NRShukokai

This is our list of katas that we grade our senior students. Under 15yrs have additional katas There are additional katas we learn but aren't graded on, these extras are based on Mabuni Kenwa Sensei's kata knowledge giving us a total of 43 kata. Grade Kata Under 9yrs 9th Kyu Red Belt - Shiho Tsuki Shodan 8th Kyu Yellow Belt - Shiho Tsuki Nidan 7th Kyu Orange Belt - Shiho Tsuki Sandan 6th Kyu Green Belt - Shiho Tsuki Yondan 5th Kyu Blue Belt - Shiho Tsuki Godan 4th Kyu Purple Belt - Keri no Kata 3rd Kyu Brown Belt - Empi no Kata (Not the same as the Shotokan version) 10yrs & over 9th Kyu Red Belt - Taikyoku Shodan 8th Kyu Yellow Belt - Gyaku Zuki No Kata 7th Kyu Orange Belt - Pinan Nidan 6th Kyu Green Belt - Pinan Shodan 5th Kyu Blue Belt - Pinan Sandan 4th Kyu Purple Belt - Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan 3rd Kyu Brown Belt - Annanko, Saifa 2nd Kyu Brown Belt - Bassai Dai, Jiin 1st Kyu Brown Belt - Shiho Kosokun (Kosokun Shiho), Jion, Sanchin Shodan-Ho - Seienchin, Matsukaze, +2 Bunkai Shodan - Seienchin, Niseishi, Matsamura Rohai+ 2 Bunkai Applications Nidan - Saipai, Kosokun-Dai, Bassai-Sho + 2 Bunkai Applications Sandan - Unshu, Chinto or Kururunfa + 2 Bunkai Applications Yondan - Suparinpai, + one Kata Self Developed (40+ Techniques), with a name also a meaning + Bunkai

Shukokai 10th Kyu - White (Comes with Gi) 9th Kyu - Red 8th Kyu - Yellow 7th Kyu - Orange 6th Kyu - Green 5th Kyu - Blue 4th Kyu - Purple 3rd Kyu - Brown + 1 Black Stripe 2nd Kyu - Brown + 2 Black Stripes 1st Kyu - Brown + 3 Black Stripes Shodan-Ho - Black Shodan & Up - Black (Name & Style embroidered in Gold) No Stripes on Black Belts to indicate Dan Grade. Students under 15yrs have belts with a White central strip to indicate a Pee Wee or Junior and also receive up 5 Black stripes to indicate progression and as encouragement

Ditto on all the above. Go along and have a chat with the instructors, watch a couple of classes, particularly if they have an adult beginners class. Shukokai as a style is fairly large in the UK. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, start slow and build up as your fitness and techniques improve. Most importantly, (IMHO anyway), no matter which style you settle on is to enjoy yourself and the training, if you're not enjoying it, then maybe it's not for you. All the best

That I did, am seeking clarification. Based on my discussions with my Sensei, they are to make us think about the qualities that we would expect from someone at a particular grade, also about the journey one has taken to reach that goal.

Hi Dunnigan66, Been there too. Your Sensei would have been watching you train over the past months. If they didn't think you were ready then they would have said something. You WILL make mistakes during your grading but don't let them get you down, just keep on going. When I was asked to do Pinan Yondan, I started out fine, but by the end I'd done Yondan, Sandan & Godan all mixed together (More than once too). Just relax, and do what you know already. When you're done and have achieved Shodan, you know you have earned it. All the best - GO FOR IT. Barry

For those that may be interested, Sensei has informed my what Nidan is "Honesty". In my draft essay, I gave it as Enlightenment and Sensei replied with "Honesty" so we now have Shodan = S##### Nidan = H###### Sandan = C####### One day I hope to find out what Yondan is. Ossu! Edited at request of Chief Instructor

Hi Sensei8, where were you 4 months ago when I posted the original question? That info is exactly what I was after, even if it doesn't align exactly to what my Sensei has given me. Thank you for the extra rank meanings, will help a lot

Originally was it's own kingdom until it was annexed by Japan (some say invaded). There's much written on Okinawa and you can get a basic history from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa_Prefecture

After several months of unsuccessful searching, Sensei has decided to give us 2 of the meanings, Shodan & Sandan. He has given us Shodan is ****** and Sandan is ###### Just have to keep searching for Nidan (Edited at request of Chief Instructor)

Same here, particularly with the Kosokun (Kanku) Kata, which also has a third variant, Shiho

Hi Guys, Like you, I too only thought of Ni as 2 and San as 3, but after speaking with my Sensei, He's planted the seed of doubt in my mind (Accompanied by a mischievous laugh). From what I've gleaned from him, the meanings haven't emanated from within our style, and somewhere out their in the MA world, there is someone who knows, just have to find them. I've even emailed the Head of the Japanese School at my local university who said that they are numbers. Based on his hint regarding Yondan, I started thinking the meanings maybe related to the Seven Virtues. When I find out, I'll post the results, until then, I'll continue to knock back the Panadol.

