Sunderland Ippon Ki Karate Club

The Training Syllabus

As a beginner you will wear a white belt - the colour of innocence and purity.

After a suitable time, when you have a grasp of a set of prescribed techniques, you will be ready to be examined for the next step up the karate ladder.

You will be examined for your first true "grade" - the 9th Kyu, Orange belt. If successful, you will learn a new set of techniques to prepare you for your red belt (8th Kyu) grading examination.

Every time you learn one set of techniques and are promoted to a higher grade you have a new set of techniques to learn.

Each belt has it's own set of techniques and skills to learn but theses can be divided into three broad categories.

KIHON
Kihon is a Japanese term meaning "basics" or "fundamentals." The term is used to refer to the basic techniques that are taught and practised as the foundation of most Japanese martial arts. The practice and mastery of kihon is essential to all advanced training. At the simple level this would include stances, punches, kicks, blocks, and thrusts but also includes basic representative kata. Kihon techniques tend to be practiced often, and in many cases during each practice session. They are considered fundamental to the mastery and improvement of all movements of greater complexity.

KATA
Kata is often described as a set sequence of karate moves organised into a pre-arranged fight against imaginary opponents. It consists of kicks, punches, sweeps, strikes, blocks, and throws. Body movement in various kata includes stepping, twisting, turning, dropping to the ground, and jumping. In Shotokan, kata is not a performance or a demonstration, but is for individual karateka to practice full techniques with every technique potentially a killing blow (ikken hisatsu) while paying particular attention to form and timing (rhythm).

KUMITE
Kumite, or sparring, is the practical application of kata to real opponents. For beginners, it is introduced as basic blocking and counter-attacking, but will gradually progress to free-sparring (Jiyu Kumite) which develops the timing, reflexes and co-ordination necessary for self defence and competition.
 

Click on the relevant section below to see the required techniques for each belt.