September 29, 2014
Not all Krav Maga ranks are the same. Not all Krav Maga organizations are the same.
I just finished the first part of an evaluation for a rank test. The student is doing well, a few minor corrections but ...he is getting it so I am pleased.
Recently we lost a member, always sad. But it is truly sad when I see the organizations our former members join, that is truly sad. I also find it interesting to notice that the day after they join their new organization they are already listed as "instructor" on the official website. Usually, they are also magically a higher-ranking black belt than before.
In this particular case the new chosen organization teaches a very complex form of so called Krav Maga, (actually it is the same Jujitsu I trained in years ago, but today everything has been marketed as Krav Maga). So I know that it took me years to be certified in that system yet this member was instantly recognized as an instructor.
I am not naive. I have been told by many of our members how this works. As soon as someone expresses an interest in joining an organization they are promised not only rank recognition but often new and higher ranks.
No training is required, no testing. Just join and you are an instructor. This way the new member does not feel bad "losing" his instructor status with the organization he is leaving.
So today I was viewing e mail after e mail with clips from our current candidate. What struck me as interesting was his "signature". In other words many people have an automatic list of their credentials on the bottom of their e mail, just after their name. Such as licensed lawyer, doctor etc.
Totally legitimate.
So this fellow has a long list of his martial arts accomplishments, 5th dan in this, 4th dan in that, master status in this etc. And it hit me. This man joined our organizations with many high level ranks in many styles of martial arts. Yet here he is humbly testing for the rank of Apprentice Instructor!
Think of it. How proud I am of IKI. In any other Krav Maga organization one's rank is not only instantly recognized, sight unseen and untested, but often even higher ranks are awarded just for switching over. And here we have a high-level instructor proudly and humbly testing for Apprentice Instructor. At IKI you earn your ranks, you do not buy them.