What does it take to succeed in this dive?

Like anything in life worthy of pursuing, and of great achievement, you need determination, persistence, and fortitude. To succeed in a martial art, and earn that Black Belt, you need to be ready to put in a minimum of 3 years, up to 10 years.

Remember that a 'black belt' does not mean you're an expert. It's just the first phase of competency. Most people never get to black belt, though, so if you can achieve that accolade (and back it up with video to show you actually know what you're doing), it's quite the awesome achievement.

The biggest issue with most martial arts programs is that they are not portable. Most people start a program at an in-person program, and after two years, end up moving. Or the school closes down. This is why the advent of online black belt programs is so incredible: it allows you to start in whatever city you are in now, and then, if/when you move (and you probably will!), your dojo goes with you! Awesome right? In this way, you can actually stay on track and earn a black belt. We will share some of the top online Krav Maga schools with you later in the handbook.

Now, before you roll your eyes, and discount the idea of online martial arts programs, consider this: there are now online dance schools, online PhD programs, online drawing schools, and online coding bootcamps. And they all work. Now, does this mean that all your work is done online? No, not at all. For the dance schools, you have to practice in front of a mirror and submit your routines. For PhD programs, you have to go talk to real people for your dissertation research. For the drawing schools, you often need feedback on your technique from your teacher. And for coding bootcamps, you need to work on your own to practice your techniques by building your own apps. Well, it's the same with martial arts online: you need to practice at home; you need practice partners; you need a mirror; you need a video camera to record your technique; and you need teachers who will review your progress and guide you further to mastery.

Now, if you have a local Krav Maga program, great. But just realize that if your mission is to earn the coveted black belt, if you move, you will have to start all over again. Best suggestion: do both. Enroll in an online program that will go with you wherever you go. And also enroll in a local program so you can practice very easily with others. At the very least, you need to find others to practice with.