Karate Rank Requirements

 White Belt With Orange Stripe (9th Kyu)

• Dojo Kun (School Creed)

• Blocks

  • Nagashi Barai (Push Away Block)

  • Haishu Barai (Back of Hand Block)

• Strikes

  • Seiken Tsuki (Corkscrew Punch)

  • Shuto (Knife Hand Strike)

  • Shotei (Palm Heel Strike)

  • Reiken (Back of Knuckle Strike)

• Kicks

  • Mae Geri (Front Kick)

  • Mawashi Geri (Roundhouse Kick)

  • Hiza Geri (Knee Kick)

• Stances

  • Heisoku Dachi (Attention Stance)

  • Fudo Dachi (Heels Together Stance)

  • Hachi Dachi (Ready Stance or "Figure 8" Stance)

  • Zenkutsu Dachi (Front Stance)

  • Kiba Dachi (Horse or Straddle Stance)

• Falling

  • Suwari Mae Ukemi (Kneeling Forward Breakfall)

  • Suwari Ushiro Ukemi (Kneeling Backward Breakfall)

  • Suwari Yoko Ukemi (Kneeling Sideways Breakfall)

• Trias Self-Defense 1

Orange Belt (8th Kyu)

• 9th Kyu Requirements

• Karate History

• Grandmaster Trias History

• Blocks

  • Gedan Barai (Low Block)

  • Chudan Barai (Middle Block)

  • Jodan Barai (High Block)

• Strikes

  • Tettui (Hammerfist)

  • Hanuchiken ("Leopard" Fist)

  • Tate tsuki (Vertical or Sun Fist)

  • Urazuken (Uppercut)

  • Oniken ("Dragon" Fist)

  • Nishiken ("Snake" Fist)

  • Koken ("Crane" Fist)

• Kicks

  • Yoko Geri (Side Kick)

  • Ushiro Geri (Back Kick)

  • Fumi Komi Geri (Stomp Kick)

• Stances

  • Kokutsu Dachi (Back Stance)

  • Mitsurin Dachi ("Jungle" Stance)

  • Kake Dachi ("Hook" Stance)

• Falling

  • Tachi Mae Ukemi (Standing Forward Breakfall)

  • Tachi Ushiro Ukemi (Standing Backwards Breakfall)

  • Tachi Yoko Ukemi (Standing Sideways Breakfall)

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-2

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1 (One Point Sparring Form)

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1 (Basic Sparring Form)

• Kime Dachi Kumite (Focus Stance Sparring) (1 minute)

Yellow Belt (7th Kyu)

• 8th Kyu Requirements

• Shuri-Ryu Pine Tree Symbol

• Master Milt Calander History

• Strikes

  • Mae Uraken (Forward Backfist Strike)

  • Mawashiken (Roundhouse Punch)

• Stances

  • Sanchin Dachi (Hourglass Stance)

  • Sochin Dachi (Wider Hourglass Stance)

  • Hangetsu Dachi (Very Wide Hourglass Stance)

  • Neko Ashi Dachi (Cat Leg Stance)

  • Ko Neko Dachi (Layout Cat Stance)

  • Shiro Tsuru Dachi (White Crane Stance)

  • Shiro Hakuchou Dachi (White Swan Stance)

  • Shiro Konotori Dachi (White Stork Stance)

• Introduction to Falling/Rolling

  • Suwari Mae Ukemi (Kneeling Forward Roll)

  • Suwari Ushiro Ukemi (Kneeling Backward Roll)

  • Stop Rolls

• Animal Forms - Dragon 1, Tiger 1, Leopard 1, Snake 1, Crane 1

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1

• Taezu Nara Waza 1 (Continuous Motion Techniques)

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1

• Sente Exercises 1-3 (Thousand Hand Exercises)

• Taikyoku Ichi Kata (Body Side Form 1)

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation (Bunkai)

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Taikyoku Ni Kata (Body Side Form 2)

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation (Bunkai)

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Taikyoku San Kata (Body Side Form 3)

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation (Bunkai)

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Kime Dachi Kumite (2 minutes)

• Kata Kumite (2 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (Free Exercise) (2 minutes)

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-3

Blue Belt (6th Kyu)

• 7th Kyu Requirements

• Shuri-Ryu Karate Lineage

• Animal Forms - Dragon 2, Tiger 2, Leopard 2, Snake 2, Crane 2

• Intermediate Falling/Rolling

  • Tachi Mae Ukemi (Standing Forward Roll)

  • Tachi Ushiro Ukemi (Standing Backward Roll)

  • Tachi Yoko Ukemi (Standing Sideways Roll)

• Introduction to Sweeps and Throws

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1-3

• Taezu Nara Waza 1-2

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1-3

• Sente Exercises 1-6

• Kime Dachi Kumite (3 minutes)

