Testing Policies and Curriculum

BELT EXAMS
Ten Steps To Martial Arts Excellence
Our black belt success system is designed to see everyone make gradual and steady progress 
towards physical and mental growth. We have a built-in goal system and incentive program 
with our structured belt levels. We term the ten levels to black belt as the Ten Steps To Martial 
Arts Excellence: WHITE GREEN 
  GOLD BROWN 3
  ORANGE BROWN 2 
  BLUE BROWN 1 
  PURPLE BLACK
In the beginning phases, the belts are short-term goals that are attained by following the general
guidelines (listed in the following section, "Testing Policies"). As you gain knowledge, you will 
gain confidence in your ability to achieve your goals. Gradually, you will learn to set long term 
and more difficult goals. As you climb the ladder, your knowledge and skill increase as well as your 
capacity to learn and concentrate. It requires a stronger mind and a fit body along with regular 
practice and class attendance. 
 

Once you achieve the advanced stages of your black belt training, you will be extremely dedicated 
to developing "knowledge in the mind, honesty in the heart, strength in the body and to having 
good character. All of this leads to building and maintaining a very positive attitude in life.
 

You have to prove to yourself that you are capable and able to wear the black belt with pride and 
live up to the standards and responsibilities of the qualified and respected black belt.
It requires a lot of dedication and hard work, all done at each individual’s pace and abilities. In the 
end, you will have achieved a very important goal and will have gained skill and knowledge that can 
help you defend yourself and loved ones. You will increase your confidence, your self-discipline and 
your ability to concentrate on specific areas - not to mention the physical fitness, flexibility and 
coordination you will gain.
Testing Policies
Each belt level has a minimum number of hours and months needed before the student can test for 
that particular rank. These numbers are listed with the requirements for that belt level.  Having the 
minimum number of hours on your student card is by no means a guarantee that the student will 
be put up for the belt exam. More important than the number of hours on the card is knowing the 
material and being able to perform it correctly. The minimum hours are to be used only as a guide. 
Actually, after a student attains his minimum number of hours, he will probably go over the 
minimum by quite a few hours before the next testing cycle.
For children under the age of 16, they will be awarded tips or stripes as a progress check. If the student
is progressing nicely, the first tip is usually awarded when the student has approximately half their 
minimum hours. These presentations are made in class. The second tip is awarded when the student 
is very near his/her minimum hours and is expected to test for their next rank at the next testing 
cycle. Two tips on a student’s belt are a sure sign of an upcoming belt exam.
Junior students will be given an Intent to Promote Letter and a Teacher Letter before testing. These 
both need to be signed and returned to the head instructor before testing. The date and time of the 
exam will be on both letters for the parents benefit.
 

 Testing Requirements
Attendance record card must be completed on time, achieve this by attending 2 classes per week.
 

Be able to perform all material for belt level trying to achieve and notify the instructors of any difficulties in the material prior to the test.
Wear a clean, pressed uniform to the exam (you will be sent home). 
Bring parents to the test (if 15 years old or younger).
Ensure tuition account is current at the time of the test.
Turn in all necessary paper work to the head instructor before the exam (may include Intent to 
Promote Letter, and Written exam which must be passed by at least 70%).
 

Additional requirements for Black Belt
Needs at least 24 advanced classes, which is 1 class a month, and 2 Wado-Ryu seminars all starting 
at Green belt level.
BELT CURRICULUM
(KU-KYU) WHITE BELT (9TH KYU)
(HACHI-KYU) GOLD BELT (8TH KYU)
(SHICHI-KYU) ORANGE BELT (7TH KYU)
(ROKU-KYU) BLUE BELT (6TH KYU)
(GO-KYU) PURPLE BELT (5TH KYU)
(YON-KYU) GREEN BELT (4TH KYU)
(SAN-KYU) 1ST BROWN BELT (3RD KYU)
(NI-KYU) 2ND BROWN BELT (2ND KYU)
(IK-KYU) 3RD BROWN BELT (1ST KYU)
BELT CURRICULUM
 

