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) plus impact pad work.
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-
Grading Syllabus
Basics in parallel stance:
Jodan Zuki (face punch)
Chudan Zuki (stomach punch)
Gedan Barai Block (low block)
Basics in forward stance:
Oi Zuki (step punch to the face)
Gyaku Zuki (project punch to the stomach)
Kicks:
Mae Geri (front snap kick)
Basics in forward stance:
Oi Zuki (step punch to the face)
Gyaku Zuki (project punch to the stomach)
Gedan Barai Block (low block)
Combinations:
1: Step forward and land, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
2: Project forward, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri (front snap kick)
Basics in forward stance:
Oi Zuki (step punch to the face)
Gyaku Zuki (project punch to the stomach)
Blocks:
Gedan Barai Block (low block)
Jodan Uke (head high block)
Combinations:
1: Step forward and land, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
2: Project forward, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri (front snap kick)
Mawashi Geri (roundhouse kick)
Kata:
Junino Kata: any of 4 blocks
Basics in forward stance:
Oi Zuki (step punch to the face)
Gyaku Zuki (project punch to the stomach)
Blocks:
Gedan Barai Block (low block)
Jodan Uke (head high block)
Combinations:
1: Step forward and land, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
2: Project forward, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
3: Project forward and change hands, left-hand face punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri (front snap kick)
Mawashi Geri (roundhouse kick)
Kata:
Pinan Nidan
Impact Pad Work:
Oi Zuki (step punch to the face)
Gyaku Zuki (project punch to the stomach)
Mae Geri (front snap kick)
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Jodan Uke
Shuto Uke
Combinations:
3: Project forward and change hands, left-hand face punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
4: Right leg front snap kick and land forwards, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
5: Right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust, step with the right leg and perform a left leg front snap kick then after landing, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Kata:
Pinan Sandan
Impact:
Gyaku Zuki
Maeken Zuki
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Jodan Uke
Shuto Uke
Soto Uke
Combinations:
4: Right leg front snap kick and land forwards, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
5: Right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust, step with the right leg and perform a left leg front snap kick then after landing, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
6: Step back, right-hand knife hand block, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Yoko Geri
Kata:
Pinan Shodan
Impact:
Gyaku Zuki
Maeken Zuki
Oi Zuki
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Sparring
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Shuto Uke
Uchi Uke
Combinations:
5: Right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust, step with the right leg and perform a left leg front snap kick then after landing, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
6: Step back, right-hand knife hand block, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
7: Project forward, left hand lower block, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Yoko Geri
Ashi Barai
Kata:
Pinan Yondan plus any previous Kata
Impact:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Yoko Geri
Sparring
Minimum 6 months training from last grading
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Maeken Zuki
Uraken Uchi
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Jodan Uke
Shuto Uke
Combinations:
6: Step back, right-hand knife hand block, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
7: Project forward, left hand lower block, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
8: Right-hand palm heel strike, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust (all movements are carried out as you are stepping forward).
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Ashi Barai
Ushiro Geri
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
Ashi Barai
Sparring
Minimum 6 months training from last grading
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Uraken Uchi
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Jodan Uke
Soto Uke
Combinations:
7: Project forward, left hand lower block, right-hand stomach punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
8: Right-hand palm heel strike, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust (all movements are carried out as you are stepping forward).
9: Right foot sweep and land forwards, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Yoko Geri
Ashi Barai
Ushiro Geri
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
Ushiro Geri
Sparring
Minimum 6 months training from last grading
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Uraken Uchi
Maeken Zuki
Blocks:
Shuto Uke
Soto Uke
Uchi Uke
Combinations:
8: Right-hand palm heel strike, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust (all movements are carried out as you are stepping forward).
9: Right foot sweep and land forwards, right-hand face punch followed by a left-hand thrust.
10: Right foot round kick and land forwards, left-hand stomach punch followed by a right-hand thrust.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Ushiro Geri
Ashi Barai
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
Ushiro Geri
Sparring
Minimum 6 months training from last grading
Basics:
Oi Zuki
Gyaku Zuki
Sekkyaku Zuki
Uraken Uchi
Maeken Zuki
Blocks:
Gedan Barai
Jodan Uke
Combinations:
All Shukokai 10 combinations.
Kicks:
Mae Geri
Mawashi Geri
Ushiro Geri
Ashi Barai
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
Ushiro Geri
Sparring:
Minimum of 10 rounds
