Becoming an instructor

**Whosthemaster** · Posted On: 3/29/2009 10:05pm

I'm (always) curious, for you guys that teach FMA, how long did it take for you to graduate into an instructor? If your system has belts, what was yours when you gained "the right" to do so? Is teaching part of your income? How did you got your students?

If you don't teach, are you planning to? Why?

Just trying to get a little more action on this board.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 4/06/2009 1:29pm

I'm an instructor, but am not yet certified. I trained for 7 years in Sayas-Lastra Largo Mano, and was a senior student, but moved due to work. I've been training in LESKAS/Lightning Scientific for 10 years, but my instructor passed away several years ago before certifying myself and several other senior students. We continue to run the club and teach with the blessing of recognized senior instructors in the system, but have never officially been certified, although several of them have been rumbling about "making things official" and certifying us.

We are a non-profit club. Club dues are minimal, and we either donate the money to Maestro Ybanez' widow, or buy gear for the club. None of us make any money off of it.

We get students via word of mouth for the most part. Since we are a club and not a commercial school, we aren't worried about increasing our numbers to make more money. We'd prefer to have people that are dedicated and fit in with the group.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 4/11/2009 12:04am

I'm not an instructor. In Balintiwak there are a total of 7 levels. At level 6 you recieve a completion art cert. To reach level 7 or Q.I. you have to bring a student to level 6 and develop twentysomething techniques of your own. I'm not sure of the officialtiy of any of this, most Balintiwak groups are relatively small. Even level 7 instructors have to bring thier students to a GM to officially test for a rank/level. MOst students take more than one test at a time. I suppose this method is a means of quality control for the art. The GM has at least seen everyone who ranks in the art. This still dosen't promise anthing as far as actuall fighting ability goes.

**Whosthemaster** · Posted On: 4/11/2009 4:05pm

Originally Posted by jspeedy

I'm not an instructor. In Balintiwak there are a total of 7 levels. At level 6 you recieve a completion art cert. To reach level 7 or Q.I. you have to bring a student to level 6 and develop twentysomething techniques of your own. I'm not sure of the officialtiy of any of this, most Balintiwak groups are relatively small. Even level 7 instructors have to bring thier students to a GM to officially test for a rank/level. MOst students take more than one test at a time. I suppose this method is a means of quality control for the art. The GM has at least seen everyone who ranks in the art. This still dosen't promise anthing as far as actuall fighting ability goes.

Twenty techniques? Wow

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 4/17/2009 9:03pm

Quote:Whosthemaster
"Twenty techniques? Wow "

Yep! most guys do different disarms w/ the stick. Some incorporate kicks & grappling, others mix in whatever else they know, it gets interesting. The techniques seem come easily for the guys testing, the hard part is teaching a student up to level 6 -the entire curriculum (still it's reletively simple compared to other arts, at least it's not overcomplicated-Balintiwak is often compared to boxing)