Generally gradings are held every 4 months until Shodan (1st degree black belt).

Videos of the katas are available here.

Ranking Structure

Rank - Belt Colour - Practicing Kata

Beginner - White - Heian shodan

8th kyu - White - Heian nidan

7th kyu - White - Heian sandan   

6th kyu -  Green - Heian yondan

5th kyu - Green/Blue - Heian godan

4th kyu - Green/Blue - Tekki shodan   

3rd kyu* - Brown - Bassai-dai

2nd kyu - Brown -  Bassai-dai

1st kyu - Brown -  Bassai-dai   

Shodan (1st degree) - Black - Favorite kata

Nidan (2nd degree) - Black - Favorite (minimum: 2 years Shodan)

Sandan (3rd degree) - Black - Favorite (minimum: 3 years Nidan)

Yondan (4th degree) - Black - Favorite (minimum: 5 years Sandan)

Godan + (5th degree +)-  Black - Favorite (by invitation)

The following are the International Shotokan Federation (ISKF) Kyu Examinations Guidelines (7/11/13). Dan Guidelines are in the same link.

9th Kyu to 8th Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ chudan oi zuki
step back – jodan age uke
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke
Turn – step in kokutsu dachi / chudan shuto uke

Kicking:
Step in – chudan maegeri turn – highest maegeri

Kata: Heian Shodan
 Kumite: Sanbon kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki (to the count)

8th Kyu to 7th Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ chudan oi zuki
step back – jodan age uke
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke
step back – kokutsu dachi / chudan shuto uke

Kicking:
Step in – chudan maegeri
turn – jodan maegeri
From kiba dachi – yoko geri keage/ yoko kekomi (both sides)

Kata: Heian Nidan
Kumite: Sanbon Kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki (no count)

7th Kyu to 6th Kyu:

1) Adults

Kihon: Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan 

step back‐ jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki

Step in ‐ chudan soto uke/jodan gyaku zuki; 

step back –kokutsu dachi/chudan shuto uke

Kicking:
Step in ‐ chudan maegeri

Turn ‐ jodan maegeri
From kiba dachi ‐ yoko keage/yoko kekomi

(both sides)

Kata: Heian Sandan

Kumite: Ippon kumite –jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki (left and right sides)

Defense – at least two different counter attacks

2) Kids

Kihon: Step in – chudan oi zuki

step back – jodan age uke

Step in – chudan soto uke

step back – chudan shuto uke

Kicking: Step in – chudan maegeri

turn – jodan maegeri
From kiba dachi – yoko keage/ yoko kekomi (both sides)

Kata: Heian Sandan

Kumite: Sanbon Kumite –jodan oi zuki/ chudan oi zuki

6th Kyu to 5th Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan
step back ‐ jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke/empi uchi in kiba dachi
step back – chudan shuto uke in kokutsu dachi /chudan nukite in zenkutsu

Kicking:
Two kicks beginning back leg ‐ chudan maegeri/then jodan maegeri Turn ‐ two kicks beginning back leg ‐ chudan mawashi geri/ then jodan mawashi geri
From kiba dachi ‐ yoko geri keage both sides/yoko kekomi both sides

Kata: Heian Yondan

Kumite: Ippon Kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki (left and right sides) Defense ‐ at least two different counter attacks

5th Kyu to 4th Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan
step back – jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke/empi uchi in kiba dachi
step back ‐ chudan shuto uke in kokutsu dachi/ nukite in zen kutsu dachi

Kicking:
Two kicks beginning back leg ‐ chudan maegeri then jodan mae geri Turn ‐ two kicks beginning back leg ‐ mawashi geri chudan then jodan From kiba dachi ‐ yoko geri keage/kekomi (both sides)

Kata: Heian Godan

Kumite: Ippon Kumite ‐ jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki/chudan maegeri (left and right sides)
Defense – at least two different counter attacks

4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan
step back – jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke/chudan empi uchi/ jodan uraken step back – chudan shuto uke in kokutsu/ chudan maeashi maegeri/nukite in zen kutsu dachi

Kicking:
Two kicks beginning back leg – chudan maegeri/jodan maegeri
Turn – two kicks beginning back leg ‐ chudan mawashi geri/then jodan mawashi geri
From kiba dachi ‐ yoko geri keage both sides/ yoko kekomi both sides

Kata: Tekki Shodan

Kumite: Ippon Kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki/chudan maegeri/chudan yoko kekomi (one side only)
Defense – at least two different counter attacks

3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan
step back – jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke/change to kiba dachi empi uchi/jodan uraken step back – chudan shuto uke /maeashi maegeri/chudan nukite in zenkutsu

Kicking:
Beginning front leg ‐ chudan maegeri/ step in, back leg ‐ jodan maegeri Turn ‐ front leg chudan mawashi geri, back leg jodan mawashi geri From kiba dachi ‐ yoko geri keage both sides/ yoko kekomi both sides

Kata: Bassai Dai

Kumite: Jiyu Ippon Kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki/ chudan maegeri/chudan yoko kekomi (one side only)
Defense – at least two different counter attacks

2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu:

Kihon:

Step in ‐ sanbon zuki: jodan/chudan/chudan
step back – jodan age uke/chudan gyaku zuki
Step in ‐ chudan soto uke /empi uchi/uraken in kiba dachi
step back – chudan shuto uke /maeashi maegeri /nukite in zen kutsu

Kicking:
Beginning front leg ‐ chudan maegeri, step in back leg ‐ jodan maegeri Turn – front leg chudan mawashi geri, step in ‐ jodan mawashi geri From kiba dachi ‐ yoko geri keage/ yoko kekomi (both sides)

Kata: Bassai Dai, Jion, Kanku‐dai or Empi

Kumite: Jiyu Ippon Kumite – jodan oi zuki/chudan oi zuki/chudan maegeri/ chudan yoko kekomi (one side only)

Shodan

Black Belt Program (Sensei Gunther) May 2025

 

1.      Kihon

1.      Oi tsuki

2.      Sanbon tsuki

3.      Shuto

4.      Shuto mae geri nukite

5.      Shuto mae geri nukite mawashi kizami gyaku tsuki

6.      Mae geri sanbon tsuki

7.      Yoko urake

8.      Mawashi geri mawashi tsuki

9.      Mae geri ushiro geri

10.                                   Mae geri yoko geri

11.                                   Kizami tsuki oi tsuki gyaku tsuki

12.                                   Uchi uke kizami tsuki gyaku tsuki

13.                                   Soto uke empi uraken

14.                                   Soto gyaku tsuki uchi uke oi tsuki

15.                                   All the kick goinfre forward

16.                                   All the blocks with gyaku tsuki

 

2.      Kumite

 

1.      Ippon kumite

2.      Jiu ippon kumite

3.      Contrôle

4.      Réflexe

5.      Sanbon kumite

6.      Tempering

 

3.      Kata

 

1.      Heian ( Shodan to Godan )

2.      Tekki (Shodan to Godan )

3.      Teno kata

4.      Kata Advanced

5.      Bunkai of à part of Kata

6.      Self défense moves (3 moves )

 Good luck to everyone ! Ouss !

Defense – at least two different counter attacks