Adult Aikido Rank Requirements

Adults in our school earn rank starting at 7th kyu and working towards 1st kyu.  After that they earn their first dan rank (shodan), and then they move up in dan ranks.  The last dan rank in our association with a physical test is 4th dan (yondan).  After that, ranks are awarded based on excellence and years of service.  Below are videos for Aikido of Northwest Kansas students to reference as they train.  These are not meant to be demonstrations of realistic techniques at full speed and power but as educational reference videos so that students can see and start to replicate the movements that they’ve practiced in class.

Bold items indicate an Aikido of Northwest Kansas Testing Requirements.

Underlined items indicate AAA/AAI minimum requirements.

Italicized Items indicate AAA/AAI minimum requirements being introduced at an earlier kyu test than is typically required.

Supplemental materials are additional skills that students can practice to improve their general Aikido that will not show up on the test directly.

7th kyu

Requirements:

Level of training: Basic movements in techniques are largely correct; student is capable of some relaxing/breathing to break tension and pressure; up & down body extension should be present.

Time and Events Requirements: Minimum 2 months and 20 hours of training
Techniques:

6th kyu

Requirements:
  • Ushiro Ukemi, Breakfall: Roll back with double slap (Click Here for Video)
  • Mae Ukemi, Breakfall: Falling forward with slap, and returning to standing position (Click Here for Video)
  • Empty Hand Strikes: Shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, munetsuki, and maegeri demonstration of basic strikes (Click Here for Video)
  • Funakogi Undo: Rowing motion (Click Here for Video)
  • Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo: Raising arms to the front (Click Here for Video)
  • Zengo Undo: Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo with pivot (Click Here for Video)
  • Renzoku Kokyudosa: Continuous side to side (Click Here for Video)
  • Misogi Exercise, Bowing & Unbowing, Opening & Closing Exercises Introduced (Must request and receive private link to view)
  • 4 Principles of Aikido: Be able to state the 4 principles of Aikido in our Association
  • Triangle Principle: Explain the triangle principle

Level of training: Improved relaxation and breathing, weight underside is emphasized more. Proper kuzushi (unbalancing) should be more present at the beginnings of techniques than was required for 7th kyu. Arm/cross body extension and general extension should be more present.  

Time and Events Requirements: Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 7th kyu
Techniques:

5th kyu

Requirements:

Level of training: Breathing, relaxing, and weight underside should be more present. Techniques should begin to be performed with real connection and sensitivity. Nage’s movement should be more total body and more cohesive.

Time and Event Requirements: Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training after earning 6th kyu

Techniques:

4th kyu

Requirements:
  • Ushirosori: Bending backwards in hanmi ()
  • Maekagami: Bending forward in hanmi ()
  • Sayu Undo: Swinging arms left and right and hip drop ()
  • Sayu Choyaku Undo: With side steps ()
  • Udefuri Undo: Swinging arms side to side ()
  • Udefuri Choyaku Undo: With pivoting ()
  • Ushirotori Undo: Stepping forward and hip pivot ()
  • Ushiro tekubitori Zenshin and Kotai Undo: Stepping forward arms extended with bow, stepping rearward arms extended with bow ()
  • Shikko: Knee walking with pivots; forward, backwards, and pivoting versions required ()
  • Taisabaki Toshu: “Empty-hand body movement” for Katatetori (Click Here for Video), Shomenuchi (Click Here for Video), Yokomenuchi (Click Here for Video) and Munetsuki (Click Here for Video)
  • Yoko Ukemi: “Side fall” exercise from squatting, standing, hand held by partner walking through ()
  • (Supplemental material: Jo kata 13: solo version) ()
  • (Supplemental material: Macrocosmic Orbit Excercise, Center Exercises) (Must request and receive private link to view)

Level of training: The 4 principles of Aikido should be generally present in the student, and the student should now be frequently extending their partner and using extension themselves; ukemi should be smooth with less hesitation and anticipation.

Time and Events Requirements
  • Minimum 3 months and 30 hours of training since earning 5th Kyu
  • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Seminar or National Kangeiko in Chicago

Techniques:

  • Yokomenuchi Shihonage: Stepping back omote and pass-through ura entries required—omote and ura throws required (supplemental material: Counter-strike opening omote and ura)
    • Stepping back omote entry omote ()
    • Stepping back omote entry ura ()
    • Pass-through ura entry omote ()
    • Pass-through ura entry ura ()
    • (Supplemental material: counter-strike opening omote) ()
    • (Supplemental material: counter-strike opening ura) ()
  • Ushiro Tekubitori Kokyunage: Dynamic, omote and ura
  • Ushiro Tekubitori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, 1st and 2nd hand omote, and 2 ura versions required; hombu-style ura is supplemental.
    • 1st hand omote ()
    • 2nd hand omote ()
    • 1st ura ()
    • 2nd ura ()
    • (Supplemental: hombu-style ura) ()
  • Katatori Yonkyo: Dynamic, omote and ura, with pin
    • Omote ()
    • Ura ()
  • Ryotetori Tenchinage: Dynamic, irimi and tenkan with and tenkan without step back required
  • Ryotetori Kokyunage: Dynamic, sliding back pivot throw, 5 variations, free kokyunage at least two variations
  • Randori Introductory Exercise: 3 attackers one at a time (not in a line), ryotetori, pivot throws and dodges alternating (Click Here for Video)

3rd kyu

Requirements:
  • Yoko Ukemi: from rolling and front flip breakfall from hand being held by partner ()
  • Warm–ups: Be able to lead the class in warm–ups and aikitaiso in order
  • (Supplemental material: Jo Awase 1-4) ()
  • (Supplemental material: Bokken Awase: 1, 3, 5, 6) ()
  • (Supplemental material: Dragon stepping exercise) (Must request and receive private link to view)

