Examination criteria
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The exam for 1st kyu

Just the testsJust the techniques Back

Contents

Shokyu 5th kyu Hitori waza 4th kyu 4th kyu Chukyu 3rd kyu Hitori waza 2nd kyu 2nd kyu Jokyu 1st kyu Shoden 1st dan Chuden 2nd dan Joden 3rd dan Okuden 4th dan

SHO KYU (the first ki test) (at least a year of practice)

  1. STANDING (front, back, sideways)
  2. SEIZA (front, back, sideways, arms upwards, knee upwards)
  3. BOW FROM SEIZA (sideways)
  4. CROSS-LEGGED /AGURA/ (front, back, sideways, knee upwards, lifting the ribs – knee, back)
  5. ARM STRETCHED OUT – PALM DOWN (lifting the arm by fingertips)
  6. PUSHING WITH POSITIVELY EXTENDED KI (static, dynamic)
  7. KOKYU HO – breathing in seiza (breathing out – back test, breathing in – front test)

HITORI WAZA

  1. JO TAISO – the first group of exercises with staff
  2. STANDING – BOTH ARMS RAISED (arms downwards and sideways)
  3. STANDING – TURNING THE BODY WITH RAISED ARMS (arms downwards and sideways)
  4. STANDING – BENDING THE BODY SIDEWAYS WITH RAISED ARMS (pushing at ribs diagonally)
  5. UDE FURI UNDO (sideways, body placed to a side)
  6. UDE FURI CHOYAKU UNDO (back, front)
  7. SAYU UNDO (sideways at the hip, lifting the arms, lifting the stretched leg by ankle)
  8. SAYU CHOYAKU UNDO (sideways at the hip, lifting the arms, lifting the stretched leg by ankle)
  9. YOKO UKEMI – KOHOTENTO UNDO FROM SEIZA (sideways)
  10. ROLLING FROM SITTING BOW (sideways)
  11. SHIKKO – movement on knees, four steps forwards (pushing and pulling the raised arm)

KUMI WAZA 5th KYU

  1. KATATE DORI TENSHIN KOKYU NAGE – ONSHI NO GYOI
  2. KATATE DORI RYOTEMOCHI TENSHIN KOKYU NAGE – UDE MAWASHI ("number six")
  3. KATATE KOSA DORI KOKYU NAGE – TOBIKOMI
  4. KATATE DORI RYOTEMOCHI KOKYU NAGE – TOBIKOMI
  5. KATA DORI KOKYU NAGE (shearing with two hand edges)
  6. MUNE TSUKI KOKYU NAGE (over the shoulder – behind the back)
  7. ZAGI: RYOTE DORI KOKYU NAGE – DOWN AND UP

HITORI WAZA (additional tests for 4th kyu)

  1. FUNAKOGI UNDO (back, pushing through arms, pulling the arms)
  2. IKKYO UNDO (back, weight of arms, pushing through the arms)
  3. ZENGO UNDO (front and back during the exercise)
  4. IKKYO UNDO – TSUGI ASHI (back and front)
  5. HAPPO UNDO – FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS (front)
  6. JO AIKI TAISO – the third group of exercises with staff
  7. MAE UKEMI (after standing up – back, front)
  8. USHIRO UKEMI (after standing up – front, back)
  9. KOHOTENTO UNDO (front – three rhythms, legs, standing up)
  10. TSUGI ASHI (front and back)

KUMI WAZA 4th KYU (at least a year from attaining 5th kyu)

  1. KATATE DORI IKKYO (irimi, tenkan)
  2. MUNE TSUKI IKKYO (irimi, tenkan)
  3. MUNE TSUKI KOKYU NAGE TENKAN ("number six")
  4. RYOTE DORI NIKYO IRIMI
  5. MUNE TSUKI KOTE OROSHI
  6. KATATE DORI RYOTEMOCHI KOTE OROSHI (irimi, tenkan)
  7. USHIRO KATATE DORI ZEMPO NAGE
  8. USHIRO KATATE DORI URA GAESHI
  9. USHIRO KATATE DORI IKKYO
  10. USHIRO RYO KATA DORI KOKYU NAGE (sayu undo)

