KRAV MAGA BLACK BELT, 3rd DEGREE: Pawel Cichowlas

My Journey:

I was an eight year old boy when Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee was released in Poland. No, I did not watch it as it was for 18 and older audiences only but the older brothers of my friends did and we talked about it constantly. Soon a huge poster of Bruce Lee was hanging in my room (first and only poster ever) motivating me to train in secret to become like him. Any official training was out of the question as my days were already filled with two full time schools. Regular school during the day and the music school in the afternoon and evening. Every day, six days a week.

Besides, any potential injury to my hands would mean doom for my future career as a violinist.

But my heart was set and nothing would stop me so I started reading everything I could find about Kung Fu, the Shaolin temple monks, Karate training, the Samurai…, you get the picture. Any exercise I could replicate, I did. Everything in our apartment was my gym. Chairs for dips and deep push-ups, table for body rows, hard wood floors for knuckle toughening, mom’s rolling pin for shins, sacs of sugar and flour for lifting, carrying etc.

I only had a short window of opportunity between coming home from school and mom arriving back from work. I had my violin all set up so as soon as I saw her walking from a distance it was a mad dash to put the house back together and when she opened the door she walked in to see her son diligently practicing his violin.

It would take a book to go through all the details but suffice to say I eventually (first year of college) found the world class instructors and started my official training. It was a dream come true.

I loved it so much that when the opportunity to come to the United States presented itself I spent days agonizing over the fact that I would miss the conditioning camp in the mountains if I chose to travel. But my ultimate goal back then was to become a US Marine and all the training I was doing was the means to that end. And since you’re reading this in English you can guess what I did. (At this point a story about the national full contact tournament, the US visa and makeup would come in if I were writing a book).

We jump forward again to August 2001 when I saw a demo of Krav Maga on the Today Show from New York. This was it. This system was what I was born to do. I had to find a way to learn it.

A month later our country was attacked and it was now or never. Something had to be done.

Using my first ever computer freshly connected to this weird thing called the World Wide Web I found a place that was teaching Krav Maga. The drive was long but it was no factor. We were at war.

No amount of training was enough but, as a beginner, I was not allowed to participate in a fight class. “You have to be a level 2 student” the guy said. “OK” I replied. “When is the next test?” It was in two weeks and he said there was no way I could be ready. That’s not something you say to me.

I tested and crushed it. After 28 days of training. There was no stopping me now. Finally I was able to train in all the classes (level 1, 2 and fight) and was clocking up to 13 hours a week.

It didn’t take long to realize that to be the best I needed to learn from the guys I saw on tv back in August. How?

Become an instructor.

With that goal in mind I cranked up my training even more so to be worthy of working with the masters of Krav Maga.

God must have liked my plan as he smiled at me and granted me all my wishes. Starting in 2003 I had the privilege and honor to learn from the absolute legends: Sam Sade, Darren Levine, Marni Levine, Amir Perets, John Whitman, Jon Pascal, Bas Rutten and many other amazing and dedicated people.

I drove my beat up 1983 Ford Festiva to Philadelphia to learn from Darren. My boss’s Mercedes to Buffalo for the Phase A instructor certification. A rented Hyundai to Jacksonville for Phase B with John and Sam. If there was a seminar somewhere, I would be there. Learning from these instructors was priceless. It was like learning to play basketball from Michael Jordan or attending a swimming clinic with Michael Phelps. I couldn’t get enough of it.

If you’re still reading this, thank you. Now ask yourself how many times you’ve seen me mention the “black belt” so far.

None? Are you sure?

Zero is the answer. Because truly it was never the ultimate goal. I just wanted to be the best I could possibly be. And the people I was learning from were all Black Belts and they were awesome, larger than life. How could I ever measure up to them?

Sam was the one who put things into perspective for me and made me realize that earning the black belt in Krav Maga was important and that I had what it took. He also said “Black Belt is just the beginning.” Back then I didn’t understand what he meant. It was supposed to be the end! The crowning achievement of the years of training! The ultimate prize!

I kept his words in my heart and continued training now even more intently than before. My performance on that test would be a testimony to the instructors who trained me and I wanted to make them proud. Heck! I wanted to make Imi proud!

I felt the weight of this responsibility and it was heavy. I truly was “standing on the shoulders of giants” and failure or a substandard performance was not an option.

I got my chance to honor Imi and my instructors on a sunny LA Sunday morning, March 29, 2009.

It was an experience like no other ever before. An experience most will never fully appreciate nor even begin to comprehend but the one that leaves a mark on you that will last forever. The few that share this mark however will experience a unique feeling of camaraderie, respect and humility whenever they cross paths with others. And it’s awesome.

Sam and Kelly who tested us that day seemed happy and I believe I made my instructors proud. And so did my long time training partner, my friend and my brother Jeff from Krav Maga Indy.

We both went on and continued training and testing together two more times and to this day we are on the mission to teach the best Krav Maga and make Imi proud.

And today I can say I understand Sam’s comments about the black belt being only the beginning a little better. It is not about this one event, as monumental as it is, but about the journey. It’s not about knowing the techniques but understanding why they exist in the first place and what makes them so effective. It’s not about being the strongest or the fastest. It’s about the uncompromising mindset and indomitable fighting spirit. It’s about building others. Helping them achieve what they never thought possible. It’s about leading by example and holding oneself to the highest standards.

It will never be easy, nor should it be, but you’ll be hard pressed to find something equally rewarding.

As I’m writing this, fourteen years after my first black belt test, I still strive to make Imi proud with each class I teach and each test I run.

In just a few days Krav Maga Detroit will host its first ever black belt test and it will probably be the most challenging one for me yet. But I’m so happy for the brave four for stepping up to this challenge.

My promise to you is that I will do my best to give you a chance to share in this unique experience and make memories that will last a lifetime.

I wish you nothing but success and may you forever be the Few Who Dared.

Long Live KMD

Pawel

Sam Sade, Kelly Campbell, Jeff Fredericksen and yours truly. Krav Maga Worldwide National Training Center, Los Angeles March 29, 2009