7th KYU     White belt with stripe.                                                                                                  Minimum 2 months and 20 hours of training.

Ki Tests and Exercises

Seiza - Sitting Japanese style with legs folded underneath

Shizentai - Natural stance with feet shoulder-width

Orenaite - Unbendable arm, tested while in hanmi stance

Koho Tento Undo - Rolling backward and forward from sitting, kneeling and standing positions

Ushiro Ukemi, Rolling - Tumbling backward completely, from kneeling and standing positions

Mae Ukemi, Rolling - Tumbling forward completely, from kneeling and standing positions

Kokyudosa - Partner practice in seiza position; exercise to develop timing or “breath” power

Technique

Katatekosatori Kotegaeshi - Cross-hand wrist grab/ ”Wrist-turning” throw, pin

Katatori Ikkyo - Lapel grab/ “First teaching” and pin

Katatekosatori Kokyunage - Cross-hand wrist grab/ “Timing throw,” controlling the head

6th KYU     Yellow belt.                                                                              Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 7th Kyu.

Ki Tests and Exercises

Ushiro Ukemi, Breakfall - Rolling backward with slap, and returning to standing position

Mae Ukemi, Breakfall - Falling forward with slap, and returning to standing position

Empty Hand Strikes - Shomenuchi, Yokomenuchi, and Munetsuki; demonstration of basic strikes

Funakogi Undo - “Rowing exercise”

Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo - Raising and lowering the arms as if cutting with a sword

Renzoku Kokyudosa - Kokyudosa practiced continuously, one side to another without pause

Technique

Shomenuchi Kokyunage - Downward strike to the head/ “Timing throw;” controlling the head

Katatetori Shihonage - Same side wrist grab/ “Four directions throw”

Shomenuchi Iriminage - Downward strike to the head/ “Entering throw”

Katatori Nikyo - Lapel grab/ “Second teaching” and pin

5th KYU      Yellow belt with stripe.                                                             Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 6^th Kyu.              

Ki Tests and Exercises

Hanmi No Kamae - “Half-body stance”

Banzai no Kamae - Stance with feet shoulder-width and both arms raised

Zengo Undo - Raising and lowering arms as if cutting with a sword, with 180 degree pivoting motion

Happo Undo - Raising and lowering arms with movement as if cutting in eight directions

Tekubikosa Undo - “Crossing the wrists exercise;” high and low variations required

Kamae with Bokken - Demonstration of five basic sword stances

Bokken and Jo Suburi - Demonstration of basic strikes with sword and staff

Technique

Shomenuchi Kotegaeshi - Downward strike to the head/ “Wrist turning” throw and pin

Shomenuchi Ikkyo - Downward strike to the head/ “First teaching” and pin

Katatetori Sankyo - Same side wrist grab/ “Third teaching;” both nage waza (throwing) and katame waza (pinning) variations required

Yokomenuchi Sokumen Iriminage - Strike to the side of the head/ “Side of the face, Entering throw” (technique performed in the manner of Sayu Undo)

Munetsuki Kotegaeshi - Thrusting strike to the chest / “Wrist turning” throw and pin

Katatetori Kaitenage - Same side wrist grab/ “Rotary throw”.  Tenkan variation required

4th KYU     Blue belt.               Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training since earning 5^th Kyu, and prior attendance at 1 AAA Seminar

Ki Tests and Exercises

Ushirosori - Bending backwards while in hanmi stance

Maekagami - Stooping forward while in hanmi stance

Sayu Undo - “Left and right exercise;” extending arms to the left and right and sinking the hips

Sayu Choyaku Undo - “Left and right exercise;” with stepping movement

Udefuri Undo - “Swinging the arms exercise” to left and right

Udefuri Choyaku Undo - “Swinging the arms exercise” with stepping and turning motion

Ushirotori Undo - “Grasped from behind exercise”

Ushirotekubitori Undo - “Wrists grasped from behind exercise”

Shikko - Walking and turning on one’s knees

Taisabaki Toshu - “Empty-hand body movement” against Katatetori, Shomenuchi, Yokomenuchi and Munetsuki attacks. 