CHU KYU (the second ki test) (at least a year from attaining 4th kyu)

KENKO TAISO (the first group of exercises, old way)

  1. TURNING THE TRUNK WHILE SWINGING THE ARMS (hip – sideways, pulling each arm)
  2. STRETCHING THE TRUNK TO THE SIDE (hip – sideways, pulling the upper arm, lifting the lower arm, lifting the stretched leg by ankle)
  3. BENDING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS (when down: front, back; when up: downwards, horizontally)
  4. SHOULDER BLADE (ELBOW) EXERCISE (weight of each arm, pushing of each arm at 90°)
  5. STRETCHING THE NECK SIDEWAYS (lifting the opposite arm during the exercise)
  6. STRETCHING THE NECK FORWARD AND BACKWARD (head down – back, head up – front)
  7. TURNING THE HEAD SIDE TO SIDE (lifting the opposite arm during the exercise)
  8. BENDING AT THE KNEES AND STANDING ON TIPTOES (pressing the shoulders, through the arms upwards and diagonally)
  9. STRETCHING THE KNEE (pushing the back from behind, lifting the stretched leg by ankle)
  10. UDE MAWASHI UNDO – ROTATING ONE ARM (when low – upwards, when high – downwards, the opposite arm upwards – during the exercise)
  11. UDE MAWASHI UNDO – ROTATING BOTH ARMS (when low – upwards)
  12. UDE MAWASHI UNDO – ROTATING BOTH ARMS WHILE BENDING THE KNEES (when high – downwards)
  13. SHAKING THE ARMS (upwards, swinging of an arm – upwards)

HITORI WAZA

  1. KOTE OROSHI UNDO (lifting the arms, turning the arms over)
  2. SANKYO UNDO (pushing the arms backwards, turning the arms over)
  3. NIKYO UNDO (lifting the arms, turning the arms over)
  4. KAHO TEKUBI KOSA UNDO (lifting the arms, turning the arms over)
  5. JOHO TEKUBI KOSA UNDO (pushing the arms backwards, turning the arms over)
  6. HANMI – GYAKU HANMI UNDO (pushing and pulling the spread arms)
  7. HANMI – GYAKU HANMI CHOYAKU UNDO (pushing and pulling the spread arms)
  8. USHIRO DORI UNDO (pressing the spread arms from above – standing at the front and at the back, pushing and pulling the arms)
  9. USHIRO TEKUBI DORI ZENSHIN UNDO (front, back, pushing and pulling the arms)
  10. USHIRO TEKUBI DORI KOSHIN UNDO (front, back, pushing and pulling the arms)
  11. SHIKKO – moving 4 steps backwards at the knees (pushing and pulling the raised arm)

KUMI WAZA 3rd KYU

  1. BO – BO (shomenuchi up – down, shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, yoko barai, do uchi, ashi uchi)
  2. KATATE DORI KOKYU NAGE IRIMI (sayu)
  3. KATATE DORI KOKYU NAGE TENSHIN (changing hold at jodan)
  4. KATATE KOSA DORI KOTE GAESHI (tobikomi entry)
  5. YOKOMENUCHI KOKYU NAGE HACHI NO JI
  6. KATATE DORI SHIHO NAGE (irimi, tenkan)
  7. YOKOMENUCHI SHIHO NAGE (irimi, tenkan)
  8. YOKOMENUCHI SHIHO NAGE WITH SWITCHING PLACES (irimi, tenkan)
  9. RYOTE DORI ZEMPO NAGE (over the head)
  10. USHIRO DORI ZEMPO NAGE
  11. TANTO DORI: MUNE TSUKI KOTE OROSHI
  12. BOKKEN DORI: SHOMENUCHI KOKYU NAGE TOBIKOMI

HITORI WAZA (additional tests for 2nd kyu)

