Hai Ki Aikido

Rank Requirements and Belt Colors

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Requirements for promotion

Eligibility for promotion examinations depend on two things.  First, the student needs to attend the minimum number of sessions listed below.  Second, and more importantly, the sensei decides that a student is ready for an examination.  If a student feels they should be put up for promotion, they should talk to the sensei in private.

 

For all examinations, when a student is asked to do variations, they should do various techniques given the specified attack.  The student should do a right and left version of each technique.  The techniques cannot be one of the basic eight techniques.  Unless a number of variations is specified, the student should be prepared to do variations until asked to stop.

 

Rank                Color               # Sessions

8th kyu             white               ---

7th kyu              striped blue     15

6th kyu             blue                 30

5th kyu             blue                 40

4th kyu             purple              60

3rd kyu             purple              60

2nd kyu            brown              80

1st kyu             brown              80

dan                   black               120

 

7th kyu requirements—striped blue belt.

The student will be able to:

·         repeat the five essentials.

·         define the terms maai, hanmi, irimi, and tenkan.

·         do rolls: front, back, and dives.

·         perform at level on a ki test.

·         perform specific techniques of Sensei’s choice.

·         perform techniques of the student’s choice.

·         answer questions.

 

6th kyu requirements—blue belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 7th kyu requirements.

·         do the basic eight.

·         explain and demonstrate one of the following aiki taiso: fune kogi undo, shomen uchi undo or kokyu ho undo.  (The student is expected to know the names.)  The choice of which one will be Sensei’s.

·         pass the aiki taiso’s ki test

·         show an application of technique using the selected aiki taiso (not one of the basic eight).

·         do the basic eight.

·         do samurai walk.

·         do kokyu dosa.

 

5th kyu requirements—blue belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 6th kyu requirements

·         explain and demonstrate aiki taiso, now including sayu undo and ude furi undo (or their moving versions).

·         do three katate-tori variations.

·         do three kate-tori variations.

·         demonstrate samurai walk turning and backward.

·         demonstrate proper landing for break fall.

 

4th kyu requirements—purple belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 5th kyu requirements

·         explain and demonstrate any aiki taiso.

·         do katate-tori variations, both ai hanmi and gyaku hanmi.

·         do kata-tori variations.

·         do three shomen-uchi variations.

·         do three yokomen-uchi variations.

·         do tenchi nage and sayu nage from a ryote-tori attack.

·         do a break fall.

·         do techniques of the student’s choice.

 

3rd kyu requirements—purple belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 4th kyu requirements.

·         explain and demonstrate a technique that exemplifies one of the five essentials.

·         do shomen-uchi variations.

·         do yokomen-uchi variations.

·         do three mune tsuki variations.

·         do three ryote-tori variations other than tenchi nage and sayu nage.

·         do nikyo (both sides) and kaiten nage (both irimi and tenkan) from a ryote mochi attack.

 

2nd kyu requirements—brown belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 3rd kyu requirements.

·         perform the basic eight with proper positioning of the uke and demonstrating complete control of uke at all times.

·         do mune tsuki variations.

·         do ryote-tori variations.

·         do ryote mochi variations.

·         do three ushiro-tori variations.

·         do three ushiro tekubi-tori variations.

·         do three variations of tanto-tori.

·         demonstrate yonkyo.

·         demonstrate sudori nage.

·         demonstrate boken kata, happo giri.

·         demonstrate jo kata, twenty-two movement.

·         do suwari waza.

·         do freestyle against one opponent.

·         do randori with two opponents.

 

1st kyu requirements—brown belt

The student will be able to:

·         perform all 2nd kyu requirements.

·         perform the basic eight with flow, ki extension, understanding and smoothness.

·         demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the aiki taiso and how the five essentials are embedded in them.

·         demonstrate a thorough knowledge of responses to any attack including: kata-tori, katate-tori, shomen-uchi, yokomen-uchi, mune tsuki, ryote-tori, ryote mochi, ushiro-tori, ushiro tekubi-tori, ushiro hiji-tori, ushiro katata-tori.

·         demonstrate koshi nage.

·         do tanto tori variations until asked to stop.

·         do jo-tori variations until asked to stop.

·         do jo waza variations until asked to stop.

·         do hanmi hantachi.

·         do randori with three opponents.