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Guidelines for Kyu and Shodan Exams

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Remember these are guidelines - use them to aid your practice.

On a test, you may be asked to demonstrate techniques which are not on this list.For that, the only preparation is to train regularly.

5th kyu (white belt):

  • bokken swing
  • forward and backward rolls
  • tai no henko
  • suwari-waza shomen-uchi ikkyo
  • standing:
    • shomen-uchi ikkyo
    • shomen-uchi irimi-nage
    • katate-dori shiho-nage
  • several variations from basic attacks:
    • katate-dori, aidori, ryote-dori, morote-dori, tsuki
  • take ukemi from a partner
  • jiyu-waza
  • kokyu-ho

4th kyu (blue belt):

  • bokken swing
  • suwari-waza and standing:
    • shomen-uchi (ikkyo and nikyo)
    • kata-dori (ikkyo and nikyo)
  • standing:
    • shomen-uchi irimi-nage
    • tsuki kotegaeshi
    • yokomen-uchi shiho-nage
  • several variations from basic attacks:
    • grabs: katate-dori, aidori, morote-dori, ushiro-ryote-dori
    • strikes: tsuki, shomen-uchi, yokomen-uchi
  • take ukemi from partner
  • jiyu-waza
  • kokyu-ho

3rd kyu (blue belt):

  • bokken – four direction strikes
  • suwari-waza and standing:
    • shomen-uchi (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
    • kata-dori (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
  • standing:
    • shomen-uchi irimi-nage
    • tsuki irimi-nage
    • shomen-uchi kotegaeshi
    • tsuki kotegaeshi
    • ryote-dori shiho-nage
    • yokomen-uchi shiho-nage
  • variations from all basic attacks:
    • katate-dori, aidori, morote-dori, tsuki, ushiro-ryote-dori, shomen-uchi, yokomen-uchi
  • take ukemi from partner (including sutemi if able)
  • jiyu-waza
  • randori (two people)
  • kokyu-ho

2nd kyu (brown belt):

  • bokken – happo undo
  • suwari-waza and standing:
    • shomen-uchi (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
    • kata-dori (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
  • hanmi-handachi:
    • katate-dori shiho-nage
    • ryote-dori shiho-nage
    • shomen-uchi irimi-nage
    • tsuki kotegaeshi
  • standing:
    • shomen-uchi (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
    • tsuki (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
    • katate-dori (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
  • koshi-nage from several attacks
  • variations from all basic attacks
  • take ukemi from partner (including sutemi if able)
  • jiyu-waza (one person)
  • randori (two or three people)
  • kokyu-ho

1st kyu (brown belt):

  • bokken – happo undo with shomenuchi and tsuki
  • suwari-waza and standing:
    • shomen-uchi (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
    • yokomen-uchi (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
    • kata-dori (ikkyo thru yonkyo)
  • hanmi-handachi (several variations from basic attacks):
    • katate-dori, ryote-dori, shomen-uchi, tsuki, ushiro waza
  • standing:
    • shomen-uchi (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
    • tsuki (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
    • yokomen-uchi (irimi-nage, kotegaeshi, kaiten-nage)
  • variations from all basic attacks, including:
    • ushiro-ryote-dori, hiji-dori, kata-dori, and kubishime
  • koshi-nage from all attacks
  • tanto dori
  • take ukemi from partner (including sutemi if able)
  • jiyu-waza (one person)
  • randori (three people)
  • kata
  • kokyu-ho

1st dan (shodan, black belt):

  • same requirements as for 1st kyu, but greater skill required
  • watch video from an actual black belt exam (5.6MB)

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