  1. MOVING THE BOKKEN VERTICALLY WITH THE WRIST OF ONE HAND (downwards, upwards, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  2. SHOMENUCHI – with one arm (upwards, turning over, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  3. SHOMENUCHI – both arms, parallel legs (upwards, turning over, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  4. MOVING THE BOKKEN HORIZONTALLY WITH THE WRIST OF ONE HAND (pushing and pulling the bokken)
  5. CUTTING HORIZONTALLY WITH A STEP (pushing and pulling the bokken while the examinee is on one leg)
  6. SHIKKO – movement on knees – step and turn (pushing and pulling the raised arm)
  7. STANDING, FEET PARALLEL, ARM STRETCHED OUT (weight underside the arm: by the elbow, at the forearm, at the hand; the hand)
  8. ZENSHIN UNDO (the arm opposite of the leg, the arm stretches forward from the temple – test through the arm)

KUMI WAZA 2nd KYU (at least a year from attaining 3rd kyu)

  1. ZAGI – SHOMENUCHI IKKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  2. KATA DORI IKKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  3. KATA DORI NIKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  4. KATA DORI SANKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  5. KATA DORI YONKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  6. YOKOMENUCHI KOKYU NAGE IRIMI (happo entry)
  7. SHOMENUCHI IKKYO (irimi and tenkan)
  8. USHIRO KATATE DORI JUJI NAGE
  9. USHIRO RYO KATA DORI KOKYU NAGE (hikoki)
  10. USHIRO RYO KATA DORI ZEMPO NAGE
  11. USHIRO KATATE DORI KOTE OROSHI (from nikyo – the arms pulled backwards)
  12. JO DORI: MUNE TSUKI KAESHI KOKYU NAGE
  13. JO DORI: MUNE TSUKI ZEMPO NAGE
  14. HITORI GAKE (free attack by one person)
1st kyu

JO KYU (the third ki test) (at least a year from attaining 2nd kyu)

  1. PARTIALLY STANDING UP FROM KOHOTENTO UNDO (front, back)
  2. ZENGO UNDO – LEGS ONLY (front, back)
  3. KNEELING – KNEE TO THE SIDE – ARM RAISED (through the arm)
  4. SITTING – LEGS SPREAD (weight of the leg at ankle)
  5. STANDING – FEET PARALLEL – VARIOUS POSITIONS OF THE ARM (through the arm)
  6. USHIRO TEKUBI DORI (bending the arms upwards)
  7. TEGATANA AND THE LITTLE FINGER CLOSED TOWARD THE FOREARM (moving the arm sideways)
  8. PUSHING THE CHEST WITH BOTH ARMS (the arms placed underneath and pushing back)
  9. LITTLE FINGER RAISED – TRIANGLE STANCE (pushing through the little finger)

HITORI WAZA

  1. MOVING THE BOKKEN VERTICALLY WITH THE WRIST – THE ARM IN FRONT OF THE BODY (downwards, upwards, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  2. SHOMENUCHI WITH BOTH ARMS – TRIANGLE STANCE (upwards, turning over, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  3. SHOMENUCHI IN TWO DIRECTIONS – TURN IN PLACE (upwards, turning over, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  4. TSUGI ASHI – BOKKEN IN CHUDAN STANCE: FORWARDS, BACKWARDS, SWITCHING THE TRIANGLE STANCE (upwards, turning over, pushing and pulling the bokken)
  5. HAPPO GIRI (the first bokken kata)
  6. THE FIRST JO KATA

SHO DEN (the fourth ki test) (at least a year from attaining 1st kyu)

  1. STANDING (front, back, sideways)
  2. SEIZA (front and back in various rhythms, sideways, arm upwards, knee upwards)
  3. STANDING UP AND SITTING DOWN IN SEIZA (front, back, sideways)
  4. CROSS-LEGGED /AGURA/ (front, back, sideways, the back forwards, pushing the chest with two arms)
  5. STANDING, FEET PARALLEL – ARM STRETCHED OUT WITH PALM DOWN (lifting the arm by fingertips and lowering the arm)
  6. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT (pushing and pulling the arm)
  7. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT AND LEG RAISED (pushing and pulling the arm)
  8. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARMS LOWERED (back, front, front – diagonally)
  9. LEANING AGAINST THE "WALL" (front, front – diagonally)
  10. LEANING AGAINST THE "TABLE" (back, front, lifting the arms)
  11. STANDING – ARMS RAISED IN FRONT (arms by the elbow – upwards and diagonally upwards)
  12. WALKING WITH POSITIVE KI (while being held around the chest from behind)
  13. UNRAISABLE BODY (lifting by catching under armpits with an attempt to knock knees out)
  14. KOKYU HO – IN SEIZA (exhaling – back, inhaling – front)
  15. KENKO TAISO (the first group of exercises the old way, examinee counts)

