Taking It To The Next Level

I went to get my Krav Maga Civilian Law Enforcement Instructor Certification. It was for 5 days and covered combatives and self defense, defenses against threats with a handgun and weapon retention, and lastly, defenses against threats and attacks with edged weapons.

It was different from Phase training in several ways. Since you’re required to have gone through Expert 1 (blue belt), we moved at a faster pace and covered more material in less time. We were expected to know and be able to perform all the material/self defense techniques (including gun and knife) and be able to apply it to a law enforcement setting. Without getting into specifics, I was definitely impressed how much the system stayed true to its roots, focusing on being simple and having ONE technique (based on something previously learned in the system) and then only slightly modifying it for law enforcement purposes.

There were Krav Maga instructors from all over North America (as far north as Toronto and as far south as Vera Cruz, Mexico).

Darren Levine (chief instructor of Krav Maga and the LA County Head Deputy District Attorney prosecuting crimes against peace officers) stopped by during the week and gave us a really powerful lecture and presentation of what peace officers go through and how they’re at risk (including their families) on a daily basis.

I was also very privileged to have Jon Pascal (Director of Force Training for Krav Maga) teach and run the entire course. He is hands down one of my favorite instructors and definitely someone I look up to in regards to being the perfect instructor (if there is such a thing).

Throughout the week, we worked with different Force Training instructors that were also part of the Los Angeles Sherriff's Department. On our last day of training, we went off site to the LASD Training Academy (which is where they film the reality series, “The Academy”) and worked with a group of cadets. The last day was really special and fun; it was an honor to be allowed to go to their facility and help train the new recruits.

All in all, it was a great week and even a better way to introduce me back into training since my back surgery. I look forward going back!