Ranks and Testing Requirements

General Testing Information

• Green tip tests are held every two months, in February, April, June, August, October, and December. 

• Color belt tests are held every six months, in February and August. 

• To qualify to take a test, deshi (students) are required to train the minimum amount of time at their current level, and have permission to test from a Sensei.

• Deshi are not required to take a test they have been given permission to take.

• The testing fee and essay should be submitted to a sensei prior to the testing day. Please ask a Sensei about the fee for your test.

• A green tip test essay should be one paragraph long.  Color belt test essays should be longer (a few paragraphs).  Deshi are free to choose any karate-related topic for their essays.

• In addition to demonstrating the requirements listed below, questions are asked to test your knowledge.  Study the red and green books, learn the meaning of Our Patch and study the Kata Table on the Kata page.  

Requirements By Rank

White belt - One Green Tip (Ro-kyu)/ Two Green Tips (Go-kyu)

• Proper courtesy 

• Permission from assigned black belt. 

• Short, typewritten essay on karate

• Shorin-Ryu patch on gi (received from Sensei Oscarson after attaining Ro-kyu rank)

• Basic Techniques: high block (jodan uke), chest block (chudan uke), low block forward leaning stance (zenkutsu dachi gedan barai uke); front snap kick (mae geri); walking punch (chudan zuki); side-squat punch (oi zuki)

• 10 pushups (men), 5 pushups (women and children)

• 10 punches, squatting position

• Fukyugata Ichi (Ro-kyu), Fukyugata Ni (Go-kyu)

Yellow Belt (Children's Rank Only)

• Minimum of 6 months training

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Yakusoku kumite 1

Green Belt (Yon-kyu) and Brown Tips (San-kyu)

• Proper courtesy

• Permission from assigned black belt

• Sponsorship from your black belt sempai

• Short, typewritten essay on karate

• Minimum of 2 classes per week

• All kata for your level

• All Yakusoku kumite for your level

• Oyo-tan-ren

• Breaking technique (optional for women and children)

• Help with dojo upkeep

• Help lower ranks by training vigorously in each class, answering their questions and assisting in their training both before and after class

These are the minimum requirements to be considered for promotion.  You will then be evaluated on the day of promotion.

In addition, the following requirements are specific to each green belt rank:

  Green Belt (Yon-kyu)

• Minimum of 6 months training

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Yakusoku kumite 1

   Brown Tips (San-kyu)

• Minimum of 6 months training as Yon-kyu

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Pinan Shodan and Pinan Nidan

• Yakusoku Kumite 1-2

• Attend dojo functions (doshokai, holiday workouts, cleanups, etc.)

• Recommended minimum of 12 months training as San-kyu

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Pinan 1-5

• Yakusoku Kumite 1-3

• Attend dojo functions (doshokai, holiday workouts, cleanups, etc.)

• Display teaching skills

• Minimum of 12 months training as Ni-kyu

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Pinan 1-5

• Naihanchi 1

• Yakusoku Kumite 1-3

• Display teaching skills

• Minimum of 12 months training as Ik-kyu

• Fukyugata 1-3

• Pinan 1-5

• Naihanchi 1-3

• Ananku

• Wankan

• Yakusoku Kumite 1-4

• Attend dojo functions (doshokai, holiday workouts, cleanups, etc.)

• Display teaching skills

Any exception to the length of time necessary for the above ranks is at the discretion of the Shihan.  All other prerequisites are at the discretion of Hanshi.