In order to master Krav Maga and earn the top honor of the Black Belt, a student must devote time and be willing to work through the various levels of learning. The intense Krav Maga Black Belt curriculum sharpens students both physically and mentally and teaches them how to defend themselves in hostile circumstances. As they continue their studies, their instructors will reward improvement with a tangible sign of progression: the Krav Maga belt.
A Symbol of Progress
The color of a student’s belt represents the amount of the curriculum they have completed. The belts allow students to easily determine what level of Krav Maga mastery others have achieved and where their training currently lies, and form mutual respect based on common goals.
There are five levels in the curriculum and six different colors of belts that can be obtained. For a student to make their way through all of the levels, they should anticipate a time commitment of around 40 months, or a little over three years. Of course, as in all learning activities, each student will learn at their own pace, so the times estimated to advance through each ranking are more like guidelines than hard-and-fast rules.
Moving Through the Ranks
The first belt that a student will wear is usually a White Belt, to indicate beginner status. If a student successfully shows that they are ready to start moving up through the curriculum by passing their first belt test, they will receive their Yellow Belt and belt diploma during class. This process continues through each level as long as a student maintains dedication and puts in the hard work required to progress through the Krav Maga Black Belt curriculum.
Earning a Black Belt
The goal of students training in Krav Maga is usually to make it all the way through the ranking system and demonstrate their mastery by earning the coveted Black Belt. Once a student has trained with a Brown Belt for a full year, they will become eligible to receive an invitation to test. While the Black Belt is the ultimate achievement as far as color is concerned, students can actually earn various distinctions within the Krav Maga Black Belt curriculum, called degrees, through continued training. Black Belt testing is upon invitation only, and a set period of time is usually required between earning Black Belt degrees.
While the Black Belt is the highest honor among Krav Maga students, the journey to get to this level is no easy task. Committing to Krav Maga Worldwide training is hard work, and graduation from one level of the Krav Maga Black Belt curriculum to the next is a serious accomplishment.
