Yellow Belt gradings

[stuart]

Hello my first grading is coming up soon (Nov) I was wondering what other peoples experiences were.

 

I am a student of B.A.M.A ( Bushido Academy of Martial arts) and have been told to expect to do my Kata (upwards of 10 times), the Geri waza, basic techniques and answer a some questions about the techniques. How does this relate to other peoples first grading?

 

Thanks.

[RobinT830]

stuart - so you are white belt testing for a new rank?

 

Anyway, I remember being very nervous for mine. It was physically challenging. I had to do all the basic techniques, and the two kata's that I knew. Also, we have definitions that we have to know per each rank, and we were asked to recite this as we went up to receive our belt. We had to spar 3 rounds with 25 pushups and 25 situps in between. We usually ended up doing about 125 pushups and 125 situps. Good Luck and have fun!

[hajime]

Hi there 10x to repeat the same Kata? sounds like a lot!

 

white - red - yellow was my style.

 

demonstration of two katas, a few basic kicks and strikes, a few self defence movements and then basic fitness at end.

 

simple stuff true but still didn't stop my nerves and the easy build up to the higher grades was an excellent way to encourage achievement and committment

 

GL!

[fireka]

im going for my yellow belt soon to, my style, Isshinryu, has a uniform code used for ranking, but my sensai doesnt exactly follow it, sometimes i kinda wish he would, the uniform code has some skills in it i have outside the martial arts that are demonstrated.

 

heres my dojo requirments for Hachikyu

 

must preform Seisan kata resonably well

 

be able to demonstarte the basic techniques done at the begining of class (these are like, head block, low block, mid-level block, reverse punch, side kick, snap kick, and round house)

 

Preform three hold breaks

 

according to the uniform Isshinryu rank system i must:

 

preform seisan well

 

recomended readings in Isshinryu karate

 

9 kicks

 

take a test on Isshinryu

 

write a paper on Trust.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

To be honest with you, I really don't remember what my yellow belt test was like! It was some 28 years ago. I can tell you what my STUDENTS yellow belt tests are like though.

 

First of all, all of my students are tested at every class. Not formally, but in my head. They are graded on attendance, attitude, improvement, effort and attentiveness. If any of these are lacking, they don't "formally" test for quite a while.

 

During the actual yellow belt test, they are required:

 

1. Student will demonstrate by doing 10 reps on each side, the 5 basic blocks, 5 basic kicks and 3 basic punches.

 

2. a. Perform Pinan Shodan once while I call the moves.

 

b. Again with the student going through the kata as I watch without interuptions.

 

c. And a 3rd time with my making corrections.

 

d. Possibly, they may have to repeat the kata a few more times to see if they are correcting what mistakes I saw. No emphasis is made on power or speed at this level, but rather on good execution of the form.

 

That's about it. Few fail their tests because I won't test them until I know they can pass anyway. I take into account nerves and jitters, and have been known to massage some shoulders when a student screws up, and give them a hint or two.

 

No, I don't spoon feed my people..but like I said, I won't test them until I know they can pass anyway. Official tests are, to me, a formality. I don't make a big deal out of belts, and I'm happy to say that I don't believe any one of my students is in my class for belts, but rather, to learn the art.

[aefibird]

Hello my first grading is coming up soon (Nov) I was wondering what other peoples experiences were.

 

I am a student of B.A.M.A ( Bushido Academy of Martial arts) and have been told to expect to do my Kata (upwards of 10 times), the Geri waza, basic techniques and answer a some questions about the techniques. How does this relate to other peoples first grading?

 

Thanks.

 

When I took my first belt grading, for my orange belt as it is in my organisation, I remember being very nervous!! I had to demonstrate basic blocks to head, chest and groin level, show basic punching (oi-tsuki and gyaku-tsuki) and do front snap kick and chest height roundhouse kick, all shown moving forwards and backwards in appropriate stances. Then we had basic sparring, both head and chest height attacks. We had to block and counterpunch. Then there was the katas (Kihon and Heian Shodan) to finish. We were also expected to know the meaning of some basic karate terms in Japanese too. The actual stuff we had to do might seem 'easy', but I personally think that no gradings are easy and that going from white belt to first coloured belt is one of the most nerve-wracking!! I'm testing for my first dan at the start of December and I don't think that I'm quite as nervous about that as I was when I was taking my first grading, from white to orange belt, even though when I tested for my orange belt I was in a small group and when I take my black I'll be in a room with just me testing at one time and three examiners (plus the parents and friends of those who are also grading for black on the same day! So, no pressure, eh...).

 

Good luck with your first grade Stuart, I hope you do well!

[Darce]

we only had to do a kihon(basic) kata and some puches and kicks. It was pretty easy.

[Darce]

Oh, and good luck!

[karatekid1975]

My first test was nerv-racking! I was so nervous. It wasn't that bad, though. I had to do three forms, basics (kicks, ect), one steps, and write a paper (white belts weren't allowed to spar). My second test was worse. I had to spar, break, and do self defense on top of the other stuff.

[Shorty]

My first test was fairly easy. We only had to perform kata about three times. We did the basic techniques and self defense. The whole test only lasted about an hour. It was very nerve racking though not knowing what to expect.

 

Good Luck!!!