Technique

Yokomenuchi Shihonage - Strike to the side of the head/ “Four directions throw”

Ushirotekubitori Kokyunage  - Wrists grasped from behind/ “Timing throw;” variation in the manner of Ushirotekubitori Undo required

Ushirotekubitori Kotegaeshi  - Wrists grasped from behind/ “Wrist turning” throw and pin

Katatori Yonkyo - Lapel grab/ “Fourth teaching” and pin

Ryotetori Tenchinage - Grasping both wrists/ “Heaven and Earth throw”

Ryotetori Kokyunage - Grasping both wrists/ “Timing throw;” pivot throw variations required

3rd KYU     Blue belt with stripe.           Minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training since earning 4^th Kyu, and prior attendance at one AAA Camp.

Ki Tests and Exercises

Yoko Ukemi - “Side fall” exercise, from squatting and standing position, from tumbling forward, and while hand is grasped by a partner

Tenkan Undo - “Spinning change exercise;” turning body movement (direct pivot and step-with-pivot variations required)

Technique

Ushirohijitori Kotegaeshi - Grasping elbows from behind/ “Wrist-turning” throw and pin

Munetsuki Kokyunage - Thrusting strike to the chest / “Timing throw;” pivot-throw variation required

Katatori Gokyo - Lapel grab/ “Fifth teaching” and pin

Ushirotori Kokyunage - Grasping from behind (bearhug)/ “Timing throw;” executed in the manner of Ushirotori Undo

Ryotetori Kaitenage - Grasping both wrists/ “Rotary throw”

Katateryotetori Nikyo - Grasping a forearm with both hands/ “Second teaching” and pin

Suwariwaza (the following techniques performed from seated (seiza) position):

                Shomenuchi Kokyunage

                Shomenuchi Ikkyo

                Katatori Nikyo

Bokken Kata I - First sword form; 13 movements (“Happo Giri;” cutting in eight directions)

Jiyu Waza - “Free technique;” defense against any grasping attack

2nd KYU     Brown belt.                       Minimum 6 months and 60 hours training and attendance at one Instructor’s Seminar since earning 3^rd kyu.

Ki Tests and Exercises

Agura no Shisei - Sitting cross legged

Kata Ashiage - Raising one leg, hand extended in front

Agaranai Karada - Unliftable body

Questions - Verbal examination will be administered by test committee on the following topics:

                Four Basic Principles of Aikido

                What is Aikido?

Meisoho – Questions regarding meditation training

Kokyuho - Demonstration of and questions on breathing training

Technique

Ryokatatori Kokyunage - Grasping both lapels/ “Timing throw;” pivot-throw variations required

Ushirokatatori Kokyunage - Grasping both shoulders from behind/ “Timing throw;” variation with bowing movement required

Katateryotetori Kokyunage - Grasping a forearm with both hands/ “Timing throw”

Ryokatatori Kotegaeshi - Grasping both lapels / “Wrist-turning” throw, pin

Katatori Menuchi Iriminage - Lapel grab with shomenuchi or yokomenuchi to head/ “Entering throw”

Hanmi Hantachi Waza (the following techniques performed from a seated (seiza) position against a standing attacker:

                Katatetori Shihonage

                Katatetori Sankyo

                Munetsuki Kotegaeshi

Ryotetori Koshinage - Grasping both wrists/ “Hip throw”

Maegeri Kokyunage - Front snapping kick/ “Timing throw”

Jiyu Waza - “Free technique;” defense against any attack

Jo Kata I - First staff form; 22 movements

1st KYU   Brown belt with stripe.                                                                                              Minimum 6 months and 60 hours since earning 2^nd kyu.

Ki Tests and Exercises

Tai Sabaki with Bokken - Body movement and striking with the sword against an opponent, against shomenuchi, yokomenuchi/ gyaku-yokomenuchi, sliding munetsuki, and stepping munetsuki attacks

Technique

Ushirotekubitori Jujinage - Grasp both wrists from behind/ Entwining the arms in the shape of the Japanese number “10” (a cross) and throwing

Yokomenuchi Sudori - Strike to the side of the head/ “Disappearing” throw

Katateryotetori Kotegaeshi - Grasping a forearm with both hands/ “Wrist turning” throw and pin

Munetsuki Sumiotoshi - Thrusting attack to the chest/ “Corner drop” throw

Katatori Ganmenuchi Ikkyo - Lapel grab with straight punch to face/ “First teaching” and pin

Tantodori - Defense against knife attacks; at least three techniques each against shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, and munetsuki attacks required

Bokken Kata II - Second sword form; 13 movements

Randori - “Seizing chaos;” defense against multiple attackers (3)