WHITE BELT (KU-KYU)
How to bow
Why do we bow?
Front punch from horse stance - Seiken- Zuki 
Knee Kick - Hiza- Geri
High Block - Jodan-Uke 
Kiba Dachi - Horse Stance
"Enjoy Your Journey To Black Belt"
 

GOLD BELT (Hachi-Kyu) - (40 hrs, 4 months minimum) 
Punches (Zuki)
Jun-Zuki Punch moving forward
Oui-Zuki Front punch (jab) 
Gyaku-Zuki  Reverse punch
Kick (Geri)
Hiza-geri Knee kick
Mae-Geri Front kick 
Blocks (Uke)
Gedan-Uke Low block
Soto-Uke Middle block 
Jodan-Uke High block
Tae-Uke  Arm across chest in defensive ready position 
Kata
First basic kata
Start first 8 moves of Omotto
Stances (Dachi)
Musubi-Dachi  Attention stance
Heiko-Dachi Ready stance
Kiba-Dachi Horse stance
Zenkutsu-Dachi  Front facing fighting stance
Seisan-Dachi A wide, short stance (used for gyaku-zuki) 
Heisoku-Dachi Heels and toes together
"If You Are Interested Only In Physical Improvement And Fighting, There Are Sports That Fill This 
Need Better Than Does Karate." Master Hironori Otsuka 
 

ORANGE

 BELT  (Shichi-Kyu)  (40 hrs, 4 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza)
Kette Jun-Zuki Front kick and punch 
Yohan-Nukite Spear hand
Kick (Geri)
Mawashi-Geri Roundhouse kick
Stances (Dachi)
Shiko-Dachi Horse stance w/toes out 
Mahanmi-No-Neko Ashi-Dachi-- Side viewing cat stance 
Block (Dachi)
Tetsui-Uke Hammer fist block
Kata
Second basic
Pinan Ni-Dan 
 

"Exhaustive Karate Training Will Help You Gain The Patience, The Physical And Mental Strength 
That Will Help You Overcome Any Difficulty You Might Encounter In Your Life." 
Master Hironori Otsuka  
 

BLUE BELT  (Roku-Kyu)  (Adults-40 hrs, 4 months minimum) (Kids-60 hrs, 6 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza)
Jun-Zuki-No-Tsekomi Lunge punch
Skip-In Mae-Geri
Yoko-Geri  Side kick
Ushiro-Geri  Step-in-back kick
Kette-Gyaku-Zuki Kick and reverse punch
Hand techniques (Waza-Te)
Shuto  Knife hand strike
Tetsui  Hammer fist
Tate  Vertical punch
Shote  Heel of hand strike
Ippon-Nukite  1 finger spear hand 
Uraken  Back fist
Ippon-Ken  1 knuckle strike 
Blocks (Uke)
Shuto-Uke  Knife hand blocks 
Stances (Dachi)
Jun-Zuki-No-Tsekomi-Dachi Lunge punch stance
Kata 
Pinan Sho-dan
12 Ippon katas 
 

“An Accumulation Of Years Of Training Will Enable You To Develop Your Reflexes, Quick 
Judgment and The Ability To React Almost Simultaneously." Master Hironori Otsuka 
 

PURPLE BELT  (Go-Kyu) (Adults-40 hrs, 4 months minimum) (Kids-60 hrs, 6 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza) 
Kakato Geri  Hook kick
Haito  Ridge hand
Empi  Elbow strike
Attack Gyaku-Zuki Double jab, reverse punch 
Kette-Jun-Zuki-No-Tsekomi Kick & lunge punch 
Morote-Zuki  Double punch
Blocks (Uke)
Empi Uke  Elbow block 
Ude-Uke  Back Forearm block
Stances (Dachi)
Mashomen-No-Neko Ashi-Dachi Short front viewing cat stance 
Kata 
Pinan San-Dan 
Omotto (second half)
Kiso Kumite (moves 1-5) 
 

"Have No Regard For Martial (war-like) Aspects When Training, But Rather Adhere To The 
Way Of Peace, Harmony And Tranquility." Master Hironori Otsuka
 

