Next Generation Black Belts

On April 27, 2015, I had the honor of promoting my sons to Black Ranks in our system of self-defense.  I promoted my oldest son Kenneth to 2nd Degree Black Rank.  Kenneth was the first student I promoted to Black Rank on April 27, 2013.

Over the past year and a half, Kenneth and I have been working on a reality based system of self-defense very different from the traditional martial arts we had studied previously.  Kenneth started martial arts a few weeks before his 5th birthday.  His passion is helping students find their fighting style.

kenneth-caleb-rank-promotions

Kenneth and Caleb Promoted to 2nd Black Rank and 1st Black Rank respectively.

I promoted Caleb to 1st Black Rank a few months early because he met the requirement for the rank of being able to effectively defend himself.  The Zimmerman Self-Defense System consists of seven Colored Ranks and seven degrees of Black Rank.  Students cannot earn higher Black Ranks unless they are actively teaching.

Like his oldest brother, Caleb started martial arts around his 5th birthday.  Both started with me in Taekwondo before we started studying Judo, when Kenneth was 8 years-old and Caleb was 6 years-old.  Caleb’s passions are for Judo and teaching the kids as he is just a big kid himself.

Over the next four years, Kenneth and Caleb will transition into the head instructors for the academy.  I will leave the teaching the classes to them and guide the black belt in my new season of life.  The academy will be in good hands with them.

I’m a very proud papa this year.

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