Seigokan Karate-Do SF Bay Area
Grading Standards
(Official Update April 2002.)
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Overview
 Belt colors and ranks reflect each student's experience and skill level. Ranks up to
black belt are called "Kyu" or junior ranks, and start with 12 Kyu and
end with 1 Kyu. Black belt ranks start with 1st Dan and advance to 10th
Dan.
Each Kyu or Dan up to 3rd Dan includes a letter grade of A, B, or C based on the student's proficiency.
The First Test
The grade to be achieved on a student's first test depends in part on the student's
age.
| School Year/age
| First Test
(after 6 months of training)
| Second Test
(after 6 months to 1 year of training)
|
| Nursery School |
12 Kyu B |
11 Kyu C |
| Kindergarten |
12 Kyu B |
11 Kyu B |
| Elementary 1st Grade |
11 Kyu B |
10 Kyu B |
| Elementary 2nd Grade |
10 Kyu C |
9 Kyu C |
| Elementary 3rd Grade |
10 Kyu B |
9 Kyu B |
| Elementary 4th Grade |
10 Kyu A |
9 Kyu A |
| Elementary 5th Grade |
9 Kyu C |
8 Kyu C |
| Elementary 6th Grade |
9 Kyu B |
8 Kyu B |
| Middle School 7th Grade |
9 Kyu B |
8 Kyu A |
| Middle School 8th Grade |
8 Kyu C |
7 Kyu
C |
| Middle School 9th Grade |
8 Kyu
C |
7 Kyu
B |
| High School |
8 Kyu B |
7 Kyu A |
| Adult (age 16 and over) |
7 Kyu B |
6 Kyu B |
Testing up to 1st Dan (black belt) may take place every six
months.
Black Belt (Dan) Grading Standard
A black belt (Dan) grade requires a minimum number of years of training in
Seigokan Goju-Ryu, depending on the student's age. A student with a middle school 2nd Dan may advance to Adult 1st Dan at age 16.
| Grade
| Years required and minimum rank
| School year or age/years of experience in Seigokan
|
| Child 1st Dan |
Child 1st Kyu holder |
Elementary school/More than 5 years in Seigokan |
| Child 2nd Dan |
Child 1st Dan holder |
Middle school/More than 2 years in Seigokan |
| Adult 1st Dan |
Adult 1st Kyu holder or Child 2nd Dan holder |
Age 16 or over/More than 3 years in Seigokan |
| 2 Dan |
2 years after 1st Dan issued |
Over age 18/more than 5 years in Seigokan |
3 Dan
* Special terms
|
4 years after 2nd Dan issued
*3 years after 2nd Dan issued
|
Over age 22/more than 10 years in Seigokan
*Over age 30/more than 7 years in Seigokan
or over age 23/more than 15 years in Seigokan
|
| 4 Dan
* Special terms
|
4 years after 3rd Dan issued
*3 years after 3rd Dan issued
|
Over age 26/more than 12 years in Seigokan
*Over age 35/more than 12 years in Seigokan
or over age 27/more than 19 years in Seigokan
|
| 5 Dan |
5 years after 4th Dan issued |
Over age 31/more than 15 years in Seigokan |
| 6 Dan |
7 years after 5th Dan issued |
Over age 38/more than 22 years in Seigokan |
| 7 Dan |
8 years after 6th Dan issued |
Over age 46/more than 30 years in Seigokan |
| 8 Dan |
10 years after 7th Dan issued |
Over age 56/more than 40 years in Seigokan
(requires recommendation by the directors) |
| 9 Dan |
|
(requires recommendation by the directors) |
| 10 Dan |
|
(requires recommendation by the directors) |
Seigokan Grading Minimum Requirements
In Seigokan testing, examiners are looking for proper form, concentration, speed, power, and balance.
| Grade
|
| Kata
| # of Katas
| Yakusoku Kumite (set sparring)
| Jiyu Kumite (free sparring)
|
| White/Yellow |
Child |
Kihon Tsuki-No Kata or Gekisai 1
or 2 |
1 |
2 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Kihon Tsuki-No Kata or Gekisai 1
or 2 |
1 |
2 |
Required |
| Green |
Child |
Kihon Tsuki-No Kata or Gekisai |
1 |
2 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Kihon Tsuki-No Kata or Gekisai |
1 |
2 |
Required |
| Brown (currently 4th Kyu) |
Child |
Any kata |
1 |
4 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Sanchin and another kata |
2 |
4 |
Required |
| Brown (3rd Kyu-2nd Kyu) |
Child |
Any kata |
2 |
4 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Sanchin and another kata |
2 |
4 |
Required |
| Black (currently 1st Kyu) |
Child |
Uke-no-kata and another kata |
2 |
5 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Uke-no-kata and another kata |
2 |
5 |
Required |
| Black (currently 1st Dan) |
Child |
Uke-no-kata and another kata |
2 |
5 |
Not required |
| |
Adult |
Uke-no-kata and any other kata |
2 |
more than 5 |
Required |
| Black (currently 2nd Dan) |
Child |
Uke-no-kata and any other kata |
2 |
5 |
Required |
| |
Adult |
Uke-no-kata and any other kata |
2 |
more than 5 |
Required |
| 3rd Dan |
Adult |
Uke-no-kata and any other kata |
2 |
more than 5 |
Required |
| 4th - 5th Dan |
Adult |
Uke-no-kata and any Goju-ryu kata
(except Kihon Tsuki-no, Gekisai 1 and 2, Sanchin, and Tensho)
*(requires analysis of at least two
applications of the kata)
|
2 |
more than 5 |
Required |
| 6th - 7th Dan |
|
Uke-no-kata and two other katas
(except Kihon Tsuki-no, Gekisai 1 and 2, Sanchin, and Tensho)
*(requires analysis of at least three
applications of the kata)
|
3 |
Not required |
Not required |
|
|
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Seigokan USA Goju-Ryu
Belt Colors
White, no stripes - All students begin here.
White, 1 stripe - 12th or 11th Kyu [for nursery school or kindergarten age students]
White, 2 stripes - 10th Kyu
Yellow, no stripes - 9th Kyu
Yellow, 1 stripe - 8th Kyu
Yellow, 2 stripes - 7th Kyu
Green, no stripes - 6th Kyu
Green, 1 stripe - 5th Kyu
Green, 2 stripes - 4th Kyu
Brown, no stripes - 3rd Kyu
Brown, 1 stripe - 2nd Kyu
Brown, 2 stripes - 1st Kyu
Black, no stripes - 1st Dan - 10th Dan
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