Karate-dō Promotion Requirements—Kyūkyū (9th Kyū)

Blue Belt (Kyukyu)

This page presents the requirements for promotion in Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō to the rank of kyūkyū (9th kyū).  At the Seishin-Kan, kyūkyū is signified by a white belt for adults, and a blue belt for youth and children.

n Shikaku (Eligibility Requirements)
n Sahō to Reihō (Preparation & Etiquette)
n Kihon (Fundamentals)
n Idō Kihon (Basic Movements)
n Yakusoku Kumite (Choreographed Sparring)
n Jiyū Kumite (Free Sparring)
n Jūhō Waza ("Soft" Techniques)
n Katachi to Kata (Patterns & Examples)
n Bunkai to Ōyō (Analysis & Practical Application)
n Tameshiwari (Test Breaking)
n Gakka (Scholarship)

Shikaku (Eligibility Requirements)

To be eligible to test for kyūkyū, a candidate must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed below:

  n A minimum of three (3) months training in Shimabukuro-ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō
  n Participate in a minimum of twenty (20) one-hour karate training classes since promotion to jukkyū or a cumulative total of at least forty (40) classes.
  n Own and wear a karate-gi that conforms to Seishin-Kan standards
  n Consistently exhibit appropriate attitude and behaviour in the dōjō
  n Submit a written request for promotion testing on the prescribed form

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Sahō to Reihō (Preparation & Etiquette)

Sahō (Preparation):   Correctly wear karate-gi and keep it clean and neat, correctly tie obi (belt), consistently arrive in time to assist with class set-up and remain afterward to assist with sōji (clean up), and correctly perform mokusō to mentally prepare for training.

Reihō (Etiquette):   Consistently perform correct etiquette upon entering and leaving the dōjō,  greeting sensei and sempai and fellow participants, correctly perform hairei (venerating bow), tachi-rei (standing bow), and zarei (kneeling bow), and use proper aisatsu (formal greetings).

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Kihon (Fundamentals)

Correctly perform the following fundamentals: 

  n All kihon required for jukkyū
  n Neko-ashi Dachi ("cat-foot" stance), both nami (face-on) and hanmi (angled body)
n Re-no-ji Dachi ("レ-shaped" stance)
  n Shikō Dachi (rectangular stance)
  n Yoko Kentsui Uke (lateral hammer-fist block)
n Shutō Uke (knife-hand block)
n Sukashi Uke (skidding palm block)
  n Gedan shutō-barai uke (low knife-hand sweeping block)
  n Morote gedan barai (low dual closed-fist sweeping block)
  n Kakete Uke (grasping block)
  n Uchi Otoshi (downward hammerfist strike)
  n Morote Tsuki (dual-fist punch)
n Shutō Uchi (knife-hand strike)
  n Mawashi-geri (turning kick or roundhouse kick)
  n Mikazuki-geri (inward crescent kick)
  n Hiza geri (knee kick)


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Idō Kihon (Basic Movements)

Correctly perform the following techniques while stepping forward, backward, or turning in zenkutsu dachi, han-zenkutsu dachi, or neko-ashi dachi:

  n All idō kihon required for jukkyū
  n Suri-ashi footwork (sliding feet along floor without fully lifting them)
  n Shutō Uke (outward forearm block)
  n Gedan shutō-barai uke (low knife-hand sweeping block)
  n Block-strike combinations (yoko uke-gyakuzuki, age uke-gyaku zuki, etc.)
n Sequenced kicks (choku-geri then mawashi-geri, mawashi-geri then ushiro geri, etc.)
n Basic idō kihon applying tenshin (body shifting)

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Yakusoku Kumite (Choreographed Sparring)

Correctly perform ippon kumite (one-step-and-strike sparring), defending against chūdan oizuki applying sundome (stopping an inch away from the body) by using the  following techniques in han-zenkutsu dachi and neko-ashi dachi:

  n Gedan Barai with tenshin followed by gyakuzuki chūdan
  n Uchi Uke with tenshin followed by gyakuzuki chūdan
  n Yoko Uke with tenshin followed by gyakuzuki chūdan
  n Yoko Kentsui Harai Uke with tenshin followed by sokuto geri
  n Yoko Uke with tenshin followed by choku-geri, then gyakuzuki chūdan

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Jiyū Kumite (Free Sparring)

Correctly perform fundamentals of  jiyū kumite, including:

  n Jiyū kamae (sparring stance)
  n Ayumi-ashi footwork (stepping forward or backward with alternating feet to block or strike)
  n Yori-ashi footwork (sliding forward or backward to block or strike)
  n Basic kumite combinations (kizamizuki-gyakuzuki, gyakuzuki-mawashi geri, etc.)
  n Jiyū kumite preliminaries (sahō to reihō)
  n Respond to basic jiyū kumite commands (hajime, yame, tsuzukete, moto no ichi, etc.)

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Juhō ("Soft" [non-striking] Methods)

Correctly perform the following kaihō waza (escape techniques):

n Kobushi hiki-age to escape ryōte de sage katate dori
  n Tekagami kote-gaeshi to escape sage morote-dori
  n Hiji kote-osae to escape sage yoko kote-dori
  n Yoko ukemi, mae ukemi, and ushiro ukemi breakfalls from a standing position
  n Zempo kaiten ukemi breakfalls from a kneeling and standing position
  n Ukemi in response to kote-gaeshi
  n Ukemi in response to ō-soto gari or kuruma daoshi throw

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Katachi to Kata (Patterns & Examples)

Correctly perform the following kata, either tandoku embu (solo performance) or dantai embu (synchronised group performance):

  n Kihon Katachi Ichi or Ni in dantai embu (synchronised group)
  n Heian Nidan
  n Kenshū

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Bunkai to Ōyō (Analysis & Practical Application)

Demonstrate at least one practical application of the following techniques from Heian Nidan and Kenshū: 

  n Uchi-otoshi from Heian Nidan
  n Morote-zuki from Kenshū
  n Explain and demonstrate the difference between zenkutsu dachi and han-zenkutsu dachi
  n Describe how at least one technique each from Heian Nidan and Kenshū that can be used as jūhō

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Tameshiwari (Test Breaking)

Tameshiwari is not required for promotion to kyūkyū.

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Gakka (Scholarship)

Be prepared to answer any or all of the following questions:

n Who was the founder of Shitō-Ryū?
  n How did our style of karate get its name?
  n What is the meaning of the words "sempai" and "kōhai"?
  n What does "o-negai shimasu" mean?
  n What does "arigatō gozaimashita" mean?
  n Explain the difference between self-control and discipline.
  n Why do we end the Dōjō Kun by saying "Ossu!"?

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Registration of Rank

NOTE:  all promotion tests in the art of karate-dō are conducted under the auspices of the Nippon Budō Seishin-Kan at one of its member dōjō or kenkyūkai.  The rankings awarded as a result of these tests are valid only among member dōjō of the Seishin-Kan, and should not be assumed to be transferable to any other dōjō or governing organisation.

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Questions?

QuestionMark

If you are preparing to test and you are not sure you know or meet all the requirements described on this page, please be sure to ask your sempai or sensei during a class session.

Promotion Requirements

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