SHO DAN (the first dan) (at least a year from attaining SHO DEN)

  1. TSUZUKI WAZA 11: KATATE DORI (plus five additional techniques)
  2. TSUZUKI WAZA 13: KATATE DORI RYOTEMOCHI (plus five additional techniques)
  3. TSUZUKI WAZA 2: USHIRO KATATE DORI KUBISHIME (plus five additional techniques)
  4. TSUZUKI WAZA 8: YOKOMENUCHI (plus five additional techniques)
  5. TSUZUKI WAZA 21: TANTO DORI
  6. TSUZUKI WAZA 25: JO – BOKKEN (kata is done in parts, examinee uses jo)
  7. TSUZUKI WAZA 27: BOKKEN – BOKKEN (happo giri)
  8. GO NIN GAKE (free attack by five persons)

CHU DEN (the fifth ki test) (at least two years from attaining SHO DAN)

  1. STANDING (front, back, sideways)
  2. SEIZA (front and back in various rhythms, sideways, the arm upwards, the knee upwards)
  3. STANDING UP AND SITTING DOWN IN SEIZA (front, back, sideways)
  4. CROSS-LEGGED /AGURA/ (front, back, sideways, the back forwards, pushing the chest with two arms)
  5. STANDING WITH FEET PARALLEL – THE ARM STRETCHED WITH PALM DOWN (lifting the arm by fingertips and lowering the arm)
  6. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT (pushing and pulling the arm)
  7. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT AND LEG RAISED (pushing and pulling the arm)
  8. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARMS LOWERED (back, front, front – diagonally)
  9. LEANING AGAINST THE "WALL" (front, front – diagonally)
  10. LEANING AGAINST THE "TABLE" (back, front, lifting the arms)
  11. STANDING – ARMS RAISED IN FRONT (arms by the elbow – upwards and diagonally upwards)
  12. WALKING WITH POSITIVE KI (while being held around the chest from behind)
  13. UNRAISABLE BODY (lifting by catching under armpits with an attempt to knock knees out)
  14. KOKYU HO – STANDING "KI NO MITSUBI" (up: from below, backwards, separating the arms; down: upwards, turning over; middle: backwards, turning over)
  15. KENKO TAISO (the first group of exercises the new way, examinee counts)

NI DAN (the second dan) (at least two years from attaining CHU DEN)

  1. TSUZUKI WAZA 4: RYOTE DORI (plus five additional techniques)
  2. TSUZUKI WAZA 7: SHOMENUCHI (plus five additional techniques)
  3. TSUZUKI WAZA 6: USHIRO DORI (plus five additional techniques)
  4. TSUZUKI WAZA 15: USHIRO RYO KATA DORI (plus five additional techniques)
  5. TSUZUKI WAZA 22: TANTO DORI
  6. TSUZUKI WAZA 23: BOKKEN DORI
  7. TSUZUKI WAZA 26: JO – BOKKEN (kata is done in parts, examinee uses jo)
  8. TSUZUKI WAZA 28: BOKKEN – BOKKEN (second kata)
  9. GO NIN GAKE (free attack by five persons)

JO DEN (the sixth ki test) (at least two years from attaining NI DAN)

