Kyokushin Belt Grading Requirements

Qualification test standards for student and master degrees in Kyokushinkai karate.
Qualification test standards for student and master degrees.

Age requirements:

• Up to 1st dan — no age limit
• 1st dan — must be 16 or older
• 2nd dan — must be 20 or older
• 3rd dan — must be 30 or older
• 4th dan — must be 35 or older
• 5th dan and above — must be 40 or older

Testing schedule

Student degrees:

• 10th-5th kyu — twice a year.
• 4th-1st kyu — testing once a year.

Master degrees:

• 1st dan — minimum 2 years of active training since the previous degree
• 2nd dan — minimum 3 years of training since the previous degree
• 3rd dan — minimum 4 years since the previous degree
• 4th dan — minimum 5 years since the previous degree
• 5th dan and above — no time restriction.

Additional requirements for master degrees

• 1st dan — Participation in interregional training camps at least 3 times. Recommendation from the dojo head.
• 2nd dan — Officially registered dojo within the organization. Recommendation from a Shihan.
• 3rd dan — Officially registered dojo within the organization, organizational activity — participation in developing the organization. Recommendation from a Shihan.
• 4th dan — Officially registered dojo within the organization, organizational activity — participation in developing the organization. Recommendation from two Shihans.
• 5th dan and above — Recommendations from two Shihans, continuous organizational activity related to developing the organization. Authority and respect.

Test standards:

10 kyu — ORANGE BELT

Stances — Yoi dachi, Fudo dachi, Zenkutsu dachi.

Hand strikes — Morote tsuki (Chudan Jodan Gedan), Seiken tsuki (Chudan Jodan Gedan), Seiken ago uchi.

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai.

Foot strikes — Hiza geri, Kin geri, Mae geri, Kansetsu geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Taikyoku Sono ichi, Sokugi Taikyoku sono ichi.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 30, Jump squats 30, Sit-ups 30.

Kumite (sparring) — 1 bout, 1 minute.

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9 kyu — ORANGE BELT WITH BLUE STRIPE

Stances — Sanchin dachi.

Hand strikes — Seiken tsuki (Chudan Jodan Gedan), Seiken ago uchi.

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai.

Foot strikes — Hiza geri, Kin geri, Mae geri, Yoko geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Taikyoku Sono ni, Sokugi Taikyoku sono ni.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 35, Jump squats 35, Sit-ups 35.

Kumite (sparring) — 2 bouts of 1 min.

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8 kyu — BLUE BELT

Stances — Kokutsu dachi.

Hand strikes — Tetsui oroshi ganmen uchi, Tetsui komi kami uchi, Tetsui hizo uchi, Tetsui Yoko uchi (Jodan Chudan Gedan).

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai. Uchi uke-Gedan barai)

Foot strikes — Mae keage, Soto mawashi keage, Uchi mawashi keage, Yoko keage.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Taikyoku Sono san, Sokugi Taikyoku sono san.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 40, Jump squats 40, Sit-ups 40.

Kumite (sparring) — 3 bouts of 1 min.

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7 kyu — BLUE BELT WITH YELLOW STRIPE

Stances — Kiba dachi.

Hand strikes — Shita tsuki, Jodan hiji ate, Age hiji ate, Oroshi hiji ate, Ushiro hiji ate.

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai. Uchi uke-Gedan barai)

Foot strikes — Mae keage, Soto mawashi keage, Uchi mawashi keage, Yoko keage.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi, Kiba dachi, moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Pinan Sono ichi, Pinan Sono ichi Ura.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 45, Jump squats 45, Sit-ups 45.

Kumite (sparring) — 4 bouts of 1 min.

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6 kyu — YELLOW BELT

Stances — Full set: Fudo dachi+Sanchin dachi+Kokutsu dachi+Zenkutsu dachi+Kiba dachi+Kake dachi+Tsurushi dachi+Nekoashi dachi.
Tsuki Waza (HAND STRIKES) — Uraken shomen ganmen uchi, Uraken sayu ganmen uchi, Uraken hizo uchi, Uraken oroshi ganmen uchi, Uraken mawashi uchi.

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai. Uchi uke-Gedan barai)

Foot strikes — Mae geri, Yoko geri, Ushiro geri, Mawashi geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi, Kiba dachi, moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Pinan Sono ni, Pinan Sono ni Ura.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 50, Jump squats 50, Sit-ups 50.

Kumite (sparring) — 5 bouts of 1 min.

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5 kyu — YELLOW BELT WITH GREEN STRIPE

Stances — Full set: Fudo dachi+Sanchin dachi+Kokutsu dachi+Zenkutsu dachi+Kiba dachi+Kake dachi+Tsurushi dachi+Nekoashi dachi.
Tsuki Waza (HAND STRIKES) — Shuto sakutsu uchi, Shuto sakutsu uchi komi, Shuto yoko ganmen uchi, Shuto hizo uchi, Shuto jodan uchi uchi.

