White Belt Curriculum

Etiquette

• Full dojo etiquette, rules and traditions

• Standing bow

• Moving from Informal Stance to Meditation Stance

• Moving from Meditation Stance to Informal Stance

• Bow to front - from Meditation Stance

• Bow to each other - from Meditation Stance

• Bow between a Sen’sei and students - from Meditation Stance

Kicks

1. Front kick - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

2. Side kick - from Informal Stance, Half Front Stance and Horse Stance

3. Back kick - from Informal Stance, Half Front Stance and Horse Stance

4. White belts should be taught Flying Front Kick and Flying Side Kick, but these kicks are not part of their formal curriculum.

Basics

1. Punch at head, chest and groin level - from Informal Stance and Horse Stance

2. Lunge Punch moving forward and backward - in Half Front Stance

3. Downward Sweeping Block moving forward, backward and turning- in Half Front Stance

4. Outside Forearm Block moving forward and backward - in Half Front Stance

5. Inside Forearm Block moving forward and backward - in Half Front Stance

6. Upward Rising Block moving forward and backward - in Half Front Stance

Kata

• Pinan Shodan

Self Defense

• Application of self-defense techniques against single unarmed opponents

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Requirement Time at This Rank 

The amount of time a student must train before grading to yellow belt is left to their instructor’s discretion.

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Yellow Belt Curriculum

Kicks

1. Roundhouse Kick - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

2. Outside Crescent Kick Block - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

3. Inside Crescent Kick Block - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

Basics

• Lunge punch and all four basic blocks with the turns

• Knife Hand block moving forward, backward and turning - from Back Stance

Basics Combinations

1. Lunge Punch Reverse Punch moving forward, backward and turning - from Half Front Stance and Front Stance

2. Front Kick Lunge Punch moving forward, backward and turning - from Half Front Stance and Front Stance

3. Front Kick Lunge Punch Reverse Punch moving forward, backward and turning - from Half Front Stance and Front Stance

4. Back Stance Knife-Hand block, body shift reverse punch; moving forward, backward and turning

Kata

1. Pinan Nidan

2. Pinan Sandan

Sparring

• Basic sparring; preset sparring techniques from free sparring style movement, emphasis on :

  • Jab Punch

  • Reverse Punch

  • Back knuckle strike

  • Front Kick

  • Foot Sweep

  • Front Leg Roundhouse Kick

  • Body shifting

  • Feints and fakes

Self Defense

• Continued application of self-defense techniques against single unarmed opponents

Requirement Time at This Rank 

• Six months

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Orange Belt Curriculum

Kicks

1. Crescent Kick - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

2. Inverted Roundhouse Kick - from Informal Stance and Half Front Stance

Basics/Basic Combinations

• No new techniques

Kata

1. Pinan Yodan

2. Pinan Godan

Sparring

• No new techniques

Self Defense

• continued application of self-defense techniques against single unarmed opponents

Requirement Time at This Rank 

• six months

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Green Belt Curriculum

Kicks

1. Stomp Kick - from Informal Stance

2. Hook Kick - single rotation from Natural Fighting Stance

Basics

• No new techniques

Basics Free Combinations

• Any and all of the limitless basics free combinations may be taught at this belt rank.

• All basics free combinations at this level should emphasize minimum body movement and maximum body focus by eliminating the extension movements of the retracted hand, without reducing its focus. 

• There must be an emphasis on stance changes and body shifting. 

Kata

• Naihanchi

Sparring

• basic sparring with sport orientation

• free sparring with sport orientation

• use of hook kick

Self Defense

• application of self-defense techniques against single and multiple unarmed opponents

Weaponry

• introduction to application and interpretation of Shindo

Teaching Requirements

• students at this rank should be prepared for limited teaching opportunities within beginner and intermediate classes. 

Requirement Time at This Rank 

Six months.

