GENERAL NOTES

General

  • Kyu exams require each karateka to demonstrate proficiency in three area: kihon (basics), kata, and kumite (sparring). Specifics for each area are listed by kyu below.
  • If more than one person is testing for a particular kyu, then the kihon and kata are usually executed by two or three people at a time. Sparring is done by one pair of karateka at a time.

Kihon

  • Each kihon technique is usually performed three times. Basics that require more space (e.g., two-kick techniques) are usually performed only twice.
  • Kiai (strongly!) when you execute the final repetition of each technique.

Kata

  • Kata are usually performed by two or three karateka at a time, though solo performances are not uncommon.

Kumite

  • Kiai on the last attack (when attacking) and on the counter-attack (when defending).
  • Down block strongly when attacking; announce your target forcefully and decisively.

KIHON (BASICS)

8th kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Rising block  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block  turn
 Moving forward from back stance Knife-hand block  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  

7th kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block  
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block  
 Moving backward from back stance Knife-hand block  
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  

6th kyu examination (test for green belt)

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block to reverse punch  
 Moving backward from back stance Knife-hand block  
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  

5th kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block to reverse punch  
 Moving backward from back stance Knife-hand block to nukite strike (change to front stance)  
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick  

4th kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block to reverse punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block to elbow strike (change to side stance)  
 Moving backward from back stance Knife-hand block to nukite strike (change to front stance)  
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick  

3rd kyu examination (test for brown belt)

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block to reverse punch  turn
 Moving froward from front stance Outside forearm block to elbow strike (change to side stance)  
 Moving backward from front stance Inside forearm block to reverse punch  
 Moving forward from back stance Knife-hand block to nukite strike (change to front stance)  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick  

2nd kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving froward from front stance Outside forearm block to elbow strike (change to side stance) to back-fist strike  
 Moving backward from front stance Inside forearm block to reverse punch  
 Moving forward from back stance Knife-hand block to nukite strike (change to front stance)  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick  

1st kyu examination

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Lunge punch  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving froward from front stance Outside forearm block to elbow strike (change to side stance) to back-fist strike  
 Moving backward from front stance Inside forearm block to reverse punch  
 Moving forward from back stance Knife-hand block to nukite strike (change to front stance)  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance  Front kick (step forward again), side thrust kick  

 

shodan examination (test for black belt)

MOTION

 TECHNIQUE

  
 Moving forward from front stance Triple punch (face, stomach, stomach)
 Moving backward from front stance Rising block to reverse punch
 Moving forward from front stance Outside forearm block (change to side stance) elbow strike to back-fist strike (change to front stance) to reverse punch
 Moving backward from back stance Inside block (change to front stance) jab to face to reverse punch  
 Moving forward from back stance Knife-hand block, front kick off front leg (change to front stance) to nukite strike  turn
 Moving forward from front stance Front kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Front kick to stomach, front kick to face  
 Moving sideward from side stance Side snap kick  turn
 Moving sideward from side stance Side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick (step forward again), side thrust kick  turn
Moving forward from front stance Roundhouse kick (using same leg), side thrust kick  

 

KATA

 KYU

 KATA

 8

 Heian shodan

 7

 Heian nidan

 6

 Heian sandan

 5

 Heian yondan

 4

 Heian godan

 3

 Tekki shodan

 2

 Bassai dai

 1

 Bassai dai

KUMITE (SPARRING)

 KYU

 KUMITE

 8

 3-step, face and stomach

 7

3-step, face and stomach

 6

 3-step, face and stomach

 5

 1-step, face and stomach

 4

1-step, face and stomach

 3

 1-step, face, stomach, front kick

 2

semi-free (face, stomach; front, side thrust, and roundhouse kicks)

1

semi-free (face, stomach; front, side thrust, and roundhouse kicks)

THREE-STEP SPARRING:

In three-step sparring, each person attacks three times to face and three times to stomach from one side only (usually starting from a left side forward front stance, right-hand punch). The attacking side alternates after each exchange (i.e., Person A attacks to face; Person B attacks to face; Person A attacks to stomach; Person B attacks to stomach).

ONE-STEP SPARRING:

In one-step sparring involving only punching attacks (i.e., for 5th and 4th kyu), Person A attacks once to face from left-side forward (right-hand punch), then once to face from right-side forward (left-side punch). The same person then attacks once to stomach from both sides. Person B then performs the same attacks. Each person thus performs four attacks.

In one-step sparring involving kicks as well as punches (i.e., for 3rd kyu and above), Person A attacks once to face from either side, then to stomach from either side, then with a front kick from either side. Person B then attacks one time each (face, stomach, front kick) from either side. Each person thus performs three attacks.