Black belt exams

[jaymac]

We do alot of push ups / sit ups. I think I may be up for Sandan in the next year. I have alot of conditioning to do before that test. It was designed to be tough, but the next day, it is always worth the effort.

[New Beginner]

5. 1 hour and 30 minutes of kumite{every 5 minutes i give the brown belts a fresh black belt,i rotate the black belts out,so when your fighting you have to keep fighting rested/water'd black belts.

thats the test its hard and for good reason

I would love to see that portion of your test. After completing everything else, than attempting to go that long in continuous sparring.

I did 20 minutes of continuous sparring for my Shodan test and I was shocked at how tiring it was, and we start our test with that sparring.

I've been through Marine Corps bootcamp, so I understand that the human body and mind can continue a lot longer than most people give themselves credit for, but your test seems a little super human to me. I love to see it done.

Have you read about some of the kyokushin kumites in testings? Sometimes 20 man, and the real crazy one is the 40 man, and reportedly, there is only one person who completed it.

Here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyokushinkai#Multi-man_kumite

The 100 man kumite is the traditional test.

Check here: http://www.kyokushinresults.freeserve.co.uk/Pages/Kumite/Kumitetests.htm

I was fortunate and honoured to witness a 50 man kumite and it was not a pretty sight, despite being successful, but it was completely seperate from grading. The fighting in gradings is hard and there are many but there is no prerequisite number, attempting a genuine kumite test is a personal choice and the fact only two people in the UK have acheived the 50 man in 13 years is testimony to how tough it is when administered properly.

[KuroTora]

5. 1 hour and 30 minutes of kumite{every 5 minutes i give the brown belts a fresh black belt,i rotate the black belts out,so when your fighting you have to keep fighting rested/water'd black belts.

thats the test its hard and for good reason

I would love to see that portion of your test. After completing everything else, than attempting to go that long in continuous sparring.

I did 20 minutes of continuous sparring for my Shodan test and I was shocked at how tiring it was, and we start our test with that sparring.

I've been through Marine Corps bootcamp, so I understand that the human body and mind can continue a lot longer than most people give themselves credit for, but your test seems a little super human to me. I love to see it done.

Sir, I'm one of the few that has passed Sensei Ford's{AKA: OldskoulkarateKa} Shodan test,i also hold Shodan rankings in 2 other styles and those tests were nothing compared to Sensei Ford's idea of a test, and there is nothing superhuman about the test afterwards you'll want to sleep for a week,but its one of the toughest tests in the business and every Shodan that emerges from it,is a testiment to themselves and others,and not a testiment of oh how great i am but a testiment of respect, honor, endurance, confidence, balance and skill, I've seen guys who are black belts in other arts,or body builders,or ex spec Ops soldiers,give up and only have like an hour or thirty minutes left in the test,and not because their physically worn out but because they are mentally worn out.

and we have those guys in the association who try to take the test as a show of their toughness most of them give up after about 2 to 4 hours in,

and then ive seen some of the weakest looking individuals on god's green earth take it and pass with out a problem,so its 85% mental.

something else thats kinda mean but really funny,is that if you bug him enough Sensei Ford will let you attempt his test and when they give up he uses it as a lesson in waiting,proper timing and mental preparedness,because if you arnt ready and want to rush everything you do you will fail,crash and burn really bad,and Sensei isn't hateful about it,but if you are willing to work for it and condition for it,Sensei will guide you and teach you how to push your self and accomplish what you consider impossible such as his Shodan test.

but whats really funny about it is that in and around our town we have ATA Tae Kwon Do centers{McDojo Inc} like in every direction on the map,any who word has gotten out that Sensei Ford will let anyone attempt to try our Black belt test,well anywho I've seen more than my fair share of these ATA Black Belts who think they are 10ft tall and bullet proof attempt his Shodan exam. and get mad because Sensei didn't hand them a Black Belt after they give up,now dont get me wrong i have a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and have all the respect for it in the world, but to be a black belt and expect someone to just hand you a belt is sad.

I might have A video of the test laying around in my office,ill find time to get it posted on You tube or make it in to a file and ill send it to you.i have to get it transfered to disk first.

[Dragn]

Please post it! I'd love to see some of it.

Especially curious about the sparring.

[aruder]

For Shodan:

Tai Kyoku Kumi (a blend of the traditional Tai Kyoku ich, ni, and san)

Wansu

Anaku

Nihanchi Sho

Empi Sho

San Chin

Bassai Dai

Tsue Sho (a basic bo form)

Go Pei Sho

Dan Enn Sho

so thats 10 forms

and (deep breath...)

Three levels for each form perfected (performance, bunkai, and with attackers)

35 Wazas (similar to one steps):

10 Tae Tsues (speed)

15 Ippons (power)

10 Kihons (power and speed)

with and without attackers

26 Judo Techniques perfected

5 Animal forms

24 Self Defenses (against wrist grabs, lapel grabs, knife thrust, etc) with variations

35 sparring combinations

4 minutues Form sparring and stance focus sparring

Judo matches, opponent lighter, same weight, and heavier (Sensei usually says he's the same weight, no matter what size you are,)

Sparring matches, same as above

Development of personal kata

Written exam

Oral exam

Black Belt Thesis (What does Shodan mean to me? or the like)

Fitness Requirements

In all, Shodan tests usually take about 6 hours and gallons of blood, sweat, tears, and vomit.