Testing

 

Self Preservation vs. Self Perfection I am concerned first and foremost with your ability to defend yourself. You will always be evaluated on your ability to perform versus your martial knowledge. First you must be able to preserve yourself in combat then you can work to perfect yourself as a martial artist. Functional vs. theoretical knowledge is always paramount in your evaluation.

Blending of the Arts and Ranges As a JKD student you must be able to flow from range to range from art to art seamlessly as you express yourself freely in combat. JKD is ultimately a method of self liberation and freedom of expression. The individual is always more important than any style. You will be evaluated on your growth as an individual.

Individualized Growth The charts have been designed so that the student can pick and choose areas that he or she wishes to test from all or only one of the arts. The curriculum is free for you to choose from for your testing and individual growth. By allowing you to choose what you wish to test, what area, and what art, you are taking charge of your martial development and growth. It is my belief that this promotes the true process of discovery and fosters individualized growth for the student. My truth is not your truth.

Sparring and Application For every area you choose to test, you will be required to spar using the techniques and arts you are testing in. For example if you are testing Kali Amarra basic stroking, you will grab a stick and show me that you can hit your opponent with the strokes you have learned. You are not expected to be able to pull everything off out of sparring but you are expected to show growth, development and increasing ability to apply what you have learned.

Knowledge of History and Arts It is impossible to truly study any of the arts without a basic understanding of the region, culture, and history of the people. You will be expected to show a growing knowledge and understanding of the arts as you progress through your testing.

Dedication to the Arts, School, and Student Body Only students that demonstrate the highest moral character, discipline, dedication, and respect will be evaluated to become instructors at MAMA. 

Certification and Rank Each student is required to print out the charts and put them in a folder that you bring to class. The material will be covered in class directly from the charts. When you test and complete an area, I will sign and date that area on your charts. Once you have completed the required amount of material, a certificate of completion and ranking status will be issued. MAMA has very high standards for rank progression. You can not purchase your rank, it must be earned. There are no paper tigers.

Annual Requirements Instructorship must be maintained in order to remain active. Once you have attained instructorship you must continue to train, learn and show demonstrated growth. Martial Science is a lifelong pursuit. In order to maintain your instructorship you are required to complete at least 20 hours of training with me a year either through class, seminars, or private instruction.

Instructor Candidate Upon achieving your Full Instructorship "Black Belt" you are eligible to be recommended to Guro Inosanto for Apprentice Instructorship. The evaluation process can take anywhere from 1-5 years and is completely at the discretion of Guro Inosanto.  It is highly recommended that you have at least 100 hours of seminar time with Guro Inosanto. In addition it is recommended that you attain instructorship under at least one other instructor under Guro Inosanto before being recommended. This will aid in your martial growth and assist you in understanding the material from other perspectives.