Dan 8 – question

[kevinmack]

Re: Dan 8 – question

Yeah…but at the same time people need to have a rank that properly suits them. Rick Blistein is a first degree black belt…..I am also a first degree black belt….yet I in no way consider my self to be on the same level as Rick or consider him my peer. He has been training and teaching Krav Maga for over 30 years and was a personal student of Imi Lichtenfeld. What happens if an instructor or organization decides to promote me to 3rd dan? I would have the same rank as my instructor and would then would be a higher rank than people like Rick. That’s just inappropriate. I would feel very uncomfortable about that.
Everybody likes to say that rank doesn’t matter yet we use ranks,titles and positions in every aspect of our culture. Its just about respect and honor.
There is a black belt under my instructor who was his very first student. This guy was up there in age when he started training with Alan in 1981 so he was much older when I started training with them. I could easily take this guy in a fight yet every time I see him I always bow to him and show him respect. Even though he has never asked me to do this and I was never told to…..I do this our of respect for the time he has spent training in Krav Maga…the knowledge he was accumulated and his loyalty to Alan and Imi. Plus he is a very nice guy and I have learned things from him.
Respect….Loyalty…..Honor. These are not just things to be found in traditional martial arts…..they should be the foundation of all that we do. This thing of ours.
Kida!

quote catapult:

Seems like the thing all those guys have in common is they are humble enough and confident enough that they don’t need the belts. They are willing to let their accomplishments speak for themselves.

[jacgue36]

Re: Dan 8 – question

“There is a black belt under my instructor who was his very first student. This guy was up there in age when he started training with Alan in 1981 so he was much older when I started training with them. I could easily take this guy in a fight yet every time I see him I always bow to him and show him respect. Even though he has never asked me to do this and I was never told to…..I do this our of respect for the time he has spent training in Krav Maga…the knowledge he was accumulated and his loyalty to Alan and Imi. Plus he is a very nice guy and I have learned things from him.
Respect….Loyalty…..Honor.”

Well said!!

[gwalsh-d92]

Re: Dan 8 – question

quote tadpole25:

I know that Dan 8 is the master rank of Krav Maga.

I know a person who is 23, who claims to have been practicing Krav Maga since age 12. I hear he reached Dan 8 and he now works as an assistant instructor, as well as a part-time private instructor. To be fair, he is very dedicated, smart and physically strong, but I still have my doubts (he could be lying, or he could have been given lienient training).

While I can’t expect you to be able to make judgment on a person who you don’t know, I ask how likely is it that a person can master a martial art like Krav Maga in 10 years and at the young age of 23? What would doing so entail?

I did it. I promoted the 23yr old to Dan 8.
Except it wasn’t in Krav Maga, it was in Krav Menudo.
It’s a self defense system based on boyband dance moves.

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