoting their belt level earned and awarded their promotion during a class/training session. The six belts in the Global One Defense Krav Maga Belt System used are; Yellow (completion of Level 1), Orange(completion of Level 2), Green (completion of Level 3), Blue (completion of Level 4), Brown (completion of Level 5), and Black. Higher ranks of Black Belts can be earned if you are approved and invited to test by our Higher Ranked Black Belt Instructors.

INSTRUCTORS

All of Global One Defense Black Belt Instructors hold 2nd, 3rd and 4thDan IPP Krav Maga Certifications. They also hold multiple black belts in Shotokan, American Krav Maga, Commando Krav Maga, Sancus Ryu Jiu Jitsu, and Tae Kwon Do. All are some of the United States highest ranking IPP KM instructors. Their Chief Instructor Alberto Merlo, who holds an 10th Degree IPP KM Black Belt lives in Italy.

BELT SYSTEM

The IPP Krav Maga belt system used by Global One Defense is a great way for students to understand and track their own development within the system. In order to progress to the next level, students are required to take and pass a test. Unlike some traditional martial arts that rely on one instructor, or “master”, or “sensei”, to award a promotion based solely on their own judgement. Global One Defense requires two Black Belt Master Instructors to test, evaluate, and determine if an advanced belt is awarded or not. Also, all current belt testing students and other others from the Life Defense Training course are informed of the belt test date so they may observe the testing and gain an idea of what to expect when test. In this way, students know what they need to accomplish to become eligible and can structure their own training routine accordingly.

MASTER INSTRUCTOR APPROVES TEST LEVELS

When a student achieves the requisite number of courses and hours of training for each level, students must obtain permission to test from a Global One Defense Master Instructor only! This usually comes from the instructor who has worked with the student the most and has helped them develop their skills within the Krav Maga belt level system. There are occasions when a student has reached the requisite number of classes and hours of training required to test but they will be informed by the instructor that additional time training and work in some aspects of the level are required before that student can test.

This is done in this manner because an instructor’s judgement always determines advancement to some degree. This provides a fail-safe manner of testing, which gives the student the best opportunity to pass the level test before they go in. Level tests or, if you prefer, belt tests are physically and mentally challenging, which requires intense effort and preparation. Often many years. It’s not fair to the student to simply let them test once the requisites for the level are met.

TEST REQUIREMENTS

The student must meet the requisites AND demonstrate mastery of the material in classes in-order to take their test, earn the right to train in the next level, and earn their belt for that level. A handout outlining the belt level requirements for each level will be given to each student for the level they are training for only.

IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTALS

The Krav Maga levels build on one another. The foundational skills that students learn in Levels 1 and 2 carry over into all higher levels and each level/belt test reinforces those skills, which helps students retain and continue to build on these skills. Higher level students often find it useful to go back to lower-level classes as a means of reinforcing their overall skill level and helping lower-level students learn and succeed.

CONSISTENCY AND COMMITMENT

It is easy for beginning students to get caught up in belt-chasing or simply focusing on wanting to earn the next belt in the Krav Maga belt system, or in any martial art, for that matter. What’s really important, and what really matters in terms of developing skill, is consistency of training in each level and pushing yourself to get better. Krav Maga self-defense is designed to get people to a high level of proficiency in a short period of time. Commitment to regular and consistent training is the key to getting to that level of proficiency. That commitment doesn’t come from a belt – it comes from inside of you!

IMPORTANCE OF MINDSET

Each training level and belt level is important. Each level/belt test and its specific attack scenarios presents different physical and mental challenges that are designed to push students to their limit. The shared experience in progressing through these levels helps Krav Maga develop a tight-knit and supportive Krav Maga base community in which people can feel comfortable working hard, learning to defend themselves, and proud of what they represent. This was, ultimately, the vision of Krav Maga’s founder Imi Lichtenfeld who wanted everyone to learn Krav Maga so that they could “walk in peace!”

Any questions please contact one of the Krav Maga Master Instructors Gilbert Baca, Scott Mitchell, Damian Pascetti, and Adrian Rubio. They can be see at: https://www.globalonedefense.com/staff.