Belt Graduation on Krav Maga

[Marceloazevedo]

I study Krav Maga in Brazil, it's website is: http://www.kravmaga.com.br ( You can choose to see the whole website in english in the top right of the screen)
I am moving permanently to the us in three years but i am not sure how the belt graduation is in there. After three years, i hope to have a green belt, or at least the orange one.
How the graduation is in there? How long do you have to stay in every belt to get into a higher one?
And if anybody knows, will I be able to continue in the same level that i was in here when i start doing krav maga in the US?

[Jesse]

There's a number of instructors on here that will be able to tell you a lot better than I can about what would happen when you move here. What I'm curious about is the Brazilian side of things, since I'm getting ready to move to Sao Paulo. I just was curious about how things were set. I had read on another forum about a few things there in Brazil and wanted to know how closely those people's opinions conformed to reality. I'd also taken a look previously at the site you mentioned for the organization there, and had been very impressed with the professionalism of whoever put together your design work and presentations.

Do you guys require an exact set period of time between various belt levels or ranks or is it based on skill level and work put in?

Are you required to purchase full gear only from the Brazilian association?

At what level and at what time period would you normally start sparring with your classmates? Is it during a separate class or is it simply put into the curriculum?

What would your views be on someone coming from America to Brazil be if I were able to start Krav Maga there? (Bear in mind that we're technically different organizations, but everyone pretty much knows each other.)

What caused you to choose to do Krav Maga in Brazil? Do you think it's very well known in Brazil?

What is the normal schedule of classes at your school? Which do you normally go to and which could you go to?

Are all Krav Maga schools in Brazil purely for Krav Maga, or are some of them clubs that also teach mixed martial arts or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at other times?


Thanks so much. If someone doesn't answer your question, I'll go over to Ryan and grab him by the scruff...err I'll beg him on my knees to answer your question.

Jesse

[Marceloazevedo]

Too many questions hehehe I lived in Sao Paulo for four months, now i live in a city close to it, if you need any extra help, contact me on the msn: marcelomedeiros@msn.com

Concerning your questions:
There is a minimum time to spend in every level, but you get tested by your skills, normally the students spend more time on each level than the minimum, sometimes they spend twice as much as the minimum time required...
The Brazillian association is actually the south american one. It owes the brend "KRAV MAGA" in Brazil, and no one can use that name, or teach it without it's permission.
Most of the activities in the white belt are done "solo" but from time to time we practice with each other, it's more common to see students practicing with one another in the yellow belt, which is the second level ( usually a guy takes 8 months to get into the second level )
Since i don't have any idea of how Krav Maga works in the US, i am not able to say how krav maga's academies in Brazil deal with this kind of "transference"
I've chosen Krav Maga because it's not a dance, it's not a martial art, and it's not a sport. It teaches how to fight on the street, and that's what i wanted to learn.
There are 1 hour classes from monday to thursday in my academy, and a 2 hours class on saturday. I could go to all those classes, but they are divided by:
Class 1: Monday and Wednesday
Class 2: Tuesday and Thursday
Class 3: Saturday
I go on mondays and wednesdays...
I study Krav Maga in a GYM, there are several martial arts in there...

Can you answer me the same questions, but related to the US?

[greenbeanie]

Here is a link to the Krav Maga Worldwide's National Training Center in Los Angeles. Click on each link to find out more about each self-defense level.

[Jesse]

Sure thing.

I go to www.rhek.com here in NC. It's owned and operated by Ryan and one of the teachers is Fred_Jennings so assume for the sake of argument that I'm going to be offbase or flat out wrong for at least something I say and they'll need to step in and correct it which they're well capable to do.


Going from level to level is based on skill and I don't know of a minimum time neccessarily. On the other hand if you don't have the skill you don't have a chance is what I've been told.

There's gear with the "Krav Maga" logo on it and a lot of things we can get, but it's not a problem to use whatever you've got so long as it meets their standards of quality and safety for the activity you're working on. We have to wear a shirt from here to train though which is cool cause they've got some hilarious or thought provoking sayings on them. My problem is that I tend to laugh at the serious ones and get too deep into the ones meant to be a joke. I used to get beat up for things like that and it could happen again.

Sparring - I'll let Ryan or Fred answer that cause I haven't started yet and I'm not sure about in class. Outside of class times doesn't seem to be a problem.

Again, I have no idea how they would deal with you coming up. Gut feeling is that they'd take a good look at what you know and where you are and throw you in to the wolves.

I personally chose it because I wanted something that was focused on teaching me quickly how to handle myself on the streets if there's a confrontation. I'm almost 30 years old, I'm a preacher and I have a family. As part of what I do I normally live, work, and travel through bad neighborhoods. I've got six months to learn as much as I can. I have a background in more traditional martial arts, but I wanted something focused on street fighting instead of tradition or sports aspects although I respect those. Krav Maga's starting to get more well known here in the USA.

I'm working off the new schedule here so bear with me. This one's effective Monday actually.
Intro Class (To get people onboard and have them try things out) is 6:00pm-6:45pm Tuesday and Thursday
Level One is 9:00am-10:00am Tuesday and Thursday mornings and 6:45pm-7:45pm Tuesday and Thursday nights
Level Two is 10:00am-11:00am Tuesday and Thursday mornings and 6:30pm-7:30pm Monday and Wednesdy nights
Level Three is 7:30-8:30 Monday and Wednesday nights
There is a Krav Maga Open class on Saturdays at 9:30am-10:30am

I go to the two intro classes, all the level one classes morning and evenings, and I'm about to start sitting in on the level two classes in the mornings and on Monday nights so its roughly 9-10 hours of class a week.

RHEK has some very good MMA teachers, BJJ and Muay Thai; in addition to a very good set of kids programs. I'd love to take some of the grappling side of things, but I just don't have the time and a number of the classes overlap when they're held.

Good luck to you. Where are you planning on moving to up here?

Jesse

[Marceloazevedo]

Guys, i still don't know how i am going to be tested to find out in which level i will be practicing when i get in the US. Is there a krav maga instructor, or anyone that would know the answer?

[mara_jade]

Whichever school you plan to train at would probably be able to give you an answer. You're still training and 3 years is a long way to worry about that now, no?

[Marceloazevedo]

I wouldn't say it is a worry, just a curiosity... that's what this forum is all about right?

[mara_jade]

True but things may change in 3 years. No one can guarantee what they tell you now will be exactly the same answer in 3 years when you get here - that's all I'm saying.