• Kata Kumite (3 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (3 minutes)

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-6

• Wansu Kata

  • Level 1 - Perfomance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

Green Belt (5th Kyu)

• 6th Kyu Requirements

• Terminology

• 5 Levels of Self-Defense

• 4 Basic Principles of Attack

• 8 Types of Attack

• Animal Forms - Dragon 3, Tiger 3, Leopard 3, Snake 3, Crane 3

• Advanced Falling/Rolling

• Intermediate Throws

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1-5

• Taezu Nara Waza 1-3

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1-5

• Kata Kumite (4 minutes)

• Kime Dachi Kumite (4 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (4 minutes)

• Sente Exercises 1-8

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-9

• Anaku Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

Purple Belt (4th Kyu)

• 5th Kyu Requirements

• Terminology

• 5 Principles of Hsing Yi (Pa Su Chen)

• All Animal Forms

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1-7

• Taezu Nara Waza 1-4

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1-7

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-12

• Kata Kumite (5 minutes)

• Kime Dachi Kumite Kata (5 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (5 minutes)

• Sparring (2 minutes)

• Intermediate Throws

• Introduction to Chokes and Pins

• Naihanchi Sho Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

Brown Belt 3rd Class (3rd Kyu)

• 4th Kyu Requirements

• Perfection of All Previous History and Procedure

• Teaching Principles

• Advanced Throws

• Sanchin Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Empisho Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1-9

• Taezu Nara Waza 1-6

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1-9

• Kata Kumite (6 minutes)

• Kihon Kumite Kata (6 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (6 minutes)

• Sparring (3 minutes)

• Demonstrate Tui Shou (Pushing Hands)

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-15

• Nunchaku Theory

Brown Belt 2nd Class (2nd Kyu)

• 3rd Kyu Requirements

• Ways of Recognizing the Shuri-Ryu System

• Introduction to Joint Locks

• Tsue Sho No Kun (Suekata Sho No Kun) Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Bassai Dai Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Ippon Kumite Kata 1-12

• Taezu Nara Waza 1-8

• Kihon Kumite Kata 1-12

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-18

• Kata Kumite (7 minutes)

• Kihon Kumite (7 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (7 minutes)

• Sparring

• Bo Theory

Brown Belt 1st Class (1st Kyu)

• Martial Arts Philosophy

• Twenty Vital Areas

• Twenty Personal Weapons

• Advanced Throws

• Ippon Kumite Kata (1-15)

• Taezu Nara Waza (1-10)

• Kihon Kumite Kata (1-15)

• Gopeisho Kata

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Dann Enn Sho

  • Level 1 - Performance

  • Level 2 - Interpretation

  • Level 3 - Universal

• Trias Self-Defenses 1-20

• Kata Kumite (7 minutes)

• Kihon Dachi Kumite (7 minutes)

• Jiju Undo (7 minutes)

• Sparring

• Sai Theory

1st Degree Black Belt (Shodan)*

• Written Examination (200 questions)

• Research Paper (20 pages)

• Physical and Oral Examination (Approximately 8 hours)

  • Perfection of History and Procedure

  • Martial Arts Philosophy

  • Teaching Principles

  • All Karate Techniqes

  • Ippon Kumite Kata 1-15

  • Taezu Nara Waza 1-10

  • Kihon Kumite Kata 1-15

  • Self-Defense

    • Trias Self-Defenses 1-20

    • Against Various Grabs and Holds

    • Knife Defenses

    • Gun Defenses

    • On the Ground

  • Okinawan Kobudo

    • Bo, Nunchaku, and Sai Theory

    • Sente Exercises

    • One Traditional Okinawan Kobudo Kata

  • Shuri-Ryu Kata

    • Taikyoku Ichi - 3 Levels

    • Taikyoku Ni - 3 Levels

    • Taikyoku San - 3 Levels

    • Wansu - 3 Levels

    • Anaku - 3 Levels

    • Naihanchi Sho - 3 Levels

    • Sanchin - 3 Levels

    • Empisho - 3 Levels

    • Tsue Sho No Kun - 3 Levels

    • Bassai Dai - 3 Levels

    • Gopeisho - 3 Levels

    • Dann Enn Sho - 3 Levels

    • 1 Kata Showing Goshindo (Self-Defense)

    • 1 Kata Showing Kaeshu (Counters)

    • 1 Kata Showing Hantai (Reverse)

  • Judo/Aikido Techniques

  • Kata Kumite (7 minutes)

  • Kime Dachi Kumite (7 minutes)

  • Jiju Undo (7 minutes)

  • Sparring

* Junior Black Belt Rank Requirements Will Be Modified at the Discretion of the Head Instructor