LEVEL 4 OVERVIEW

Level 4: Advanced Skills and Weapon Defenses

Summary

Level 4 introduces students to advanced techniques and principles, including weapons defenses and more refined ground-fighting strategies. Training becomes more challenging, with a focus on using speed, precision, and aggression under pressure. Students will learn how to defend against sticks, knives, and handguns, as well as new combative techniques to enhance their fighting capabilities. With consistent training—two to three times per week—students should expect to complete this level within nine months and be ready to test for the Blue Belt.

Overview

The Blue Belt, also known as Level 4, represents the transition into advanced training. Students move beyond basic self-defense skills to focus on more dynamic attacks and weapon defenses. At this stage, students are expected to show greater confidence and control, handling high-pressure scenarios with both offensive and defensive techniques.

The curriculum at this level emphasizes bursting forward, aggressive action, and seamless responses to a variety of threats. As students prepare to defend against weapons, they must also refine their mindset, learning to stay calm and act decisively in life-threatening situations.

Curriculum Highlights

• Combatives:

  • Advanced Techniques: Switch kicks, heel kicks, and sweeps are introduced.
  • Sweeps: A method for taking down an opponent by kicking or sweeping their legs.
  • These techniques develop flexibility and allow students to defend against different martial arts styles.

  Why Advanced Kicks Matter:
  Even though these techniques aren’t always the go-to strikes in street situations, they improve agility, balance, and defensive capabilities, helping students feel comfortable delivering attacks from any angle.

• Defenses and Self-Defense:

  • Stick Defenses: Learn to neutralize blunt objects, such as bats, sticks, and crowbars.
    • The principle here is to eliminate the attacker’s reach advantage by bursting forward and closing the distance.
    • Techniques involve using the meaty part of the arm for protection and grabbing the weapon to prevent further strikes.
  • Knife Defenses:
    • Techniques cover defenses against different stabs (overhand, underhand, and straight).
    • If possible, kick to maintain distance. However, hand defenses are emphasized for close-range scenarios.
    • Students learn how to control the weapon hand and deliver counterattacks, with the ultimate goal of disengaging safely.

  Gun Defenses:

  • Gun-related scenarios are covered with a focus on realistic situations where the attacker is within 3 to 5 feet.
  • Students are trained in redirection, control, counterattacks, and disarms following the R.C.A.T. system:
    1. Redirect the weapon away from your body.
    2. Control the weapon or attacker.
    3. Attack with aggression to neutralize the threat.
    4. Take Away or disarm the weapon when appropriate.

• Ground Fighting:

  • Techniques at this level emphasize escaping from dangerous ground situations.
  • Takedowns are introduced as both an offensive tool and a way to understand how to defend against takedowns.
    • Single-leg, double-leg, and trip takedowns are covered.
  • The main objective remains to get back on your feet as quickly as possible, avoiding prolonged engagement on the ground to prevent secondary attacks.

Level 4 Mindset and Tactics

Mindset:

• Speeding Up Your OODA Loop:
  The OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) is a decision-making framework essential in combat. At Level 4, students learn to process information faster and act decisively under pressure.

  • Exercises improve situational awareness, helping students recognize threats quickly and respond effectively.

• Fight with Principles:
  Rather than relying solely on memorized techniques, students are encouraged to think critically and apply Krav Maga principles in any scenario. Understanding why a technique works allows for better adaptation to unpredictable situations.

Tactics:

• R.C.A.T. System:
  The R.C.A.T. system (Redirect, Control, Attack, Take Away) becomes a primary tactical focus at this level.

  • Students practice these four steps with various weapons and attackers to build muscle memory and confidence.

• Using the Environment for Control:

  • Students learn to leverage their surroundings to gain an advantage, such as using walls to limit an opponent’s movement or objects as improvised barriers.
  • This tactic ensures that students maintain control of the fight and neutralize threats efficiently.

Why are These Mindsets and Tactics Important?

• Mindset:
  The ability to think quickly and apply principles effectively is essential for dealing with high-pressure, complex scenarios. Speeding up the OODA Loop allows students to stay ahead of their attacker’s actions.

• Tactics:
  The R.C.A.T. system teaches a systematic approach to neutralizing threats, while using the environment ensures that students maintain control over the situation. These tactics lay the groundwork for third-party protection introduced in higher levels.

Progression to Level 5

After completing Level 4, students are ready to test for the Blue Belt. With regular training, students should advance to Level 5 within nine months. Level 5 builds on the skills developed so far, focusing on advanced weapons defenses, close-quarter fighting, and third-party protection.