- Home
- Krav Maga Blog
- Krav Instructors
- Train in Israel
- Tour Train Israel
- Krav Shop
- DVD
- Kickboxing
- IKI Near Me
- Seminars
- IKI Membership
- On-Line Training
- Krav Maga Training
- Testimonials
- History Krav Maga
- Instructors Page
- Past Blogs
- Spanish
- Italian
- Certification
- Contact
- Holland Seminar
- Vienna Seminar
- Poland Seminar
- Italy Seminar
- Belt Requirements
Lowering our Standards
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
October 18, 2026, Israel
Should one ever lower their standards?
That question requires definition.
Many martial arts, many schools, lower their standards in order to allow more students to graduate. This creates a dumbing of society, a deterioration of society. When my dear grandfather, Rabbi Isaac Klein, saw what some modern American rabbis were required to know in order to pass their exams, he commented to my mother, in Munkács, the texts they are studying and being challenged by were putty, clay, in my hands. i.e. something easy to be played with. The standards were being dropped. The modern American rabbis of this particular movement were far below their Polish, Hungarian, and German Jewish forefathers.
That is not a good approach to take. Thankfully today America and Israel have both elevated those standards and we have a very high level of rabbinic scholarship.
In the world of self-defense, lowering of standards has the effect of increase financial success, happier students, happier parents, faster belt tests. I once met a 13-year-old girl who was the same rank as me at the time, third dan black belt. The sweet little girl smiled at me and said, "We are the same!", No, we are not. Standards matter, and should not be lowered.
However, there are times when in order to achieve our goals we need to adjust our standards. When I look at the world and I see the pain, the suffering, the humiliation people suffer, the fear people live with, I want them to learn to defend themselves. However, I know that most will not have the time, ability, or inclination to earn a black belt in Karate, and even that would not be nearly enough. My journey has been close to have a century of constant dedication, and sacrifice, missing friends' weddings, giving up job opportunities, going on blind dates with a black eye and a fat lip, spending large amounts of money. Most cannot do this. Life happens.
Thus, I realized that I must find a way to develop a program of basic self-defense survival skills that do not require large amounts of time, a perfect body, youth, coordination or Olympic style discipline. Being able to defend yourself, being able to cope with violence, does not required us to lower our standards, it requires us to carry those standards with us without demanding that which cannot be expected.
I am proud to say that I have adapted a line from my brother's soon to be published book, "Being Jewish in the wider world does not require us to lower our standards. It requires us to learn how to carry those standards with us without demanding that everyone around us reorganize their world for our convenience."
We can apply the idea to our Krav Maga training.
For IKI instructors, for our Krav Maga Research and Development team, this means carrying our standards, transforming our techniques into a method that every normal human with the coordination to drive a car or ride a bicycle can learn quickly. We are not lowering our standards; we are adapting them to the needs of the people. We are looking at regular people, not cross-fit champions, not full-time professional athletes, and we are asking, what can you do, and what do you truly need to survive day to day in your environment. This is IKI Krav Maga, not your standard Krav Maga.
Moshe Katz, 8th 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.
Start or UpgradeYour REAL Training TODAY
Or is someone coming to save you?
IKI Krav Maga online distance training - Leading to ranks and certification.
Tour and Train Israel Experience
Personal Training - If you are interested in personal Krav Maga training please contact us on the form below.
