Belt Cycle and Stripes

I thought it would be good to review our belt cycle and the new stripe colors that we are using at Ward's Family Karate.  In the Martial Arts I want you to learn to set goals, and have a plan for achieving those goals.  Our belt system and the stripes that you must earn on your belt will help you get used to setting and achieving short term goals.

Recently I changed the colors of our strips.  Previously  your four stripes that you have to earn were the color of your next belt.  You were also required to earn your stripes in order.  That created a problem for me, and for you, since it made it difficult for you to get all of your strips if you missed one, and difficult for me if I allowed you to earn a strip out of order (I could not tell which one you had and which one you missed).  Now I have heard that some of you are complaining about the color change.  Well, remember this is to benefit you and to benefit me.

So here are the new colors!

1st Stripe - Black

Your first strip is black.  First stripe is always self-defense or one-step-kumite.  I will teach and review these techniques with you for the first two weeks of your belt cycle.  You should be able to see all five of your techniques  in the first two classes.  After that I expect you to practice, and then show me your techniques so that I can make corrections. By the last class of this two weeks you  should let me know that you are ready to stripe test, and I will watch you in class to determine if you pass.  

Remember it is your responsibility to earn your strips!  I will be there to teach the techniques.  It will be your responsibility to be there to learn the techniques and to practice them outside of class.  If you can not preform your techniques correctly at the end of two weeks, you have not planned properly to achieve your goal.

So what do you do then if you do not pass?  Well you could wait for another belt cycle when I will teach the techniques again.  you could also ask questions of me outside of class when I am available. But realize that just because you have a question does not mean I am available.  If you want special attention, and I am about to start another class or teach my bible study, you need to make arrangement to wait until that class is over.  You could also go to one of the students of your rank or higher and ask for help outside of class, and of course you must practice, practice, practice.  

Can I stripe test you outside of class?  Maybe.   That depends what you are testing for, and again , am I available.  You can also check with and assistant instructor or even with a Sempai (senior student).  If you expect me to take you through 10-20 minutes of Kihon that probably will not happen.  Back to, "it is your responsibility to attend class".  It is "your responsibility to earn your stripes".

2nd Stripe - Blue.

Your second stripe is blue.  Second stripe is always kihon (basics - blocks, strikes, and kicks).  We will spend about two week covering kihon.  There is more to cover for low ranking kyu  belts than there is for high ranking kyu belts, but the kihon gets more difficult as you move up in rank.   Therefore depending on the make up of the class we may spend a little more time (say one class) on kihon, if there are a lot of white and yellow belts.  There will be more corrections to be made.  If class has more high ranked belts we will move quicker and expect a lot of practice at home.  

For high belts, that is colored belts with a long black stripe, you will also have an arnis requirement for you second stripe.  I will teach the arnis in the same two week period.  As soon as we have covered the basics of kihon we will start teaching the arnis.  This means you will need to pay attention and do a lot of practice.

I will let you know when it is the last class of Kihon and you should be ready to test for your second/blue stripe. I will watch you and award your stripe at the end of class.  

Once again with this new stripe color system, you do not have to have your first stripe to earn your second stripe.    Now some students are under the misconception that they can test for their stripe (any stripe) at any time.  That is wrong.  I am only testing for the stripe we are teaching at the time.  The color system simple means you are not held back from testing with the others because you lack the previous stripe.   Yes some testing can be done out of cycle but based on my availability as mentioned above.

3rd stripe - Red.

Your third stripe is red.  Once you reach yellow belt third stripe will always be Kata.  for low belts (no stripe) you will need to memorize all of the movements of the kata.  for high belt (long black stripe) I will want to see all of the details of the kata performed correctly (stances, power, timing, kiai). 

We will spend two weeks working on kata.  You will need much practice at home for memorization.  Remember I have placed resources on our website for the Heian katas.  You should make use of these to help you outside of class. 

Be prepared at the end of this two weeks to demonstrate your kata to earn your stripe.

4th Stripe - Green.

Your forth stripe is green.  This is your review stripe. This is the only strip with  a prerequisite.  You must have the first three stripes to get your forth stripe.  You will be tested on the first three stripes, to prove that you are ready to take the belt test.  Review will take one to two weeks depending on how the students are doing.  You can not review in one class.  Review will take at least two classes to cover.  I will be watching you in each class.  Therefore you need to make sure your are attending all classes during review.  

I also reserve the right to have you demonstrate any and all techniques, kihon, and katas from your previous belts.   You must be able to correctly demonstrate the new material and the previous material to earn your forth stripe.

Once you have earned your forth stripe it means you are ready for the next belt examination.

8-9 weeks for belt cycle.

This all adds up to about eight weeks of training for the belt cycle.  I will usually throw in one or two classes that are off topic.  Usually something that is more fun and not required on your belt test, such as, falling, sweeping, tumbling, or sparring.  This can bring us up to nine weeks for the belt cycle.

Additional requirements for belt testing.

If you attend my Pulpit Rock school you may have an additional requirement.  High belts (long black stripe) will be require to turn in a selfless service form.  This is documentation of one hour of service (community service, helping a family member, etc..).  You will earn your star for this.

Warriors For Christ.

if you are a "Warrior for Christ", then you will also have a bible memory verse requirement for each belt rank.  You will need to recite the verse for me and the karate principal that is modeled in it. You will earn your cross for this. 

These additional requirements must be completed before you can take a belt test.  Remember you can not earn any of your stripes or additional requirements on the day of the belt test.