Karate Gradings

Gradings are an assessment that are taken place in Fight Club and are used as a method to formally critique and give feedback on a student’s application of skills. Upon completion, students are rewarded with a new rank that is dependant on their performance. Different ranks have different requirements where gradings become more intense and demanding with higher ranks. They are assessed by a grading committee where every basic technique, stance and kata is scored. Gradings are something which need to be taken seriously by students as due to their intensity, a high degree of preparation needs to occur. Gradings are broken up into beginner (up to 5^th kyu) and advanced (5^th kyu and below) where students of lower ranks will grade beside those who are higher. This allows them the opportunity to see what is required for their gradings in the future and understand the commitment it takes to grade.

The different ranks in karate are explained below:

White

This is the rank that every beginner starts at when commencing Kyokushin. It is a colour that represents purity and innocence, someone that completely ignorant of the requirements of the art. This innocence is lost as soon as the first exercise is performed in the dojo. The pristine colour is gone forever through sweat and dust, and the journey through the colour spectrum begins. There is no shame in being a white belt and the instructor, more than the others, is aware of this because he or she too was one once.

Red (10^th – 9^th kyu)

This belt represents stability and is the first step towards a black belt. This belt symbolized stability where students are forced to unlearn any ideas they had formulated about how to fight. A greater awareness between balance and coordination between various body parts is also expected and emphasized through various stances.

Blue (8^th – 7^th kyu)

This rank involves the student becoming further involved in Kyokushin and taking their training much more seriously. Students should begin overcoming the urge to “take it easy” and maximum the benefits that can be obtained from their training. This leads to increased strength, flexibility and coordination. It also highlights the ability of the student to take control of their mind and body. For example, not showing being when hit during sparring and hiding exhaustion during training no matter how tired they seem.

Yellow (6^th – 5^th kyu)

This rank involves the student becoming more engrossed into Kyokushin and learning to generate power through the core and focus it in techniques. This step involves the co-ordination of both the mind and body and signifies the last step of the beginner ranks.

Green (4^th – 3^rd kyu)

This rank is the first of the senior colours and represents an awareness that balance can be found through patients and humility. This balance leads to a new strength and a greater awareness of their surrounding environment. It is a step that slowly introduces the student towards the mindset of an instructor.

Brown (2^nd – 1^st kyu)

By this stage students at this rank should be at an assistant instructor level. They should be having more influence across the club and be very comfortable with the execution of techniques, still striving to achieve higher levels of skills. In sparring, their skills should be reflected by being able to control a junior opponent through timing and distance whilst still being sensitive to their inexperience.

Black

With the development of basic ability and understanding, this signifies new beginning. The practice of technique should now be of the purpose of fine tuning. It is a colour that represents strength however the belts fraying at the edges with hard training and eventual turning to white represents a cycle where the master becomes the student again. A students learning is never complete.