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Levels
Within the International Krav Maga Federation, the following system is used:
The present grading system for (Civilian) Krav Maga is divided into four major categories. The first three are Practitioner, Graduate and Expert. Each of these is further divided to 5 levels, each with a specific curriculum and requirements. Grading tests to pass from one rank to the next contain technical, theoretical and tactical subjects covering self-defense and fighting skills. The highest category of grades are the Master levels of which there are three. Anyone wishing to test for any Expert level must generally do this in Israel as it requires a minimum of two members of the Grading Committee (Eyal Yanilov or any of the other Expert Level 5 members of the Israeli Global Instructor Team) to be present at the grading.
Examples of rank patches which are worn on the training pants uniform, upper left thigh. The black bars on the rank patches denote the level. Three black bars on the Graduate patch denote Graduate level 3 etc.
Aside from the civilian system, the IKMF has Military, Law Enforcement, Security and VIP/Close Personal Protection syllabi. Each syllabus has its own grading criteria and is generally only taught to people with employment in the relevant fields. Instead of Practitioner and Graduate levels, the Military and Law Enforcement Systems have Fighter, Warrior and Operator levels, [5][6] whereas the Close Personal Protection Syllabus grades are Bronze Shield, Silver Shield, Gold Shield and Platinum Shield
Who uses Krav Maga today
In 1964, Grandmaster Imi Lichtenfeld finished his military service and adapted Krav Maga to civilian frameworks. In Israel, the style is introduced to elementary and high school students on the national curriculum, and is taught at the Wingate Institute, one of the world's leading physical fitness centers. It is taught to men, women, and children under the auspices of the Israeli Ministry of Sport and Education.
Krav Maga is the official system of hand-to-hand combat and self-defense employed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Security Forces, the Israeli Police and Military Police and its Special Operations and Anti-Terrorist Units. The IDF including their Special Forces Units, Israeli Police, and Internal Security Branches currently uses this style on a day-to-day basis.
Krav Maga is taught to all ages and abilities, at community centers, schools, and clubs throughout the world. Krav Maga is taught to Sky Marshals, commercial airline crews. It is also taught in the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Ireland, Croatia, France, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Poland, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Hungary, Serbia, Denmark, New Zealand and India.
In the United states, personnel from various Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement agencies and Military units around the world have received training in Krav Maga, including: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, AFOSI Anti-terrorism Specialty Team, United States Marine Corps, United States Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration Arrest and Control Unit, U.S. Treasury Department, Immigration and Naturalization Service, State Department, Central Intelligence Agency, several divisions of the U.S. Coast Guard, and police and sheriff's offices in New York, Illinois, Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, California, and Maryland. In addition to the Special Operations Forces of Israel (i.e. Sayeret Matkal, YAMAM, etc.), several special units from other countries have adopted this system for their hand-to-hand combat. These units include GIGN, FBI HRT, and SWAT, among others.
