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Becoming an Instructor
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
September 30, 2025, Israel
Training with Prof. Cohen, 2003
Training with Itay, 1990s
I called this blog 'Becoming an instructor" because it fits better with the current terms used in martial arts. But really, I would prefer to call it, Becoming a Teacher, Becoming a mentor, a role model, for that implies much more than just "instructing", which can be rather technical.
With IKI we have two ranking systems, which work well together but are different; belt ranks and instructor ranks. They are different because they measure and are indicative of very different skill sets. A belt rank tells me what you know how to do, but an instructor rank tells me that you know how to teach.
I shall explain.
A black belt will indicate that you have passed a series of training and examinations showing proficiency in an art, be it Karate, Judo, or paper-folding. Yes, in Japan there are black belts in Origami (the art of paper folding), chadō 茶道 /tea pouring, Shodō 書道 /calligraphy and so forth, it is not only about martial arts.
Not every black belt level practitioner is an instructor, and not every instructor has a black belt, teaching involves a different set of skills.
I have been fortunate to have had some excellent role models throughout my life, as well as plenty of examples of what not to do.
My first teacher-role model would be my mother, she exemplified how a teacher must be patient, caring, and more than anything, devoid of ego, you "surrender" yourself to the student in a way. Your purpose for being there is the growth and development of the student, not your image, or your perceived honor. You give yourself over to the holy task of teaching. I shall never forget sitting by my dear mother's bed in the hospice in Jerusalem, playing for her the messages from the kids that she taught, she softly spoke, "I guess I did make a difference after all", "I guess I did make a difference after all".
She most certainly did. and I see her as my first and most important teacher.
Now let us move on to becoming a martial arts teacher, the myths and the truth.
Myths
1. Military Experience qualifies you as a superior Krav Maga instructor - Having military experience in combat, automatically makes you a superior self-defense instructor. Being a tank commander or a battalion leader somehow prepares you for a violent street confrontation. While facing death does give you a certain psychological edge, the experience and the skills are very different. I am sure being a combat pilot dropping bombs over Iran is scary, but it does not make you a Krav Maga instructor.
2. Being a champion fighter automatically qualifies you to be an instructor - It does not. These are totally different skill sets. Many champions are naturally talented, strong and quick with great reaction time, these are qualities which are difficult to transfer to others.
3. Being a black belt automatically makes you an instructor - Again, totally False!! These are different skill sets. You can be a great martial artist but have zero teaching skills, zero "stage presence", zero teacher personality and zero ability to explain. Being a teacher is far more than knowing the material. You need a personality, patience, empathy, understanding of learning disabilities, you need humility, the ability to control your anger and frustration. You need to "see" the student and understand where he or she is, and what they need to grow and develop.
Truth
Being an instructor, a teacher, a mentor, is a very specific skill, or set of skills, it involves far more than we realize at first. It is not a skill to be trifled with. Remember the story of Rocky and Micky, Micky the elderly Jewish guy is the teacher, but Rocky is obviously a stronger fighter, they are two very different skills. (Please see Different Abilities) Please do not confuse them. Please do not think that your black belt automatically qualifies you to teach, not in our system. I earned my black belt from Itay Gil, it took years of hard work and a test that left me looking like I went through a terrorist attack, but I still had to attend Wingate Institute for a year before earning my instructor's license. Do not belittle the title of teacher. It is perhaps the most noble title one can hold.
In all of Jewish tradition none are esteemed as Moshe, the Biblical Moses, and he is referred to as Moshe Rabeinu, Moses our teacher! Do not take teaching lightly. Both my parents were teachers; may they rest in peace. My grandmother Henrietta Klein was a renowned teacher, my Aunt Rivka was a teacher, my Aunt Miriam was a teacher, may they all rest in peace.
The Process
When I was preparing for my black belt exam, my teacher Itay Gil pulled me aside for a talk. At the time I was not very fluid in my movements, I was young and hit hard. I trained hard, I fought hard, and I had my share of visits to the hospital. But Itay wanted to see something else, movement, flow, "softness". You can't just block everything with force; you need to learn the "Gentle Way" of Judo and Jujitsu. You need to learn to move like a wave. So he pared me up with a petite female Judo champion. She was tough as nails but had the skills and the feminine touch. Thus, when I teach these days, I often joke, in particular with women, and I say, relax, be more feminine, like me. I am confident to joke that way, another important quality which we shall discuss, humor and self-humor.
Part of being an instructor is being able to understand that there are things you need to work on, areas that you may have neglected. Don't be so arrogant that you cannot accept this advice. Here I was, after years of training hard, after being a student of Shigeru Oyama in Kyokushin Karate, and I was being told, you are not ready yet, you need to learn something you have neglected, softness, flow. And I accepted this and spent several months working on this. We need to understand that not everything comes with force, some things come with flexibility, with pliability, with softness, with patience.
When I began teaching abroad, I had the good fortune of having my dear friend, instructor, and mentor, Prof. Arthur Cohen, join me at a seminar. While I was teaching, he was taking notes!
What was he writing?!
He shared his thoughts with me.
Moshe, you failed to introduce yourself, you need to tell a little about yourself (unless the group already knows you, or the local instructor has already told them about you). If I don't know anything about you, why should I care what you have to say? I always to a little presentation with a slide show, Who is Arthur Cohen?
His slide show and introduction were both very humble, informative and humorous. i.e. there was no ego, no arrogance, but it is important that people know why your opinion is worth listening to. If people don't know your qualifications, they have to reason to take you seriously.
He also pointed out that "You have begun to use humor to teach, that is a good point, use that more!"
and he said, Remember, these are not your students, you are the guest instructor, you cannot hurt them. They came in with 10 fingers - they leave with 10 fingers, they came in with 28 teeth, they leave with your 28 teeth. You may not hurt them.
This has a big impact on me. Let us elaborate on this: Years before his time he was saying, put the macho ego aside, you are not here to "make an impression", to show off how strong you are, that you are capable of hurting people. NO, none of that is OK. This is not the place for your ego, not the place to prove you are a Bad Ass. All that must be flushed down the toilet before you can call yourself an instructor.
Sadly, most instructors have not learned this lesson. I am grateful to Arthur Cohen.
Learing to be an instructor is a process, control your ego, be patient, put the needs of your students before your own. When I was in Wingate Roni Kluger told us, when you become an instructor you are no longer the center of attention, it is no longer about you, it is now about the student.
There are teachers that stand in front of the class and use the lesson as their own personal workout, to kick and punch, but Roni Kluger was saying that is not the case. When you are a competitive athlete, it is about you. Once you become an instructor, it is about the student.
Itay saw something in me. He knew I was already teaching, and he knew that I wanted the black belt, and yet he withheld it for a long time, he kept saying Moshe, be patient, your day of glory will come.
Your day of glory will come, he said this over and over again. And it has come, beyond my wildest dreams and expectations. That is why sitting in Business Class and airport lounges means so much to me, because I worked so hard and so long for it!! because as Itay said, my day of glory has come.
I know I try to guide young instructors in their process. But they must remember to focus on the process, not the product. Work hard every day, show up for training, don't nag the instructor about when you will be tested for your next rank. Ask what you need to work on, what areas you need improvement on.
When Itay and Arthur guided me, they redirected me to work on areas I had not realized where important, areas I had not focused on. It was on fluidity, it was on sensitivity, it was on not hurting students.
To be a teacher is a great honor, and it is not a skill acquired overnight, it takes time and experience. That is why with IKI we have different levels of instructor, honor the process, honor the title, and honor the great and holy task that belongs to those who choose to teach.
For those about to teach, we salute you!
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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