BATTLEFIELD KALI KNIFE PROGRAM
STUDENT TESTING GUIDELINES
Because Battlefield Kali is performance based, those seeking to advance in rank will be required to complete a certain number of sparring rounds before taking any test for student rank or instructor credentials. I am confident that anyone who learns the techniques and then does the required rounds of sparring will become skillful enough to pass the particular test. Make sure to download the Battlefield Kali Knife sparring logs. We provide these so that you can easily keep track of your rounds, and know when to test.
Each student test will consist first of a demonstration of select techniques and tactics of the particular program (single stick, knife, or sword) before moving on to the sparring section of the test. Please remember that SPARRING SHOULD BE DONE AT A MODERATE LEVEL OF INTENSITY WHILE WEARING ALL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT! SAFETY FIRST! On these tests I want to see how you apply your technique and tactics, not how tough you are.
Both sections must be passed in order to earn your new rank, with the sparring rounds weighted most heavily. If you don’t spar well, you won’t pass the test. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get hit. EVERYBODY gets hit in sparring! I am looking for the evidence that you have put the rounds in and are applying your techniques well.
The test to earn Battlefield Kali Instructor Credentials is more involved than the student grading, as the Battlefield Kali Instructor must demonstrate a deeper understanding of the art. An instructor must guide students safely and skillfully while passing on the fine details of the art, and this level of expertise must be demonstrated in the instructor tests.
TYPICAL TRAINING SESSION
I suggest that you break an hour session into parts:
- 5-10 minutes of warm-up, and stroking/coordination drills
- 20 minutes of working on technique
- 10 minutes of Power Generation Drills
- 20-25 minutes of Sparring
LOGGING SPARRING ROUNDS
For ease of notation, each round is 2 minutes. After doing your rounds, log them immediately so that you have an accurate record. If you choose to do longer rounds, be sure to keep track of the total number of minutes you sparred, then divide by 2 to get your number of rounds to mark off in your log.
If you are working on Level 1, then you will do many more rounds of hand only sparring in order to fill your quota. As you progress, you will prioritize other types of sparring. But always include doing (safe) full sparring also, as you should have the full experience from the beginning. Just be sure to log all of your rounds, as they will count towards your future level of advancement.
If you do five rounds, and have a one minute break between rounds, your entire sparring session will take you about fifteen minutes to complete once you have started your first round.
VIDEO TESTING:
Once you have completed your rounds for the appropriate level, you can film your test (see guidelines for each level on pages 2 and 3 below) and mail us the footage on DVD or e-mail us the digital file. Please visit our “About video testing” section for more information.
Click on Page 2 (below) to read test guidelines for Antas 1-4
Click on Page 3 (below) to read test guidelines for Antas 5-8