GREEN BELT  (Yon-Kyu)  (Adults-60 hrs, 6 months minimum) (Kids-90 hrs, 9 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza)
Spinning Ushiro-Geri  Spinning back kick
Mae-Tobi-Geri  Double flying front kick
Haeshu--Haku-Geri  Back hand & crescent kick
Gyaku-Zuki-No-Tsekomi Deep reverse punch
Tobi-Komi-Zuki Sliding lunge punch
Nihon Nukite 2 finger spear hand
Yohan-Ken 4 knuckle strike
Blocks (Uke)
Uchi-Uke  Inside front forearm block
Kakae  Hook block
Otoshi-Shote-Uke Dropping heel of palm block 
Stance (Dachi)
Gyaku-Zuki-No-Tsekomi-Dachi Lunge punch stance (out to the side, instead of to the front)
Kata 
Pinan-Yondon
Kiso-Kumite (moves 1-10) 
3rd & 4th Basic Katas 
 

"The Ways Of Martial Arts Must Not Be Mere Fighting Technique, But The Way Of Peace And 
Harmony. The Goal Of The Practice Of This Style Is To Bring About Peace And Harmony, Which 
Is More Difficult To Be Attained Than The Victory By Violence." Master Hironori Otsuka
 

1ST LEVEL BROWN BELT (San-Kyu) (Adults-60 hrs, 6 months minimum) (Kids-90 hrs, 9 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza)
Foot sweep
Spinning Kakato-Geri Spinning heel kick
Mae-Mawashi Geri Front and Round House kick w/same leg 
Blocks (Uke)
Juji-Uke  Cross (X) block
Otoshi-Uraken-Uke Dropping back fist
Stance (Dachi)
Naihanchi-Dachi  Kiba-Dachi w/ toes pointed inward 
Kata
Pinan Go-Dan
Naihanchi 
Nunchaku Techniques (Waza)
Right and left side vertical strike
Right and left side diagonal strike
Right and left side horizontal strike
High block
Low block
Middle block
Kata
Nunchaku Kihon
 

"If The Pinan Series Are Not Practiced Regularly, There Is No Point In Moving On To The Other 
Kata Since They Will Never Be Fully Understood." Master Hironori Otsuka II (Jiro Otsuka)
 

2ND LEVEL BROWN BELT  (Ni-Kyu) (Adults-60 hrs, 6 months minimum) (Kids-90 hrs, 9 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza)
Nagashi-Zuki  Side step counter punch
Kin-Geri  Groin kick
Spinning Tobi-Ushiro-Geri Jump spinning back kick 
Stances (Dachi)
Gyaku-Neko Ashi-Dachi Reverse cat stance
Shizen Hontai-Dachi Natural standing stance
Blocks (Uke)
Sukui-Uke  Scooping block
Kata
Ku-San-Ku 
5th Basic Kata
Kihon Kata #1 
 

"When You Run Counter To The Laws Of Nature, You Run The Risk Of Losing Harmony."
Master Hironori Otsuka
"In Wado We Don’t Block Like Other Styles" Master Hironori Otsuka
"No Unnecessary Movements, No Unnecessary Use Of Energy, No Unnecessary 
Techniques" Master Hironori Otsuka II (Jiro Otsuka)
 

3RD LEVEL BROWN BELT  (Ik-Kyu) (Adults-60 hrs, 6 months minimum) (Kids-90 hrs, 9 months minimum)
Floor Techniques (Waza) 
Kette-Gyaku-Zuki-No-Tsekomi Kick & deep reverse punch
Yoko Tobi-Geri  Flying side kick
Triple kick  Side kick, roundhouse kick, hook kick 
Fumi-Komi  Stomping kick
Kata
Kihon Katas (2 & 3)
6th & 7th Basic Katas
Bo Techniques (Waza)
Blocks
High Block
Low Block
Vertical Block
Strikes
Strike to Waist
Strike to Head
Strike to Knee
Strike to Groin (coming up between legs)
Strike to Chin (coming up w/end of bo to chin)
Strike to Top of Head 
Spear to Face
Spear to Abdomen 
Spear to rear groin
Strike to Waist (turning bo above head like a helicopter) 
Strike to head (turning bo above head like a helicopter)
Kata 
Bo Kihon 
 

"The Difference Between The Possible And Impossible Is One’s Will." Master Hironori Otsuka