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Blue Belt Curriculum

Kicks

• no new techniques

• emphasis on experimentation with kick combinations

Basics/ Basic Combinations / Basic Free Combinations

• No new techniques

Kata

• Kushanku

Sparring

• no new techniques

Self Defense

• no new techniques

Weaponry

• no new techniques

Teaching Requirements

• no new requirements

Requirement Time at This Rank 

Six months.

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Brown Belt Curriculum

Kicks/Basics/Basic Combinations/Basic Free Combinations/ Sparring/Self-Defense

• repetition, refinement and emphasis of all previous techniques in preparation for black belt grading

Kata

• Seishan

Weaponry

• traditional weaponry 

• choice of traditional weapon 

• twirling and familiarization 

• rhythm movement

• groundwork

• weapon vs. empty-hand slow evasion

• weapon vs. weapon slow sparring

• hard singular & combination techniques

Jujutsu

• Handstand

• Back Arch

• Cartwheel

Teaching Requirements

• students at this rank should be assisting and/or instructing beginner and/or intermediate classes if at all possible

Requirement Time at This Rank 

• one year

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First Degree Black Belt Curriculum

Kicks/Basics/Basic Combinations/Basic Free Combinations

• no new techniques

Kata

• Chinto

• formal interpretation of all nine primary katas

Sparring

• comfortable use of pre-arranged free sparring combinations

• one step, three step, five step and ten step sparring

• familiarization with Sports Karate rules and regulations

Self-Defense

• increased emphasis in training the application of self-defense techniques

• application of self-defense techniques against multiple armed and unarmed opponents

Weaponry

• application and interpretation of Shindo to Chinto kata

• some experimentation with other weapons of choice

Jujutsu

• Further refinement of the three Classical Techniques

• Practice of variations in classical posture, balance and movement

  Introduction

  • Throw - hip, hand, leg and sacrifice

  • Grappling - pinning, strangulation and joint manipulation

  • Break falls

• Combining the above three into Randori - free practice

Teaching Requirements

• Students at this rank must endeavour to acquire a broad range of teaching experience and ability, as well as an in-depth understanding of the history and uniqueness of the style. 

Requirement Time at This Rank 

• two years

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Second to Fifth Degree Black Belt Curriculum

Kicks

• jumping style technique of ten basic kicks

• differentiation between snap and thrust styles of kicking

• variations and rarities of ten basic kicks 

Basics/ Basic Combinations/ Basic Free Combinations

e.g. bent wrist block, downward pressing block

• variations and rarities of:

  • regular basics

  • basic combinations 

  • basic free combinations 

Kata

• Bassai - 2nd degree black belt kata

• Niseishi - 3rd degree black belt kata 

• Wanshu - 3rd degree black belt kata

• Rohai - 4th degree black belt kata

• Jitte - 5th degree black belt kata

• Jion - 5th degree black belt kata

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NB. While these six “accessory kata” have been placed in our curriculum, it should be understood that Master Otsuka taught them only to give his students kata with which they could compete in open style tournaments. He never included them as part of the Wado-Kai formal curriculum and always emphasized the teaching and training of the nine previous “primary” kata. Thus, these last six kata should always be viewed as “accessory” to the primary kata; they must be memorized, but not necessarily trained or understood with the same depth and intensity as the primary kata. 

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Sparring

• no new techniques

Self-Defense

• continued application of self-defense techniques against single and multiple armed and unarmed opponents

Weaponry/ Jujutsu/ Randori

• no new techniques

Esoteric Techniques

• breathing techniques

• meditation/visualization techniques

Teaching Requirements

• students at this rank must gain extensive teaching experience and be involved themselves deeply in the promotion of karate

Requirement Time at This Rank

• two years at second degree black belt

• three years at third degree black belt

• four years at fourth degree black belt

• five years at fifth degree black belt

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Sixth to Eighth Degree Black Belt Curriculum

Grading to these ranks is not based on a students physical strength or prowess, but rather on the loyalty and devotion a student has shown for their art and their teachers, and specifically on their efforts in the promotion, advancement, teaching and understanding of karate.

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