There has been a recently been a large number of people in the Kansas City area claiming to teach Krav Maga. I would like to clear up some popular misconceptions for you.
Krav Maga WorldWide/Krav Maga National Training Center is the sanctioning body for all Krav Maga training in North America. Darren Levine is the head of the system for North America. He was one of two people given a Founder's Diploma by Imi Lichtenfeld, the gentleman who first developed Krav Maga.
My school is the only school in the Kansas City area that is a licensee of Krav Maga WorldWide.
I am the Chief Instructor of Krav Maga in Kansas City. That's disputed by no one. I've trained Local and Federal Law Enforcement, military and civilians. During the last 10 years I've logged over 10,000 teaching/training hours. There are a number of people in the Kansas City area who (by listing my name on their website and by other means) have tried or are trying to infer that they are recommended or authorized by me. This is false. I have at no time in the past recommended or presently recommend training with any other individuals in Krav Maga in the Kansas City area.
There are two people authorized to teach Krav Maga Law Enforcement Curriculum in the Kansas City area. That would be myself and Lieutenant Erik Hulse of the Overland Park Police Department.
If someone claims to be a Krav Maga Fighter in the Kansas City area there is an easy way to tell. If I'm not in the corner, they're not one of our fighters.
The reason that you see a number of other people claiming to teach Krav Maga in Kansas City is very simple. About 5 or so years ago Krav Maga WorldWide/Krav Maga National Training Center lost a long standing legal battle to copyright the term "Krav Maga". Before this happened a Cease and Desist letter was sent to those claiming to teach it without authorization. (I know this for a fact because I personally generated no less than four letters). The court ruled that it was a generic term. After this occurred, anyone could "hang out their shingle" and claim that they are teaching it. All but my school have done this because they didn't want to commit to the money, time or the training required to go through the National Training Center.
The reason for this letter is to educate people to the fact that you may not be getting Krav Maga the way it is supposed to be taught by someone who is trained to teach it. The vast majority of these individuals have gleaned the majority of their information from our books and videos. I have received over a dozen emails, phone calls and individuals coming to my school asking if we teach "fake" Krav Maga or if we teach the real thing. Most of these individuals tried classes at other schools and came away feeling that the instructors were not proficient or that it was not actual Krav Maga but a conglomeration of other systems.
My suggestion would be this; go somewhere and try a class and then come to our facility and decide from there.
Steve Woolridge
Kansas City Chief Krav Maga Instructor
Krav Maga WorldWide/Krav Maga National Training Center is the sanctioning body for all Krav Maga training in North America. Darren Levine is the head of the system for North America. He was one of two people given a Founder's Diploma by Imi Lichtenfeld, the gentleman who first developed Krav Maga.
My school is the only school in the Kansas City area that is a licensee of Krav Maga WorldWide.
I am the Chief Instructor of Krav Maga in Kansas City. That's disputed by no one. I've trained Local and Federal Law Enforcement, military and civilians. During the last 10 years I've logged over 10,000 teaching/training hours. There are a number of people in the Kansas City area who (by listing my name on their website and by other means) have tried or are trying to infer that they are recommended or authorized by me. This is false. I have at no time in the past recommended or presently recommend training with any other individuals in Krav Maga in the Kansas City area.
There are two people authorized to teach Krav Maga Law Enforcement Curriculum in the Kansas City area. That would be myself and Lieutenant Erik Hulse of the Overland Park Police Department.
If someone claims to be a Krav Maga Fighter in the Kansas City area there is an easy way to tell. If I'm not in the corner, they're not one of our fighters.
The reason that you see a number of other people claiming to teach Krav Maga in Kansas City is very simple. About 5 or so years ago Krav Maga WorldWide/Krav Maga National Training Center lost a long standing legal battle to copyright the term "Krav Maga". Before this happened a Cease and Desist letter was sent to those claiming to teach it without authorization. (I know this for a fact because I personally generated no less than four letters). The court ruled that it was a generic term. After this occurred, anyone could "hang out their shingle" and claim that they are teaching it. All but my school have done this because they didn't want to commit to the money, time or the training required to go through the National Training Center.
The reason for this letter is to educate people to the fact that you may not be getting Krav Maga the way it is supposed to be taught by someone who is trained to teach it. The vast majority of these individuals have gleaned the majority of their information from our books and videos. I have received over a dozen emails, phone calls and individuals coming to my school asking if we teach "fake" Krav Maga or if we teach the real thing. Most of these individuals tried classes at other schools and came away feeling that the instructors were not proficient or that it was not actual Krav Maga but a conglomeration of other systems.
My suggestion would be this; go somewhere and try a class and then come to our facility and decide from there.
Steve Woolridge
Kansas City Chief Krav Maga Instructor
