Atherstone Karate Club are members of the Shukokai Karate Association, the association has a series of gradings, these range from the novice through the Kyus (10th Kyu to 1st Kyu) to the Dans (Black belts 1st Dan and upwards).
Each grade is attained by a mixture of experience and passing an assessment, both criteria have to be met before progression can be made. These assessments are held regularly throughout the year and, as you would expect, earlier grades have less demanding assessments (but still appropriate to the experience) which are able to be carried out after a set time limit.
Don’t give up, the beginning is always the hardest!
Senior grades have to hone their skills for longer before attempting more exacting assessments. In order to gain a Black Belt it is necessary for the student to demonstrate a technical knowledge and skill to a level laid down in the Shukokai Karate Association Grading syllabus, for each of the 3 fundamental competencies of Karate which are Kihon (basic techniques), Kata (set formal exercise) and Kumite (sparring).
Shukokai Karate Combinations
Within the syllabus of the Shukokai Karate Association, there are 10 combinations of basic techniques that students need to know and be able to perform for their gradings, early gradings require fewer combinations and later gradings require proficiency in all the combinations, details of these combinations can be found here: -Shukokai Karate Combinations-
Basics in parallel stance:
Jodan Zuki, Chudan Zuki and Gedan Barai Block
Basics in forward stance:
Oi Zuki and Gyaku Zuki
Kicks: Mae Geri
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki and Gedan Barai Block
Combinations: 1 and 2
Kicks: Mae Geri
Basics: Oi Zuki and Gyaku Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai and Jodan Uke
Combinations: 1 and 2
Kicks: Mae Geri and Mawashi Geri
Kata: Junino Kata – any of 4 blocks
Basics: Oi Zuki and Gyaku Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai and Jodan Uke
Combinations: 1 and 2
Kicks: Mae Geri and Mawashi Geri
Kata: Pinan Nidan
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki and Mae Geri
Basics: Oi Zuki and Gyaku Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai, Jodan Uke and Shuto Uke
Combinations: 3, 4 and 5
Kicks: Mae Geri and Mawashi Geri
Kata: Pinan Sandan
Impact: Gyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Mae Geri and Mawashi Geri
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki and Sekkyaku Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai, Jodan Uke, Shuto Uke and Soto Uke
Combinations: 4, 5 and 6
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri and Yoko Geri
Kata: Pinan Shodan
Impact: Gyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Oi Zuki, Mae Geri and Mawashi Geri
Sparring
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki and Sekkyaku Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai, Shuto Uke and Uchi Uke
Combinations: 5, 6 and 7
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri and Ashi Barai
Kata: Pinan Yondan plus any previous Kata
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri and Yoko Geri
Sparring
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki and Uraken Uchi
Blocks: Gedan Barai, Jodan Uke and Shuto Uke
Combinations: 6, 7 and 8
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Ashi Barai and Ushiro Gerii
Kata: Pinan Godan plus any previous Kata
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Gedan Barai with Gyaku Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri and Ashi Barai
Sparring
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki and Uraken Uchi
Blocks: Gedan Barai, Jodan Uke and Soto Uke
Combinations: 7, 8 and 9
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri, Ashi Barai and Ushiro Gerii
Kata: Jiin plus any previous Kata
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Gedan Barai with Gyaku Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri, Ashi Barai and Ushiro Gerii
Sparring
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Uraken Uchi and Maeken Zuki
Blocks: Shuto Uke, Soto Uke and Uchi Uke
Combinations: 8, 9 and 10
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Ushiro Gerii, Ashi Barai and Yoko Geri
Kata: Annanko plus any previous Kata
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Uraken Uchi, Gedan Barai with Gyaku Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri, Ashi Barai and Ushiro Gerii
Sparring
Basics: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Uraken Uchi and Maeken Zuki
Blocks: Gedan Barai and Jodan Uke
Combinations: any 5 of the 10 Shukokai combinations
Kicks: Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Ushiro Gerii, Ashi Barai and Yoko Geri
Kata: Bassai Dai plus any previous Kata
Impact: Oi Zuki, Gyaku Zuki, Sekkyaku Zuki, Maeken Zuki, Uraken Uchi, Gedan Barai with Gyaku Zuki, Mae Geri, Mawashi Geri, Yoko Geri, Ashi Barai and Ushiro Gerii
Sparring: minimum of 10 rounds