Adult Rank Requirements

8th Kyu  Yellow Belt (2 month min. from White Belt)

• Techniques:

• Straight Punch
• Upper Block
• Palm Heel Block
• Front Kick (low, middle & High)
• Crescent Kick Inside to Out

• Falls: Front Fall
• Self Defense:

• Basic Choke Defense
• Headlock Defense
• Overhand Right Defense

• Kata:

• Kihon (Basic Floor Pattern)

7th Kyu Orange Belt (3 month min. from Yellow Belt)

• Techniques:

• Hook Punch
• Side Kick
• Back Kick
• Roundhouse kick (Low, Middle High)
• Palm Heel Strike

• Blocks:

• Inside to Outside Middle Block
• Outside to Inside Middle Block

• Stances

• Front Stance
• Back Stance

• Sparring: Basic Combinations
• Falls:

• Back Fall
• Side Fall

• Kata:

• Naihanchi Shodan (Iron Horse Level 1)

• Self Defense:

• Wall Choke
• Single Lapel Grab
• Double Lapel Grab        

6th Kyu Purple Belt (4 month min. from Orange)

• Techniques:

• Crescent Kick Outside to In
• Ax Kick
• Hook Kick

• Sparring:

• Body shifting
• Weaving, Slipping

• Kata:

• Pinan Shodan
• Pinan Nidan

• Self Defense:

• Bear Hug from the Front Over the Arms
• Bear Hug from the Front Under the Arms

5th Kyu-Blue Belt (4 months min. from purple belt)

• Techniques:

• Haiyto (Ridge Hand)
• Sto-Block
• Tettsui Komi Kami

• Sparring:

• Spar for 3 Minutes
• Reading your opponent

• Kata:

• Pinan Sandan
• Naihanchi Nidan

• Self Defense:

• Bear Hug from Rear Over the Arms
• Bear Hug from Rear Under the Arms
• Overhand Right (Advanced)        

4th Kyu- Green Belt (4 months min from Blue belt)

• Techniques:

• Tobi Mai Geri,
• Cat Stance,
• Spinning Back Kick,
• Wedge Block

• Sparring:

• Spar for 3.5 Minutes
• Using Angles
• Using Counter attacks

• Kata:  

• Pinan Yondan
• Kyan No Sai

• Self Defense:

• Tackle Defense
• Front Kick Defense (Low, Middle, High)
• Roundhouse Kick (Low, Middle, High)

3rd Kyu-Brown 3 Belt (4 months min. from Green)

• Techniques:

• Knee Kick
• Stomp Kick
• Heel Kick,

• Sparring:

• Spar for 4 Minutes
• Refine Concepts
• Improve on speed  & timing

• Kata:

• Pinan Godan
• Shiho Nuki

• Self Defense:

• Single Arm choke from Rear
• Single Hand Grab from Behind
• Knife Defense from Rear

2nd Kyu-Brown 2 Belt (4 months min. from Brown 3)

• Techniques:

• Backfists(Forward, Side to side, Spleen)
• Toho (Throat Grab)
• Spinning Hook Kick
•  Double Knife Hand block (low & High)

• Sparring:

• Spar for 4.5 Minutes
• Endurance
• Setting up Opponent

• Kata:

• Naihanchi Sandan
• Ananku

• Self Defense:

• Punch to Wrist Lock Throw
• Knife Defense: Caveman Strike
• Ground Choke - Full Mount

1st Kyu- Brown Belt (4 months min. from Brown 2)

• Techniques:

• Naka yubi Ippon ken(Middle knuckle Strike)
• Oya Yubi Ken(Thumb Fist Strike)

• Sparring:

• Spar for 5 Minutes
• Advanced Combinations

• Kata:

• Tzuki No Kata
• Tensho
• Wansu

• Self Defense:

• Knife Defense: Straight Thrust
• Side Kick Defense (Middle & High)
• Ground Choke Defense - Guard Position 

Black Belt –shodan ( 6 months minimum from Brown 1)

• Techniques: Lead the entire class in basic techniques with proper terminology 
• Physical Fitness:

• 100 Jumping Jacks
• 25 Push-ups
• 50 Sit-ups

• Kata:

• Kusanku
•  Choun No Kun Eku

• Self Defense:

• Knife Defense: Thrashing Strike
• Gun Defense (Front & Rear)
• Front Choke Defense (Advanced)

• Sparing: 10 minutes with 30 seconds between rounds. This is to demonstrate your ability to persevere when physically exhausted and maintain control over your mind and body

2nd Degree Black - Nidan - Instructor Level 1- [2 years min. from Shodan]

• Kata

• Gojushiho Ni
• Kusanku
• Gekisai Dai

• Teaching Skills

• Student has basic understanding and can demonstrate kata bunkai
• Student can lead a class through basics, kata, sparring, and self defense at a basic to intermediate level
• Clearly communicates concepts and motivates the class

3rd Degree Black Belt - Sandan - Instructor Level 2 - [4 years min. from Nidan]

• Kata

• Seisan
• Niseishi
• Passai
• Tsuken-Aka-Chu-No Eku-Bo
• Nakamura No Sai
• Shima Igiri-Bo-Ichi
• Odo-No-Nunchaku

• Teaching Skills

• Student teaches at a higher level than Nidan by showing the ability to isolate a topic and teach it to a beginner, intermediate, and advanced students

4th Degree Black Belt - Yondan - Master Instructor - [4 years min. from Sandan]

• Kata

• Chinto
• Selunchin
• Hakutsuru Ichi
• Odo-No-Kama-Ni
• Shimi-Igiri-Bo-Ni
• Tsuyoshi-No-Kun-Ni

• Teaching Skills

• Black Belt is now considered a full grade instructor and should be able to teach kata, sparring, and self defense at all levels
• Student will continue to grow according to his or her motivation and desire. The sky’s the limit.

5th Degree Black Belt - Godan - Master Instructor - [4 years min. from Yondan]

• Kata

• Kamamura Hakutsuru
• Sakugawa-No-Kun-Ichi
• Ko-Bo
• Tokumine-No-Kune-Ichi

• Teaching Skills

• Black Belt is a master at motivating others to achieve their best
• His or her skill level is apparent to students and other Black Belts