The Israeli Kyokushin Karate Team led by Com. Ronen Katz, 6th Dan, RKC, at the Karate World Tournament, Tokyo, Japan, November 2011.

My name is Ronen Katz. I began my martial arts training in Krav Maga at the age of 16, studying under the founder Master Imi Lichtenfeld. I received my black belt at 20 years old. After serving in the Israeli Special Forces I was posted to Japan. There I achieved my dream of studying karate for six years under the founder of Kyokushin, Master Masutatsu Oyama. Thanks to his training I achieved martial arts success, winning in open competition in Japan. After retiring from fighting I became an instructor to the Israeli Secret Service as well as running my own dojo as a 6th Dan.

Two years ago I went to visit my friend Eyal Yanilov of Krav Maga Global. I saw this odd cannonball with a handle. Always interested in training for my fighters I asked him about it. After a few sets of swings, I was not only done…I was hooked. Some research on the Internet led me to Pavel. I attended the RKC in Hungary 2010. With inadequate preparation I was unable to pass the snatch test. I spoke with Pavel about my age—48—and martial arts experience, expecting he would allow me to use the 20kg. That is not the RKC way; he did not. This only increased my respect for him and the RKC. It took me another year of hard training and sweating blood, but I proudly became an RKC.

I now use kettlebells and RKC principles to train my students as part of every class. I have also recommended the training to the Israeli Secret Service and they brought Sr. RKC Peter Lakatos for a two-day intensive seminar last year. RKC training prepared my students for the World Championships in Japan, held every four years. My fighters demonstrated outstanding conditioning and power due to their RKC strength training. To let people know about the RKC, and to thank Pavel and the RKC for this system, we proudly wore the RKC eagle on our team sweatshirts: Kyokushin on one side, the double eagle on the other. I truly hope this great school of strength spreads throughout the world.