KYU GRADINGS

Grading Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to grade, a student must:

Fulfil all technical requirements

Hold a current SKDA licence

Have permission from their senior club instructor

Grading can take place at the student’s own dojo.

Note: Students must bring their record book and licence to the grading for examiner inspection and signature.

Grading Timing and Progression

Novices may grade after 3 months of training.

There must be a minimum of 3 months between each grading from 9th Kyu to 3rd Kyu.

Exceptional students may be graded directly to 8th Kyu, at the examiner's discretion.

Temporary Kyu Grades

Awarded if a student is not quite at the required standard.

They wear the same belt (or a belt with a stripe) and train on the same syllabus as the full grade.

Re-Taking a Kyu Grading

Students who fail a grading may re-take it after 3 months, or earlier at the discretion of the Senior Sensei.

Grading Syllabus

The examiner may ask to see some or all of the Kihon, Kata and practical applications listed in the SKDA Syllabus. Candidates may be required to demonstrate material from previous gradings to ensure overall development, a brown belt for example may be asked to perform a previous Kata or extra practical sets if known. Allowance will be made for candidates who are unable to perform certain techniques due to physical or other restrictions.

It must be emphasised that the SKDA Syllabus is intended as a guideline to prepare students for their gradings and that the most important factor is the quality of performance by the student.

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Orange Belt

Novice to 9th Kyu

Kneeling Position – Seiza
Yoi – Ready Position
Lower Block - Gedan Barai
Upper Block - Age Uke
Outside Block - Soto Uke
Forward Punch - Oi Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri

Kihon Kata
Download the pdf

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Red belt

8th Kyu

Kneeling Position – Seiza
Yoi – Ready Position
Lower Block - Gedan Barai
Upper Block - Age Uke
Outside Block - Soto Uke
Inside Block - Uchi Uke
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke
Forward Punch - Oi Tsuki
Reverse Punch - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri

Heian Shodan
Download the pdf

Adults:
Set 1 - 2

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Yellow Belt

7th Kyu

Kneeling Position – Seiza
Yoi – Ready Position
Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Reverse Punch - Gyaku Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Back Fist Strike - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Spear Strike - Nukite
Forward Kick - Mae Geri
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage

Heian Nidan

5 Step Sparring - Gohon Kumite
Download the pdf

Adults:
Set 1 - 2

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Green Belt

6th Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Reverse Punch - Gyaku Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Back Fist Strike - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Spear Strike - Nukite
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage
Side Thrust Kick - Yoko Geri Kekomi

Heian Sandan

5 Step Sparring - Gohon Kumite
Download the pdf

Adults:
Set 1 - 3

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Purple Belt

5th Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke - Nukite
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Mawashi Geri - Uraken
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri - Gyaku Tsuki
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Thrust Kick - Yoko Geri Kekomi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki

Heian Yondan

3 Step Sparring - Sanbon Kumite
Download the pdf

Adults:
Set 1 - 4

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Purple Belt with White Stripe

4th Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Empi Uchi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke - Mae Geri - Nukite
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Mawashi Geri - Uraken
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri - Gyaku Tsuki
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Thrust Kick - Yoko Geri Kekomi (from Zenkutsu Dachi)

Heian Godan
Download the pdf

3 Step Sparring - Sanbon Kumite

Adults:
Set 1 - 5

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Brown Belt

3rd Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Empi Uchi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke - Mae Geri - Nukite
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Mawashi Geri - Uraken
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri - Gyaku Tsuki
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Thrust Kick - Yoko Geri Kekomi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Reverse Thrust Kick - Ushiro Geri

Tekki Shodan
Download the pdf

2 Step Sparring - Ju Kumite

Adults:
Set 1 - 6

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Brown Belt with White Stripe

2nd Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Empi Uchi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke - Mae Geri - Nukite
Three Punches - Sambon Tsuki
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Mawashi Geri - Uraken
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Gyaku Tsuki
Forward Kick - Mae Geri - Oi Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Roundhouse - Mawashi Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Snap Kick - Yoko Geri Keage - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Side Thrust Kick - Yoko Geri Kekomi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki
Reverse Thrust Kick - Ushiro Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki

Tekki Nidan
Download the pdf

2 Step Sparring - Ju Kumite

Adults:
Set 1 - 7

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Brown Belt with 2x White Stripes

1st Kyu

Lower Block - Gedan Barai - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Upper Block - Age Uke - Soto Uke - Gedan Barai - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki
Outside Block - Soto Uke - Empi Uchi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Inside Block - Uchi Uke - Kizama Tsuki - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Knife Hand Block – Shuto Uke - Mae Geri - Nukite
Sliding Jab Punch - Kizami Tsuki - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Rib Elbow Strike - Chudan Empi - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki - Gedan Barai
Kick Combination - Mae Geri - Yoko Geri - Mawashi Geri - Ushiro Geri - Uraken - Gyaku Tsuki

Bassai Dai
All previous Kata
1 Step Sparring - Ippon Kumite
Download the pdf

Adults:
Set 1 - 8