Aikido of Northwest Kansas Testing Requirements

This page is currently under construction.

Adult Ranks

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 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:
  • Seiza: Sitting in a kneeling position ()
  • Shizentai: Standing in a natural stance ()
  • Hanmi No Kamae: “Half-body” stance ()
  • Orenaite: Unbendable arm ()
  • Tenkan Undo: direct pivot and stepping variation ()
  • Koho Tento Undo: Rolling back and forth from sitting, kneeling, and standing positions ()
  • Ushiro Ukemi, Rolling: Rolling backward completely, from kneeling and standing positions ()
  • Mae Ukemi, Rolling: Rolling forward completely, from kneeling and standing positions ()
  • Kokyudosa: With pin ()
  • Bowing: Bow with good form from standing and seiza ()
  • Etiquette: Know basic dojo etiquette, assist with dojo cleanup and general duties
Techniques:

6th kyu

Requirements:
  • Ushiro Ukemi, Breakfall: Roll back with double slap ()
  • Mae Ukemi, Breakfall: Falling forward with slap, and returning to standing position ()
  • Empty Hand Strikes: Shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, munetsuki, and maegeri demonstration of basic strikes ()
  • Funakogi Undo: Rowing motion ()
  • Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo: Raising arms to the front ()
  • Renzoku Kokyudosa: Continuous side to side ()
  • 4 Principles of Aikido: Be able to state the 4 principles of Aikido in our Association
  • Triangle Principle: Explain the triangle principle
Techniques:

  • Randori Introductory Exercise: Walking, 3 attackers in a line, ryokatatori, passes alternating sides

5th kyu

Requirements:

  • Banzai No Kamae: Shizentai with arms raised

  • Zengo Undo: Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo with pivot

  • Happo Undo: Shomenuchi Ikkyo Undo 8 directions

  • Tekubi Kosa Undo: Wrist crossing

  • Tekubi Joho Kosa Undo: Wrist crossing, high

  • Kamae with Bokken: Demonstration of five basic sword stances

  • Bokken and Jo Suburi: Demonstration of basic strikes with sword and staff

  • Mae Ukemi Roll with Slap: rolling on one arm and landing on opposite extended arm instead of hip with upper body slightly angled

  • (Supplemental Material: jo-staff paired warmups: High 4, Low 4, High 8, Low 8; High 10 and Low 10)

Techniques:

  • Munetsuki Kotegaeshi: Ura, with pin (Click Here for Video)

  • Katatetori Kaitennage: Uchi omote and urah, soto, and double-irimi versions required (supplemental material: alternate soto)

  • Randori Introductory Exercise: Jogging, 3 attackers in a line, ryokatatori, passes alternating sides with both forward and backwards movements

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, Shomenuchi, Yokomenuchi and Munetsuki

  • Yoko Ukemi: “Side fall” exercise from squatting, standing, hand held by partner walking through

  • (Supplemental material: Jo kata 13: solo version)

  • Additional Requirements

    • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Seminar, AAA/AAI Teaching Committee Seminar, or National Kangeiko in Chicago

Techniques:

  • Yokomenuchi Shihonage: Stepping back omote and pass-through urah entries required—omote and urah throws required (supplemental material: Counter-strike opening omote and ura)

  • Ushiro Tekubitori Kokyunage: Dynamic, omote and urah

  • Ushiro Tekubitori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, 1st and 2nd hand omote, 1st and 2nd hand urah, and hombu-style kotageashi urah required.

  • Katatori Yonkyo: Dynamic, omote and ura, with pin

  • 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

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)

  • Additional Requirements

    • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Camp

Techniques:

  • Bokken Kata I (Happo Giri): 13 movements

  • Jiyu Waza: Defense against any grasping attack, no pin

  • Randori: Jogging, 3 ryotetori attackers not pausing, pivot throws, face push, and passes

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; know the terms kiai, ibuki, and 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)

  • Additional Requirements

    • Prior attendance at 1 Instructor’s Seminar

Techniques:

  • Ryokatatori Kokyunage: Dynamic, 3 required variations

  • Ushiro Katatori Kokyunage: Dynamic, Ushiro Tekubitori Zenshin Undo movement, 3 variations (standing, one knee, and both knees) for both omote and urah

  • Katate Ryotetori Kokyunage: Dynamic, pivot dropping to one knee, buddy drop, ude kime, and 7th-kyu-style versions required from omote or urah

  • Ryokatatori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, with pin, 3 required variations

  • Katatori Menuchi Iriminage: omote and 2 required urah variations

  • Hanmi Hantachi Waza:

Katatetori Shihonage: Dynamic omote and ura

Katatetori Sankyo: Dynamic, omote and ura same versions as 5th kyu required

Munetsuki Kotegaeshi: Ura

  • Jo Kata I: 22 movements

  • Randori: 3 jogging attackers, ryotetori and yokomenuchi strikes, randori throws and passes, good positioning

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)

  • Additional Requirements

    • Prior attendance at 1 AAA/AAI Seminar since earning 2nd Kyu

Techniques:

  • Ushiro Tekubitori Jujinage: Static and dynamic omote and urah

  • Yokomenuchi Sudori: Strike to the side of the head, ‘disappearing’ throw

  • Katate Ryotetori Kotegaeshi: Dynamic, aite and gyakute (3 total required versions), with pin

  • Munetsuki Sumiotoshi: Omote Uchi, Ura Uchi, and Soto

  • Katatori Ganmenuchi Ikkyo: 3 taisabaki either omote or urah, with pin

(supplemental material: minimum 1 additional taisabaki)

  • Tantodori: Shomenuchi, yokomenuchi, and munetsuki attacks, minimum 3 techniques each, with proper knife removal

  • Bokken Kata II: 13 movements

  • Randori: 3 attackers, any attack, randori throws and passes.

Shodan

Nidan

Sandan

Yondan