DOJO
General
Instructors
Classes
Etiquette
Terminology
Style
Overview

History
References
Rank Testing
Procedure
Rank Chart
Karate Club
Officers

Mailing List

Testing Procedures


There is one test per quarter, generally scheduled for the last class or club meeting of the quarter. A week before, you are asked to fill out forms with your name, current rank, and time in Karate. These forms will be given to the promotion board so they may comment on your performance.The promotion board is composed of Sensei Anastasio and other black belts (generally at least Sensei McCormick), and they sit at a table in the front of the room.

Note: not everyone will test every quarter. It is up to Sensei Anastasio to decide whether or not you are ready to test. Particularly at the intermediate and advanced ranks, it is not unusual to spend more than one quarter at the same rank. Sensei will tell you when he feels that you are ready to test for promotion. Also, due to the compressed nature of summer quarter, students often only test on one of the two test dates.

All students line up to bow in, as usual, then move to the back of the room, where they will sit during the test. Seated students should not lean against the wall, nor should they sprawl out. It is said that your behavior in the back of the room is as much an indication of your training as your performance in the test.

Students are called up one by one, lowest rank first, to come to the center of the room, directly in front of the promotion board. They should immediately bow to the promotion board, then stand waiting for instructions. A detailed description of the testing procedure for first quarter students (testing for 8th kyu) is available. For all other ranks, kata are performed first, always starting with Fukyugata Ichi and progressing up to the highest kata that you have studied. If you are testing for 5th kyu (green, two stripes) or above, after everyone has performed their katas, you will demonstrate martial applications from the kata you performed. See the Rank Chart for details on requirements for each rank.

After performing your test, stand quietly in the center of the room until Sensei Anastasio dismisses you. Bow, then move quickly to the back of the room and sit down again.

After everyone has performed their tests, the entire class will be asked to leave the room for a few moments, while the promotion board confers. After you are invited back into the room, you will be given the forms that you filled out, with the board's comments and an indication of whether you passed or failed.

University Class Requirements

Beginning Karate

In Beginning Karate, you are expected to learn Fukyugata Ichi as well as the warm-up exercises and the six basic techniques. You can reach a detailed description of the promotion testing procedure.

Intermediate Karate

You are expected to learn two kata per quarter, as well as progress in technique at a reasonable rate, to pass the class. Note that this is greater than the technical requirements to earn a specific rank, so you may know more kata than the Rank Chart indicates that you should.
Questions about WSU Karate or about this web page may be sent to Jen White Doom: jen@wsukarate.org.

The views and opinions expressed on unofficial and personal pages of Wright State University faculty, staff, or students are strictly those of the page authors. The content of these pages has not been reviewed or approved by Wright State University.