My Cheif Instructor has set me a research task as part of my Sandan Grading. He has asked me to find the meaning of the first three Dan Grades. He has given me the meaning of Yondan which apparently means Honesty. Shodan is Beginning. Has anyone come across the meaning of Nidan and Sandan as part of their MA journey?

Hi Zaine, Sensei Allan considered Nidan easier to teach to new students than Shodan in respect to the stances, changes of direction, and the number of strikes and blocks in Shodan

Hi Zaine, The 30 Kata's are up to and including Sandan. For the breakdown you can check the list at our club site http://www.northernrivers-shukokai.com.au/training.html and select Shukokai Kata

We currently have a syllabus of 30 grading kata, from under 10yrs 9th Kyu through to Sandan. Some grades are required to perform 3 kata to pass their gradings. We have an additional 13 Kata that can be used for competition or extra grading kata for Sandan to demonstrate bunkai. Mabuni Sensei (Shito-ryu) studied kata from all his instructors and thus passed them through to his students and was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of kata

Mine was given to me by my Head of Style after Grading to Shodan. Came from Japan, took a few weeks or so. Certificate arrived first, belt a couple of weeks later. One side is my Name in Japanese and other side is our style also in Japanese. We don't do Dan bars on our belts though

HI, When I started training in Canberra about 20yrs ago, was graded a number of times by our Head of Style Sensei Alan Murdoch 7th Dan (Last grading was 4th Kyu, before leaving Canberra) Sensei Alan was very approachable and took the time to help all students. Recommenced training 9yrs later, and was graded to 2nd Kyu in March 2006 by Sensei Alan again, hadn't changed. Regrettable, Sensei Alan passed away November of same year. Since then have been graded to Nidan by Sensei Ennio 5th Dan. May 2010 trained with Ishitobi Sensei Shihan 8th Dan in Melbourne. Sensei Ennio told us that if Ishitobi Sensei made corrections to your stance or technique, then he thought you were putting in the effort and worth training. I was fortunately corrected a couple of times during the weekend. May 2011, second training session with Ishitobi Sensei AND Yamada Sensei Hanshi. Ishitobi Sensei took the time to correct some of my kata as the kata had changed from what I was originally taught, then used me later for bunkai demonstration. Neck hurt for two days from his "Gentle" strikes demonstrating some Matsumura no Rohi bunkai. Very friendly and always willing to answer any question we had. Yamada Sensei watched from the sidelines, as he doesn't speak very much english, but signed my copy of his Kata manual and also my training record book. Can't wait for thier return next year

Northern Rivers Shukokai Karate Dojo Sensei: Barry Potts (Me) Nidan, David Webber also Nidan https://www.northernrivers-shukokai.com.au (still in process of updating) Head of Style: Sensei Ennio Anselmi Godan Australian Shukokai Karate-Do (Alan Murdoch Shukokai) Affiliated with Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate Union Japan (Yamada Sensei)

Nidan - Australian Shukokai Karate-Do, which is associated to Shito-Ryu Shukokai Karate Union Japan (Yamada Sensei)

Hi everyone, new to the forum, have been lurking off and on for a few months, but thought I'd take the plunge and join up. Username9, Last time I checked the 8th Dan you maybe refering to is Sensei Tommy Morris from Scotland. Sensei Tommy was a studentof both Tani & Kimura Sensei's and has been graded a number of times by both Sensei's. Do a search for Kobe-Osaka International and you should find the latest information. Sensei Tommy, from the information I've read, was the person who brought Shukokai to Scotland/England. Here's the link to his site http://www.kobeosaka.com/About%20Us.shtml As an Aussie, I started my Shukokai Training in Canberra and was graded in my early (training) years by Sensei Alan Murdoch who was a student of Sensei Tommy. Sensei Alan (7th Dan) passed away in November 2006. Shukokai in general isn't well known in Australia, but if you do a search, there are quite a lot of Shukokau & Shito-Ryu Shukokai Dojos in Australia, with many of the Shukokai (as opposed to Shito-Ryu Shukokai) Dojo instructors can trace their links back to Sensei Alan. (yes there is a bit of politics in Australian Shukokai as well). Shukokai in the US from what I've found on the web is fairly large, with many of the Dojo's having direct links to Kimura Sensei. Cheers Barry Nidan