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What I Need to Do to Get My Black Belt
[detailed]
1. Review this
website!!
a. There’s a lot of information here. Don’t let it overwhelm
you.
b. The most important page to go over is
www.budoshin.com/yudanshakai.htm
i. Great Q&A & membership information
c. If you have any questions about anything at any time ---- ask
them!!
2. Purchase
a. BJJY membership
b. 8-DVD or mp4 home study course
i. a. & b. can be purchased together at a discount.
c. Basic Jujitsu and Intermediate Ju-Jitsu books are strongly
recommended usually before testing for sankyu.
a] Knowledge of theory & application is important
3. Use the Student Handbook as your guide
a. Please read it.
i. It contains information that will be useful and the
procedures in it will be followed.
b. There are more techniques on each video than are required for
each belt rank.
i. You
should practice them all to broaden your knowledge base.
4. Self-test for
6th-4th kyu
a. Test for these belt grades whenever you feel ready.
i. Many kata & waza get repeated as you go up in rank.
a]
I expect progressive improvement, not immediate perfection
b. Actual mat tests for each of these belts can be found on
these pages:
i. 6th kyu [green belt] p21
ii. 5th kyu [blue belt] p24
iii. 4th kyu [purple belt] p27
iv. There is no time-in-grade requirement for any kyu grade
exam/promotion.
a] You may proceed as fast as you wish
b] You do not need to video the entire test for 6th – 4th kyu at
one time.
1] It is preferred that you do so – and you should be able to
c] In a normal dojo situation it takes about ___ minimum to get
ready for testing to ___.
1] 3 months to 6th kyu
2] 6-9 months to 5th – 1st kyu
3] 6-12 months for 1st dan
v. There are general time-in-grade requirements for black belt
grades.
c. As a regular BJJY member you are entitled to submit 3 video
evaluations per calendar year.
i.
Additional video evaluations are $25 each.
ii. You may submit videos as often as you wish – even if you are
taking a test over.
iii.
There is no charge to redo small parts of a test
d. Have someone record you doing the “kata” & “waza” on a dvd
or mp4 file & send it to me.
i. You will only need one camera -- on a tripod for
stability.
ii. Execute techniques slowly and smoothly as listed.
a] I need to see that techniques are done correctly, not
quickly.
b] Speed will come naturally as your execution improves at
higher ranks.
iii. Execute techniques so that I can see the submissions when
you use them or
a]
redo the technique a second time from the opposite direction.
iv. I will respond by sending you an audio evaluation via
Hightail of your performance.
a] It will
also indicate whether or not you meet the criteria for promotion
to the rank you tested for.
5.
Formal
Testing 3rd – 1st kyu [brown belt grades]
a. This is a formal testing environment.
i.
There is a test setup fee of $25 that must be prepaid.
ii. Any test at this level [and including dan grades] is
automatically void for any of the following reasons
a] If the camera stops for any reason
b] There is a break in the testing or the testing stops for
any reason
c] There is any violation of the actual test procedure or
instructions.
d] There is an additional
charge of $25 to set up any replacement test.
b. You will have to submit your answers to the questions on the
brown belt exam along with the test setup fee.
c. I will send you specific instructions via US mail on how to
proceed with the mat testing.
i. You must follow the directions to the letter. NO exceptions
ii. You may use only one camera for sankyu & higher tests
a] It would be too easy to violate the test security otherwise.
b] For sankyu & higher grades the entire test must be taken in
one “filming”
1] If the camera stops or the testing stops for ANY reason the
entire test is void.
2] You may use 2 or more uke for sankyu & higher testing
3] You will need a test reader to pronounce the Japanese kata
techniques with phonetic spelling.
i] This very rarely gets butched.
c] Your total “testing crew” will include the following:
1] Camera person
2] Test reader, who will be the only person who sees the actual
test.
3]
1-3 uke [so they don’t get worn out]
4] Optional audience to cheer you on.
J
iii.
You must know all the kata as listed dependent upon which level
brown belt you plan to test for:
1]
p28 [3rd kyu]
2]
p32 [2nd kyu]
3]
p34 [1st kyu]
4] The 3rd – 1st kyu kata portions are almost identical
i] contain most of the kata originally taught for 6th – 4th kyu
5] The waza requirement is identical for 3rd – 1st kyu
6] Increased proficiency is required in kata & waza at each of
these 3 levels.
7] You must know the names of all the kata in Japanese.
i] The vocabulary "list" in the Student Handbook exceeds what
need to know for any tests.
ii] If you know the kata names you should be ok on the kata
portion of the test.
iv. You will be tested on 10 kata & 15 waza that I select from
each kata & waza list.
1] Some kata & waza may be repeated in the 3rd – 1st kyu
testing.
2] You will not know which ones prior to their actually being
called out.
i]
Therefore you must know them all.
