Martial Artist Promoted to 7th Dan, Master Instructor

Miss Linda Möller Earns the Rank of 7th Degree Black Belt and the status Master Instructor

On Thursday, July 9th, 2015, Grandmaster Clifford C. Crandall, Jr. (10th Degree-black belt, founder, and head of the American Martial Arts Institute), promoted Linda Möller to 7th-Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor in American Eagle Style. This promotion was awarded to Master Möller after she successfully completed a year-long testing, meeting all of the high standards of her new rank and status.

In the American Eagle Style the status of Master is earned and added to the student's name at the rank of 7th-Degree Black Belt. This is not an administrative title. Unlike a chief or senior instructor, which is an appointed title denoting a level of responsibility within the school, the status of Master in the Style is earned and linked to the rank of 7th-Degree Black belt and comes with a permanent certificate signed by the Grandmaster. While the demands of earning this rank mean that it will only be earned by a select few, there is no limit to the number of individuals who may earn this prestigious distinction.

The requirements to earn the prestigious rank of 7th Degree Black Belt are rigorous, and they require the demonstration of katas, self-defense skills, and advanced techniques, extensive research, teaching and instructional skills, and the completion of two pages of additional objectives.

Master Möller is the fifth American Eagle Style student to successfully complete the requirements for 7th-degree and earn the status of Master. She had to demonstrate 44 empty-hand black belt katas, from America, Korea, Japan, and China including advanced forms such as Su San Hung, Hwarang-hyung, Se Jong Hung, Arena, Hansoo, Sil Lum, Cheongwon, Sip Jin, Bassai Sho, and many others. This also included the demonstration of skills and katas with all twelve weapons required by the American Eagle Style such as naginata, bo, sai, escrima, cane, tonfa, sword, eku, and others.

Some of the additional requirements that Master Möller completed included: co-authoring the book Moving Beyond Disabilities, now in its second, expanded edition, the development and documentation (in writing and on DVD) of a black belt level kata (Trilogy, which becomes a requirement for those preparing for 8th Dan), and the promotion of American Eagle Style and Grandmaster Crandall internationally.

Master Möller has been training under Grandmaster Crandall since 1981. She has been a part of Grandmaster Crandall's performance teams resulting in her performing on behalf of the American Martial Arts Institute and American Eagle Style in Russia, Japan, and the Caribbean. She has assisted Grandmaster Crandall in teaching seminars for women's groups, physical educators, and many others. These are only a few of her accomplishments with Grandmaster Crandall.

Master Möller will be formally recognized at the next ceremonial black belt breakfast in October. Congratulations to Master Linda Möller.