Rank

Rank (aka belts) are earned through hard work and attention to detail.  Training time does not necessarily equal rank.  However, there are minimum training time requirements:

Minimum Time Requirements
Mudansha:
Rokyu (6th Kyu – Yellow belt) – 30 hours / 3 months
Gokyu (5th Kyu – Yellow belt) – 60 hours / 4 months after Rokyu
Yonkyu (4th Kyu – Blue belt) – 60 hours / 4 months after Gokyu
Sankyu (3rd Kyu – Blue belt) – 70 hours / 4 months after Yonkyu
Nikyu (2nd Kyu – Brown belt) – 80 hours / 6 months after Sankyu
Ikkyu (1st Kyu – Brown belt) – 90 hours / 6 months after Nikyu

Yudansha:
Shodan (Black belt) – 120 hours / 12 months after Ikkyu
Nidan (2nd degree Black belt) – 400 hours / 30 months after Shodan
Sandan (3rd degree Black belt) – 3 years after Nidan
Yondan (4th degree Black belt) – at the discretion of the senior instructors
Godan (5th degree Black belt) – at the discretion of the senior instructors
Rokudan (6th degree Black belt) – at the discretion of the senior instructors

Test Technique Requirements
Rokyu
Katate Dori Tenkan
Katate Dori irimi
Ukemi (backroll)
Katate Dori Tenkan w/ backroll
Katate Dori Flower Throw
Katate Dori shihonage
Katate Dori sumiotosh
Munetsuki tenkan
Munetsuki kotegaeshi
Kosa dori ikkyo
Bokken Kata basic-basic #1
Bokken Kata basic-basic #2
Bokken Kata basic-basic #3
Shomenuchi tenkan – bokken

Gokyu
Rokyu techniques +
Kosa Dori Irimi Nage
Shomenuchi ikkyo omote
Shomenuchi ikkyo ura
Katate Dori kokyu nage – pitch & toss
Ukemi (front & back roll)
Bokken Kata basic-basic #1-4

Yonkyu
Gokyu techniques +
Kosa dori ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo & yonkyo
Kata dori ikkyo & nikyo
Katate Dori ryote mochi kokyu tanden ho
Ryote dori tenchinage
Ryote dori tenchinage digaruma
Ryote Dori Obakimono

Sankyu
Yonkyu techniques +
Kosa dori ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo & yonkyo

Nikyu
Sankyu techniques +
Kosa dori ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo & yonkyo

Ikkyu
Nikyu techniques +
Kosa dori ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo & yonkyo

More information can be found in the ASU Handbook

Last updated: September 27, 2016 at 8:10 am PST/PDT