“Karate is a lifetime study.” (Kenwa Mabuni)
You will find below the requirements to attain each of the grades in our syllabus, from 10th Kyu all the way to Sandan.
- 10th Kyu (Blue belt)
- 9th Kyu (Red Belt)
- 8th Kyu (Orange Belt)
- 7th Kyu (Yellow Belt) & Intermediate
- 6th Kyu (Green Belt) & Intermediate
- 5th Kyu (Purple Belt) & Intermediate
- 4th Kyu (Purple & White Belt) & Intermediate
- 3rd Kyu (Brown Belt)
- 2nd Kyu (Brown & White Belt)
- 1st Kyu (Brown & 2 White Belt)
- Shodan (Black Belt)
- Nidan (Black Belt- 2nd Dan)
- Sandan (Black Belt- 3rd Dan)
Alternatively you may access all of the CKA syllabus (in a printable all-in-one version).
Grading
CKA Gradings for Kyu and Dan Grades take place 4 times a year (in March, June, September and December). Grading examinations cover all grades up to Black Belt 3rd Dan and will generally take place in the Chesham dojo. All students are encouraged to train on Grading Sundays (Standard Grading fees apply).
Subject to attending the minimum number of lessons (and with the blessing of your Sensei), it is generally possible to grade on a quarterly basis. A minimum of 6 months’ training is however required before attempting to grade to 2nd kyu and another 6 months before moving to 1st kyu. A minimum of 1 year training is subsequently required before attempting to grade to Shodan (on invitation only).
Grading Syllabus Training
To support our students preparing for grading, CKA also runs dedicated syllabus training sessions (8 times per year). Classes will be divided into small groups and training will focus on the grading syllabus including the Kihon (basics), Kumite (sparring) and Kata required for grading examinations. Please refer to our calendar for details about the forthcoming grading training sessions.