Level of training: Students should continue to improve at embodying all 4 principles of Aikido and perform techniques with good timing and fluid movements; body should be continually more cohesive and relaxing

Time and Events Requirements
  • Minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training since earning 4th Kyu
  • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Camp
Techniques:
  • Jiyu Waza: Defense against any grasping attack, no pin ()
  • Randori: Jogging, 3 ryotetori attackers not pausing, pivot throws, face push, and passes (Click Here for Video)

2nd kyu

Requirements:

  • Agura no Shisei: Sitting cross-legged ()
  • Kata Ashiage: Raising one leg, hand extended ()
  • Agaranai Karada:Unliftable body ()
  • Questions: Verbal examination will be administered by test committee on the following topics:
    • Four Basic Principles of Aikido
    • What is Aikido?
  • Meisoho: Questions regarding meditation training; know the terms zazen, kinhin, and samu
  • Kokyu ho: Questions regarding breathing training; be able to demonstrate kiai, ibuki, and okinaga
    • kiai ()
    • ibuki ()
    • okinaga ()
  • Assisting in class: assist in ki testing and know how to perform basic ki tests; be able to assist new students with basic 7th kyu techniques and falls, know how to fold a guest or visiting yudansha’s hakama
  • (supplemental material: jo awase 5-8) ()
  • (supplemental material: bokken awase 2, 4, 7) ()

Level of training: The student should embody the 4 basic principles enough that the student is able to add variations to primary techniques during the exam cleanly without much pause

Time and Events Requirements
  • Minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training since earning 3rd Kyu
  • Prior attendance at 1 Instructor’s Seminar

Techniques:

  • Ryokatatori Kokyunage: Dynamic, 3 required variations
    • Version 1 ()
    • Version 2 ()
    • Version 3 ()
  • Ushiro Katatori Kokyunage: Dynamic, Ushiro Tekubitori Zenshin Undo movement, 3 variations (standing, one knee, and both knees) for both omote and ura
    • ura standing ()
    • ura kneeling ()
    • ura 2 knees ()
    • omote standing ()
    • omote kneeling ()
    • omote 2 knees ()
  • Katate Ryotetori Kokyunage: Dynamic, pivot dropping to one knee, buddy drop, ude kime, and 7th-kyu-style versions required from omote or ura
    • Pivot dropping version ()
    • buddy drop version ()
    • ude kime version ()
    • 7th-kyu-style version ()
  • Ryokatatori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, with pin, 3 required variations
    • Version 1 ()
    • Version 2 ()
    • Version 3 ()
  • Katatori Menuchi Iriminage: omote and 2 required ura variations
    • Omote ()
    • Ura 1 ()
    • Ura 2 ()
  • Hanmi Hantachi Waza:
    • Katatetori Shihonage: Dynamic omote and ura
      • Omote ()
      • Ura ()
    • Katatetori Sankyo: Dynamic, omote and ura, katame waza and nage waza versions required
      • Omote ()
      • Ura ()
      • Nage Waza 1 ()
      • Nage Waza 2 ()
    • Munetsuki Kotegaeshi: Ura
      • Ura ()
  • Ryotetori Koshinage:Dynamic, 4 required variations
    • Version 1 (judo-version) ()
    • Version 2 (head through version) ()
    • Version 3 (butt through version ()
    • Version 4 (shionage opening version) ()
  • Maegeri Kokyunage: 4 Required variations
  • Jiyu Waza: Defense against any attack, no pin ()
  • Jo Kata I: 22 movements ()
  • Randori: 3 jogging attackers, ryotetori and yokomenuchi strikes, randori throws and passes, good positioning (Click Here for Video)

1st kyu

Requirements:
  • Tai Sabaki with Bokken: Paired sword “body movement” against shomenuchi, yokomenuchi/gyaku–yokomenuchi, munetsuki/gyaku-munetsuki ()
  • (supplemental material: jo kata 13 paired) ()

Level of training: Be fluent with all required kyu techniques and all variations. Show good internals.

Time and Events Requirements
  • Minimum 6 months and 60 hours of training since earning 2nd Kyu
  • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Seminar since earning 2nd Kyu

Techniques:

  • Ushiro Tekubitori Jujinage: Static and dynamic omote and ura
    • static ()
    • dynamic omote ()
    • dynamic ura ()
  • Yokomenuchi Sudori: Strike to the side of the head, ‘disappearing’ throw
    • sudori ()
  • Katate Ryotetori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, aite and gyakute (3 total required versions), with pin
    • Version 1 ()
    • Version 2 ()
    • Version 3 ()
  • Munetsuki Sumiotoshi: Omote Uchi, Ura Uchi, and Soto
    • Omote ()
    • Ura ()
    • Soto ()
  • Katatori Ganmenuchi Ikkyo: 3 taisabaki either omote or ura, with pin (supplemental material: minimum 1 additional taisabaki)
    • taisabaki 1 ()
    • taisabaki 2 ()
    • taisabaki 3 ()
    • (supplemental material: taisabaki 4) ()
  • Tantodori: Shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, and munetsuki attacks, minimum 3 techniques each, with proper knife removal (no videos on this one–work with your instructor)
  • Bokken Kata II: 13 movements ()
  • Randori: 3 attackers, any attack, randori throws and passes. (Click Here for Video)

Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, and Yondan ranks all follow AAA/AAI requirements for said rank.  Paper copies of those requirements can be found in your Aikido of Northwest Kansas student manual. A few reference video segments for parts of it are below.

Shodan

Jo Kata 2: (Click Here for Video)

Randori: (Click Here for Video)