Karate-dō Promotion Requirements—Nanakyū (7th Kyū)

Purple Belt (Hachikyu)

This page presents the requirements for promotion in Shimabukuro-Ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō to the rank of nanakyū (7th kyū).  At the Seishin-Kan, nanakyū is signified by a white belt for adults, and a purple 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 nanakyū, a candidate must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed below:

  n A minimum of seven (7) months training in Shimabukuro-ha Shitō-Ryū karate-dō
  n Participate in a minimum of twenty-five (25) one-hour karate training classes since promotion to hachikyū.
  n Consistently exhibit satisfactory attitude and behaviour at home and school (youth and children).
  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):   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), as well as exhibiting respectful informal etiquette toward sensei, sempai, and visitors.

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Kihon (Fundamentals)

Correctly perform the following fundamentals: 

  n All previously required kihon
  n Kiba Dachi (horse-riding stance)
  n Hasami Uke ("scissors" block)
n Koshi-sasae Ude-uke (hip-braced arm block)
  n Yoko-zuki (sideways punch)
  n Yoko Shuto Uchi (lateral knife-hand strike)
  n Nami-gaeshi Geri (returning-wave kick)
n Ura-mawashi Geri (inverted roundhouse kick)
  n Nidan Mawashi-geri (two-level turning kick or roundhouse kick)
  n Tobi Sokutō Geri (flying side 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, sanchin dachi, or neko-ashi dachi:

  n Improved performance of all previously required idō kihon
  n Use of tenshin (body shifting) during performance of idō kihon
  n Hiji Ate Gohō (Five Elbow Striking Methods)

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Yakusoku Kumite (Choreographed Sparring)

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

  n Incorporate tenshin appropriately into all facets of ippon kumite and sambon kumite
  n Apply variations in stance appropriately in all facets of ippon kumite and sambon kumite
n Apply a variety of blocking, deflecting, and evading techniques in ippon kumite and sambon kumite
n Apply striking and kicking combinations in ippon kumite and sambon kumite
  n Apply techniques and sequences from kata in ippon kumite (only)
n Improved speed, power, and accuracy in ippon kumite and sambon kumite

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Jiyū Kumite (Free Sparring)

Correctly perform basic  jiyū kumite, including:

  n Jiyū kumite sahō to reihō
  n Respond to basic jiyū kumite commands (hajime, yame, tsuzukete, moto no ichi, etc.)
  n Perform jiyū kumite using chūdan techniques only
  n Explain the concepts of maai, mazakai, and uchima
  n Explain jiyū kumite scoring (requirements for ippon and waza-ari)

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Juhō ("Soft" [non-striking] Methods)

Correctly perform the following jūhō:

n Ude osae to escape mae kami-dori
  n Mawari tekubi sori-kaeri to escape ushiro kami-dori
n Ude osae to escape mae morote-jime or morote mune-dori
  n Against any kote-dori (wrist grab), apply a nagewaza (throw) or katame waza (control technique)
  n Ō-soto gari throw
  n Soto kuchiki daoshi throw
  n Ukemi in response to Ō-soto gari or uki-goshi or o-goshi 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 Heian Shodan or Shinsei in dantai embu (synchronised group)
  n Heian Sandan
  n Naifanchi Shodan

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Bunkai to Ōyō (Analysis & Practical Application)

Demonstrate at least one practical application of the following techniques from Heian Shodan and Shinsei: 

  n First sequence (hiki-hanashi uke,  gedan orikaeshi uchi, yoko kentsui uchi) from Heian Shodan
  n Two or more applications of hasami uke from Heian Sandan
  n One or more applications of koshi-sasae ude-uke from Heian Sandan
  n Two or more applications of nami-gaeshi geri from Naifanchi Shodan
  n Explain and demonstrate the correct posture and structure of kiba dachi.
  n Describe how at least one technique each from Heian Sandan and Naifanchi Shodan can be used as jūhō.

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Tameshiwari (Test Breaking)

Perform tameshiwari using Gyakuzuki, plus any one of the following techniques (student's choice):

  n Shuto Uchi (knife-hand strike)
n Sokuto Geri (foot-edge kick)
  n Yoko Hiji Ate (elbow strike)
  n Gyaku Zuki (reverse punch)

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Gakka (Scholarship)

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

n What is the meaning of "Heian" from the Heian kata?
  n Who was the successor to Mabuni Kenwa as Soke of Shitō-Ryū?
  n What were the three major systems of karate prior to the 20th century?
  n Identify the te no meisho (parts of the hand) in Japanese:  kobushi (fist), seiken (proper fist), kentsui (hammer fist), ura-ken (backfist), kentō (top of the fist), hitosashi ippon ken (foreknuckle fist), nakadaka ippon ken (middle knuckle fist), oyayubi ippon ken (protruding thumb fist), koyubi-daka ippon ken (little finger knuckle fist), hiraken (flat fist), shutō (knife hand), ura-shutō (inverted knife hand), nukite (spear hand), yonhon nukite (four-finger spear hand), nihon nukite (two-finger spear hand), ippon nukite (one-finger spear hand), koken (top of the wrist),  shōtei (base of the palm), and haishu (open back-hand).
  n Identify the ashi no meisho (parts of the foot) in Japanese:  ashi (foot), sokkō (top of the foot, instep), sokutō (edge/blade of the foot), jōsokutei (ball of the foot), kasokutei (bottom of the heel), kakato (back of the heel), haisoku (insole), and tsumasaki (tip of the toe).
  n Explain "hanasenai, ase dake."
  n Recite the seven major principles of Bushidō.
  n Explain the difference between budō and bujutsu.
  n Explain Dai-Kyō-Soku-Kei.

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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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