Earning Rank
General Requirements
The requirements listed on these pages should serve as a guide to the
expectations for each rank. The instructor has the ultimate decision on when a
student is ready to test and the exact requirements. Kyu level tests are usually
offered two to four times a year, while Shodan and higher tests occur on an
as-needed basis. All requirements are cumulative for kata, self-defense, and
throws.
Ranks
- Godan - Black 5 stripes
- Yondan - Black 4 stripes
- Sandan - Black 3 stripes
- Nidan - Black 2 stripes
- Shodan - Black 1 stripe
- Ikkyu - Brown with Black stripe
- Ni kyu - Brown
- San kyu - Green with Brown stripe
- Yon kyu - Green
- Go kyu - Yellow with Green stripe
- Roku kyu - Yellow
- Shichi kyu - Blue with Yellow stripe
- Hachi kyu - Blue
- Ku kyu - White with Blue stripe
- Ju kyu - White
Kata Requirements
-
Blue
- Taikyoku 1-3
- Taikyoku Ura/tate
- Sokugi taikyoku 1-2
- Begin learning weapon (basics)
-
Yellow
- Sokugi taikyoku 1-2 ura/tate
- Taikyoku 3-4
- Pinan 1
- One weapon kata (dojo choice, usually Bo, sometimes escrima)
-
Green
- Yantsu
- Geikisai Dai
- Pinan 2-3
- Sanchin
- Additional weapon kata
- 1 throw of student choice
-
Brown
- Pinan 4-5
- Tsuki no kata
- Geikisai sho
- Saiha
- Sokugi kata 1-4 ura/tate
- Additional weapon kata
- 3 throws of student choice
-
Shodan
- Tensho
- Entensho (4-way Tensho)
- Sanchin
Tensho
- Seienchin
- Garyu
- Mekakushi no Kato (instructor’s choice) – blindfolded kata
- Additional weapon kata (4 total) (Incl escrima, nunchacku, sai/tonfa)
- 6 throws of student choice
-
Nidan
- Kanku
- Kata while breaking
- Nunchucku 2-3
- Double nunchucku
- Tonfa 2
- Pinan 1-2 ura/tate
- Tournament nunchucku
- Tokamine no Kun Bo
-
Sandan
- Seipai
- Tonfa 3
- Pinan 3-5 ura/tate
-
Yondan
- Sai 1
- Nunchucku 1-3 ura
- Tonfa 1-3 ura
-
Godan