• Improve Your Technique:
Keep working on your skills, aiming for a good fit with all the moves.
• Health First:
Always tell your Sensei about any health issues. This way, they can make necessary adjustments for your training.
• Regular Gradings:
Soshinkan Karate holds belt gradings 4 times a year. It’s your job to be prepared when they come around.
• Help Out:
If you’re going for a higher belt, you should assist with teaching the younger classes, attend seminars, and take part in tournaments either as a competitor or as an official.
• Be Flexible:
Techniques can change. If anything changes, you’ll be given warnings and time to adjust before your grading.
– Soshinkan Karate embraces a comprehensive curriculum for belt gradings (Kyu), while incorporating supplementary self-defence elements, like head-level punches and blocks. Our techniques cover a wide spectrum of strikes, blocks, kicks, and stances, emphasizing both traditional martial arts principles and practical application in real-world scenarios.
– Students advancing through belt levels can expect to master the fundamentals of Soshinkan Karate with Full-Contact sparring (Kumite) for adults and Semi-Contact for juniors under 16 years old. Additionally, our curriculum integrates essential self-defence manoeuvres tailored to enhance situational awareness and personal safety.
– We’re happy to have both experienced and new students join our club. If you’re coming from another Karate Dojo or martial arts group, it’s important to chat with Hanshi Andrew Rekunov first. This helps us understand your skills and figure out the best way for you to move forward with your belt levels.
– If there are any changes to techniques or how things are done compared to what you’re used to, we’ll let you know in advance so you can adjust before your grading. This ensures everyone’s journey in Soshinkan Karate stays smooth and on track.
SOSHINKAN KARATE TECHNIQUES
10th KYU ORANGE BELT
• PUNCHES
JODAN/CHUDAN/GEDAN TSUKI – Straight Punches (Head/Body/Groin)
MOROTE SEIKEN TSUKI JODAN/CHUDAN/GEDAN – Double Punches (Head/Body/Groin)
OI/GYAKU TSUKI – Front/Back Hand Punches (From Kamae/Kumite Dachi)
• BLOCKS
SEIKEN JODAN AGE UKE – Rising Head Level Block (Fists)
SEIKEN MAE GEDAN BARAI – Downwards Block (Fists)
• KICKS
HIZA GANMEN GERI CHUDAN – Knee Kick (Body)
MAE GERI CHUDAN (CHUSOKU) – Front Kick With The Ball Of The Foot (Body)
• STANCES
YOI DACHI – Ready Stance
FUDO DACHI – Basic/Formal Stance
KAMAE/KUMITE DACHI – Sparring Stance
MUSUBI DACHI – Joining Stance (Heels Together)
• KATA N/A
• KUMITE SPARRING N/A
• EXTRA REQUIREMENTS
Tie Up The Belt
SEIZA & MOKUSO
KIAI
OSU
9th KYU ORANGE BELT with BLUE STRIPE
• PUNCHES
MAWASHI HIJI ATE JODAN/CHUDAN – Round Elbow Strike (Head/Body)
HIJI ATE JODAN/CHUDAN – Rising Elbow Strike (Head/Body)
MAE HIJI ATE JODAN/CHUDAN – Forward Elbow Strike (Head/Body)
USHIRO HIJI ATE – Back Elbow Strike
OROSHI HIJI ATE – Elbow Strike From Above
• BLOCKS
SEIKEN CHUDAN UCHI UKE – Outward Block
SEIKEN CHUDAN SOTO UKE – Inward Block
• KICKS
KIN GERI (HAISOKU) – Groin Kick With A Top Of The Foot
MAWASHI GERI GEDAN/CHUDAN (HAISOKU) – Round Kick (Thigh With A Shin/Body With The Top Of The Foot)
• STANCES
ZENKUTSU DACHI – Long Stance
• KATA
TAIKYOKU SONO ICHI
KUMITE SPARRING
3 Sparring Rounds
EXTRA REQUIREMENTS
NOGARE – Breathing
8th KYU BLUE BELT
• PUNCHES
MAWASHI TSUKI JODAN/CHUDAN – Hook Punch (Head/Body)
JUN TSUKI (IN KIBA DACHI KYU-JU) – Sideways Punch With a Pull
• BLOCKS
HAIWAN UKE – Outward Head Level Block
• KICKS
KANSETSU GERI (SOKUTO) – Side Kick To The Knee (With Edge Of The Foot)
YOKO GERI CHUDAN (SOKUTO) – Side Kick (With Edge Of The Foot)
• STANCES
KIBA DACHI YON-JU-GO – Horse Riding Stance (45 degrees)
KIBA DACHI KYU-JU – Horse Riding Stance (90 degrees)
• KATA
TAIKYOKU SONO NI
• KUMITE SPARRING
5 Sparring Rounds
EXTRA REQUIREMENTS
SEIKEN Push Ups (On The Knuckles)
7th KYU BLUE BELT WITH YELLOW STRIPES
• PUNCHES
SHITA TSUKI JODAN/CHUDAN – Uppercut Extended (Head/Body)
AGO UCHI – Forefist Chin Strike (Boxer’s style)
• BLOCKS
SHUTO MAWASHI UKE – Round Open Hand Block
• KICKS
USHIRO GERI CHUDAN/GEDAN (KAKATO) – Back Kick (Body/Low Level Kicking With A Heel)
• STANCES
NEKO ASHI DACHI – Cat Stance
KOKUTSU DACHI – Back Leaning Stance
• KATA
TAIKYOKU SONO SAN
• KUMITE SPARRING
7 Sparring Rounds
• EXTRA REQUIREMENTS
Start To Assist Sensei With The Younger/New Students
6th KYU YELLOW BELT
• PUNCHES
TETTSUI OROSHI GANMEN UCHI – Hammerfist Strike (Top Of The Head)
TETTSUI KOME KAMI – Hammerfist Strike (Temple)
TETTSUI HIZA UCHI – Hammerfist Strike (Ribs)
TETTSUI YOKO UCHI JODAN/CHUDAN/GEDAN – Sideways Strike (Head/Body/Groin)
BLOCKS
MAWASHI GEDAN BARAI – Round Downwards Block
CHUDAN UCHI UKE – MAWASHI GEDAN BARAI – Double Body/Low Level Block
MOROTO UCHI UKE – Reinforced Outwards Block
KICKS
MAE GERI JODAN (CHUSOKU) – Front Kick With A Ball Of The Foot (Head)
MAWASHI GERI JODAN (HAISOKU/CHUSOKU) – Round Kick With A Top Of The Foot/Ball Of The Foot (Head)
YOKO GERI JODAN (SOKUTO) – Side Kick With The Edge Of The Foot (Head)
USHIRO GERI JODAN (KAKATO) – Back Kick With A Heel (Head)
STANCES
SANCHIN DACHI – Hourglass Stance (3 point Stance)
KATA
PINAN SONO ICHI
KUMITE SPARRING
10 Sparring Rounds
EXTRA REQUIREMENTS
IBUKI – Breathing