3] Your response must be immediate
4] I am looking for the following:
i] correct and proper execution of requested techniques
ii] smoothness & quality
iii] use of a distraction, followthrough and submission as
appropriate to the attack.
5] I am NOT looking at speed
d. If you have progressed up through the belt ranks [6th-4th
kyu] to this point
i.
notify me when you feel you’re ready to take the 3rd, 2nd, or
1st kyu test.
ii. This test should be a smooth sequential step up from your
4th kyu test.
iii. Also submit your answers to the questions on the brown belt
exam at this time.
iv. I will send you specific instructions via US mail on how to
proceed with the testing.
v. You must follow the directions you recieve to the letter.
1] ABSOLUTELY
NO exceptions
e.
If you have
NOT
progressed up through the belt ranks to this point
and you think you’re ready to test
i.
please notify me when you want to take the 3rd, 2nd, or
1st kyu test.
ii. You will have to submit a dvd video
[or mp4 file you can send via my Hightail dropbox] of you demonstrating:
1]
ALL of the kata AND waza listed on the sankyu-nikyu-ikkyu mat
test on pp30-31.
2] This demo video may be done in a few sequences as it may be
physically exhausting.
iii. This route is not encouraged
as there has been a high failure for the few who have tried it.
1] Reason for failure: Too many errors in basic movements and
sheer sloppiness.
iv. It’s actually less work to progress belt by belt
1] You
get feedback to correct basic moves.
2] Otherwise errors
become entrenched in your execution.
v. If I believe that your skill level is high I will commence
the formal testing process.
1] Submit your answers to the questions on the brown belt exam
at this time.
2] I will send you specific instructions via US mail on how to
proceed with the testing.
i] You must follow the directions to the letter. NO exceptions
vi. If your proficiency is
NOT up to the level required for testing to a brown
belt grade:
1] I will advise you of such
2] Inform you of
what needs to be done to improve your skill level
i]
via an audio evaluation sent to you as an email attachment
3] I may or may not do any one of the following:
i] Award you a lower grade without having you submit a specific
test video
ii] Request that you test for a specific lower grade
iii] In a worst case scenario in which there are too many basic
core knowledge errors
a] have you test for 6th kyu once you have made corrections in
very basic moves.
6. Formal testing – Black Belt grades
a. You will be sent a copy of the Black Belt Handbook once you
reach 2nd or 1st kyu.
i. Please read it as the procedures will be followed.
b.
The mat testing procedure is essentially the same as the brown
belt exams.
i.
If you have earned the rank of 1st kyu, the shodan exam should
be a smooth transition of growth
ii. If the first test you are planning to test for is
shodan:
1] You will need to meet the same prerequisites as established
for 3rd-1st kyu [above]
2]This
route [your first test is for shodan] is not encouraged.
i] The failure rate thus far has been 100% for the very few who have
tried it.
ii] Reason for failure: Too many errors in basic movements and
sheer sloppiness.
c. There are additional practical skills and knowledge required
as specified in the Black Belt Handbook.
i. These
include but are not limited to:
1] Weapons demo as an
extension of the “empty hand” theory for each dan grade
up through 5th dan
i] You must demonstrate use of a different “defensive tool” for
each dan grade test.
ii] Examples are short stick, hanbo, bo, jutte, sai, asp, PR-24,
flexible baton, newspaper, etc.
iii]
A gun-safety course shall be required in lieu of one of the
“defensive tool” demos.
iv] Law-enforcement personnel may use their weapon certification
in lieu of the gun safety course.
ii. Several open-ended essay questions.
iii. First aid certification & CPR
iv. Additional theory and application available from my books &
other sources.
7. Rank/Grade Certificates and certification will be done in the
following manner:
a. 6th-4th kyu
i. A BJJY certificate of rank [pdf format] will be issued via
email if you request it
at no charge.
ii. There is a shipping/handling charge if you want me to send
you the physical certificate.
b. 3rd-1st kyu grades
i. BJJY Certificates WILL be issued for all ranks 3rd kyu and
higher at no charge.
1] You must submit 1 “passport type” photo, which will be sealed
onto your BJJY certificate.
2] You must be a current paid member of the AJA [American
Ju-Jitsu Association]
3] You must apply for an AJA certificate of rank from the AJA
i] There is a minimal AJA certificate fee [$8 as of
4/15/2017]
c. “dan” [black belt] grades
i] BJJY Certificates WILL be issued for all dan grades at
no charge.
1] You must submit 1 “passport type” photo which will be sealed
or scanned onto your certificate.
2] You must have been a paid member of the AJA
3] You must apply for an AJA certificate of rank from the AJA
i] There is a minimal fee [prices as of 4/15/2017
a] 1st & 2nd dan: $15
b] 3rd dan: $20
c] 4th & higher dan grades: $25
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