For Kings Park Couple, Belt Programs are Useless in Martial Arts

With 40 years experience as a martial arts instructor, Michael Rosati had witnessed the explosion of martial arts as a way to teach children and teens about stranger danger and bully prevention, but was turned off by what he saw as a factory type model of enrolling students in a black belt club.

Today, the former New York City police officer who worked within the SWAT and search and rescue divisions, runs the Rosati School of Martial Arts in Nesconset with his wife Lisa Marie, who is an international health and wellness expert and a  contributor to Dr. Oz's website. The couple launched the school in 2008.

"I have been training in the martial arts since 1972 when I was stationed on Okinawa with the United States Marine Corps. Prior to moving to Kings Park I taught martial arts in Nassau County for 28 years," said Rosati.

These credentials, Rosati believes, are integral to being a good teacher.

"How can you teach self defense to children, teens and adults when you were never in the military or law enforcement?" said Rosati.

His school teaches the Rosati System of Modern Martial Arts which offers two programs for self defense; Israeli Krav Maga and submission grappling. There are no belt programs. Additionally they offer Shorin Ryu Karate for those that want a traditional karate system.

Nir Maman, a former Israeli Special Forces operator, was at the school in Nesconset last week teaching a course in Krav Maga.

Maman’s background spans over 15 years and he recently completed his last term of service in the Israeli Special Forces at the end of 2009 as a section commander on the Counter Terror Unit and Counter Terror and Special Operations School where he held the positions of operational team leader and lead counter  terror warfare and Krav Maga instructor.

"There are no belts, you enroll to learn self-confidence, fitness and self defense," said Rosati.