Blocks — Seiken jodan uke, Seiken chudan soto uke, Seiken chudan uchi uke, Seiken mae gedan barai. Uchi uke-Gedan barai)

Foot strikes — Mae geri, Yoko geri, Ushiro geri, Mawashi geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi, Kiba dachi, moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Pinan Sono san, Pinan Sono san Ura.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 60, Jump squats 60, Sit-ups 60.

Kumite (sparring) — 6 bouts of 1 min.

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4 kyu — GREEN BELT

Hand strikes — Shotei uchi (Jodan Chudan Gedan)

Blocks — Shotei uke.

Foot strikes — Mae keage, Soto mawashi keage, Uchi mawashi keage, Yoko keage, Hiza geri, Kinteki geri, Mae geri, Yoko geri, Ushiro geri, Mawashi geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi, Kiba dachi, moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Pinan Sono yon, Pinan Sono yon Ura.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 70, Jump squats 70, Sit-ups 70.

Kumite (sparring) — 7 bouts of 1 min.

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3 kyu — GREEN BELT WITH BROWN STRIPE

Hand strikes — Koken uchi (Jodan Chudan Gedan)

Blocks — Koken uke.

Foot strikes — Mae keage, Soto mawashi keage, Uchi mawashi keage, Yoko keage, Hiza geri, Kinteki geri, Mae geri, Yoko geri, Ushiro geri, Mawashi geri.

Ido Geiko — In Zenkutsu Dachi, Kokutsu Dachi, Kiba dachi, moving forward and back, turn — combined with technique

Kata — Pinan Sono go, Pinan Sono go Ura.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 80, Jump squats 80, Sit-ups 80.

Kumite (sparring) — 8 bouts of 1 min.

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2 kyu — BROWN BELT

Hand strikes — Hiraken uchi (Jodan Chudan), Hiraken mawashi uchi, Haito uchi (Jodan Chudan Gedan), Haisho uchi (Jodan Chudan)

Blocks — Mae mawashi uke (with ibuki).

Foot strikes — Tobi mae geri

Ido Geiko — From kumite no kamae:

• Uchi haisoku jodan geri, Soto oroshi kakato geri, Uchi oroshi kakato geri
• Gohon geri sono ichi: Mae geri+Yoko geri+Ushiro geri+Mae geri+Yoko geri (all strikes Chudan)
• Gohon geri sono ni: Mawashi geri+Ushiro mawashi geri+Mae geri+Mawashi geri+Ushiro mawashi geri (all strikes Jodan)

Kata — Sanchin, Yantsu

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 90, Jump squats 90, Sit-ups 90.

Kumite (sparring) — 9 bouts of 1 min.

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1 kyu — BROWN BELT WITH GOLD STRIPE

Hand strikes — Hiraken uchi (Jodan Chudan), Hiraken mawashi uchi, Haito uchi (Jodan Chudan Gedan), Haisho uchi (Jodan Chudan)

Blocks — Mae mawashi uke (with ibuki).

Foot strikes — Nidan tobi mae geri

Ido Geiko — From kumite no kamae:

• Tobi mae geri (from front foot), Tobi mae geri (from rear foot), Tobi yoko geri.
• Gohon geri sono ichi: Mae geri+Yoko geri+Ushiro geri+Mae geri+Yoko geri (all strikes Chudan)
• Gohon geri sono ni: Mawashi geri+Ushiro mawashi geri+Mae geri+Mawashi geri+Ushiro mawashi geri (all strikes Jodan)

Kata — Tsuki no kata, Yantsu.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 100, Jump squats 100, Sit-ups 100.

Kumite (sparring) — 10 bouts of 1 min.

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1st DAN (Sempai) — BLACK BELT WITH ONE GOLD STRIPE

Full technical curriculum.

Kata — Tensho, Saiha.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 100, Jump squats 100, Sit-ups 100.

Kumite (sparring) — 10 bouts of 1 min.

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2nd DAN (Sempai) — BLACK BELT WITH TWO GOLD STRIPES

Full technical curriculum.

Kata — Seipai, Seiyunchin, Garyu.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 100, Jump squats 100, Sit-ups 100.

Kumite (sparring) — 20 bouts of 1 min.

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3rd DAN (Sensei) — BLACK BELT WITH THREE GOLD STRIPES

Full technical curriculum.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 100, Jump squats 100, Sit-ups 100.

Kumite (sparring) — 30 bouts of 1 min.

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4th DAN (Sensei) — BLACK BELT WITH FOUR GOLD STRIPES

Full technical curriculum.

Physical conditioning — Seiken push-ups 100, Jump squats 100, Sit-ups 100.

Kumite (sparring) — 40 bouts of 1 min.

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5th DAN and above (Shihan) — BLACK BELT WITH FIVE OR MORE GOLD STRIPES

Completion of a qualification seminar