  1. STANDING (front, back, sideways)
  2. SEIZA (front and back in various rhythms, sideways, the arm upwards, the knee upwards)
  3. STANDING UP AND SITTING DOWN IN SEIZA (front, back, sideways)
  4. CROSS-LEGGED /AGURA/ (front, back, sideways, the back forwards, pushing the chest with two arms)
  5. STANDING WITH FEET PARALLEL – THE ARM STRETCHED WITH PALM DOWN (lifting the arm by fingertips and lowering the arm)
  6. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT (pushing and pulling the arm)
  7. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT AND LEG RAISED (pushing and pulling the arm)
  8. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARMS LOWERED (back, front, front – diagonally)
  9. LEANING AGAINST THE "WALL" (front, front – diagonally)
  10. LEANING AGAINST THE "TABLE" (back, front, lifting the arms)
  11. STANDING – ARMS RAISED IN FRONT (arms by the elbow – upwards and diagonally upwards)
  12. WALKING WITH POSITIVE KI (while being held around the chest from behind)
  13. UNRAISABLE BODY (lifting by catching under armpits with an attempt to knock knees out)
  14. KENKO TAISO (the first group of exercises - mixed: the first part the old way, the second part the new way, examinee counts)

SAN DAN (the third dan) (at least two years from attaining JO DEN)

  1. TSUZUKI WAZA 5: RYO KATA DORI (plus five additional techniques)
  2. TSUZUKI WAZA 9: TSUKI – KERI (plus five additional techniques)
  3. TSUZUKI WAZA 12: USHIRO KATATE DORI KUBISHIME (plus five additional techniques)
  4. TSUZUKI WAZA 18: YOKOMENUCHI (plus five additional techniques)
  5. TSUZUKI WAZA 19: MUNE TSUKI (plus five additional techniques)
  6. TSUZUKI WAZA 24: JO DORI
  7. TSUZUKI WAZA 25: JO – BOKKEN (examinee uses bokken)
  8. TSUZUKI WAZA 26: JO – BOKKEN (examinee uses bokken)
  9. TSUZUKI WAZA 10: TANINZU GAKE
  10. YON NIN GAKE (free attack by four persons; when the last technique of the 10th tsuzuki waza is done, the examinee signals for the start and the end of attack)

OKU DEN (the seventh ki test) (at least three years from attaining SAN DAN)

  1. USHIRO UNDO (lifting from the back, if lifted – getting back down by entering the flow or "walking" through the air)
  2. TRIANGLE STANCE – STANDING AND SEIZA (pushing from the front with and without placing the arm underneath)
  3. STANDING – TWO MEN PULLING THE ARMS DOWNWARDS (crouch and stand up)
  4. STANDING – TWO MEN LIFTING THE ARMS
  5. STANDING AND ONE FOOT FORWARD (lifting the leg)
  6. "TYING A SHOELACE" FORM (front and back)
  7. KNEELING – RAISED ARMS (downwards and sideways)
  8. SEIZA – RAISED ARMS (downwards and sideways)
  9. CROSS-LEGGED /AGURA/ – RAISED ARMS (downwards and sideways)
  10. SEIZA – "UNBENDABLE" ARM (bending the stretched arm, keeping the bent arm from straightening, controlled flexing and straightening of the arm while being tested)
  11. KIBA DACHI – THREE STANCES (front, back, through arms)
  12. LYING DOWN (lifting by shoulders)
  13. TRIANGLE STANCE – ARM STRETCHED OUT – FINGERS SPREAD (test of the arm in all directions)
  14. HANDS BEHIND THE HEAD (upwards and diagonally through the elbows)
  15. AIKI TAISO – THIRD GROUP OF EXERCISES (the old way, with following exercises added: hanmi – gyaku hanmi undo, shomenuchi choyaku undo; examinee counts)

YON DAN (the fourth dan) (at least three years from attaining OKU DEN)

  1. TSUZUKI WAZA 17: KATA DORI MENUCHI
  2. TSUZUKI WAZA 29: BOKKEN – BOKKEN
  3. TSUZUKI WAZA 30: BOKKEN – BOKKEN
  4. TSUZUKI WAZA 31: JO – BOKKEN (examinee uses jo)
  5. TSUZUKI WAZA 32: BO – DO
  6. TSUZUKI WAZA 20: JO NAGE
  7. SAN NIN GAKE (free attack by three persons; after the last technique of the 20th tsuzuki waza is done, the examinee signals for the start and the end of attack)
infographic

Masters are not tested for the higher grades. The chief instructor decides on awarding these, by carefully monitoring their further development, both in the art and in daily life.