"When Am I Ready To Test?"

We're less than a month away from our testing extravaganza - thank goodness - and I've really been impressed by all the work people are putting in. I can definitely see the improvement from workshop to workshop, and the other instructors say the same. But one thing that isn't always clear is, "When are you ready to test?" Well the short answer is that you test, "When you're ready." But that's not very helpful is it? Aside from waiting around for one of the instructors to select you, it would be nice to have some guidelines. We do have some estimations of how long you should train in each level before being ready to test. I must emphasize that these are estimations; it may very well take longer depending on your attendance, athleticism, and learning speed. Level 1: 4-6 months Level 2: 8-10 months Level 3 and up: 12+ months It is possible to test early, but it doesn't happen very often. Aside from the difficulty of learning the material and meeting the standards, there's a certain amount of growth we need to see at each level. So for example, someone might start up and get through level 1 relatively quickly because of athleticism or prior experience or pure doggedness, but that doesn't mean they'll have the same experience in level 2. Even if you've managed to learn all the material, we still need to see that you are "better at Krav." A level 3 student needs to be more than a level 2 student who knows a bunch of moves. Passing a test means more than proficiency at the material, it implies a level of preparedness, "For the street." To let someone test who isn't ready, who isn't showing the necessary power, aggressiveness, and technique, would quite literally be lying to them about their ability to protect themselves. I don't enjoy telling people they aren't ready to test, but I'd rather damage their feelings than damage their chances of surviving on the street. So train hard, make good corrections, come to the workshops, and you'll be able to test...when you're ready.