A green belt is often considered the beginning of the intermediate level in karate. In this post, we will look at the meaning of the green color belt in karate, the length it takes to get a green belt, detailed green belt grading requirements under the Shotokan karate curriculum, how to find out if you are ready for a green belt grading and how to best prepare for it.
What does the green belt in karate represent?
In the Shotokan karate curriculum, the green belt is the fourth belt you will be awarded and correspond to a 6th kyu rank.
Green is the color of growth. Green belt students are assumed to have learned basic skills and begin to refine those skills and grow further.
How long does it take to get a green belt in Shotokan karate?
It takes a minimum of 3 months to get from an orange belt (7th kyu) to a green belt (6th kyu).
At some dojos, in addition to the minimum period between gradings, students are also required to meet the minimum training time such as 36 hours or 30 to 35 training sessions.
In total, so far you would have trained for at least 12 months in karate but it’s more likely to be 18 months or more.
As I have previously mentioned in this post, if you have been training consistently, learning at an average rate and meeting the time requirement, you will be grading when there is one coming up.
However, it is not automatic and it’d be a faux pas to ask your instructor whether you can grade.
If your instructor thinks you are ready, he or she will ask you to grade.
From the green belt level onward, there is usually no double grading and no provisional grading. If you fail to meet the expected standard in an area, you will need to attempt the grading again in the future.
It is very rare for someone to fail in a grading and that usually only happens when you are being graded by someone other than your day-to-day instructor who may have a different expectation.
If that happens to you, it is understandable to feel disappointed. However, how good you are is how good you are, getting a new belt doesn’t make you a better karateka. The best course of action is to put it all behind and keep on training and progressing as best as you can.
Shotokan green belt grading requirements
There are four technique areas that you need to demonstrate for your green belt grading: kihon, kata, kumite and ukemi waza.
Because you are about to begin the intermediate level, you are expected to demonstrate a certain degree of maturity in terms of technique execution and martial spirit.
Try to perform each technique with full power and speed and give a loud spirited kiai as if you are in a real fight.
1. Kihon
To get a green belt in Shotokan, you generally need to know the following stances and techniques.
- Stances:
- Zenkutsu Dachi
- Kokutsu Dachi
- Kiba Dachi
- Techniques:
- Oi tsuki
- Gyaku tsuki
- Age uke
- Soto ude uke
- Uchi ude uke
- Yoko empi
- Kizami tsuki
- Nukite
- Shuto uke
- Maegeri
- Yoko geri keage
- Yoko geri kekomi
- Mawashi geri
In the grading, you will be required to perform these techniques as listed below. The examiner will count and the general rule is one count, one move.
Oi tsuki (lunge punch) and Gyaku tsuki (reverse punch)
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi) and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi with a left gedan barai
- Step forward into a right front stance (migi zenkutsu dachi) and perform a lunge punch with the right hand aiming at the solar plexus level (migi chudan oi tsuki), followed by a gyaku tsuki
- Step forward into a left front stance (hidari zenkutsu dachi) and perform a lunge punch with the left hand to the middle (hidari chudan oi tsuki), followed by a gyaku tsuki
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner.
Gyaku tsuki (reverse punch)
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi) and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi with a right gyaku tsuki
- Step forward into a right front stance (migi zenkutsu dachi) and perform a reverse punch with your left hand (hidari gyaku tsuki)
- Step forward into a left front stance (hidary zenkutsu dachi) and perform a reverse punch with your right hand (migi gyaku tsuki)
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner.
Age uke (rising block) and Gyaku tsuki (reverse punch)
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi) and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi with a left gedan barai
- Step backward into a right front stance with the body making a 45 degree with the front (migi hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform a rising block with your right hand (migi jodan age uke), followed by a reserve punch (gyaku tsuki)
- Step backward into a left front stance (hidari hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform a rising block with your left hand (hidari jodan age uke), followed by a reverse punch (gyaku tsuki)
- Repeat the above technique as directed by the examiner.
Soto ude uke (block from outside inwards) and Yoko empi (sideway elbow attack)
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi) and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi with a left gedan barai
- Step backward into a right front stance (migi hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform an outside-inward block with your right hand (migi soto ude uke), followed by an elbow attack (yoko empi) in kiba dachi stance
- Step backward into a left front stance (hidari hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform a outside-inward block with your left hand (hidari soto ude uke), followed by an elbow attack (yoko empi) in kiba dachi stance
- Repeat the above technique as directed by the examiner.
Uchi ude uke (block from inside to outside), Kizami tsuki (leading arm punch) and Gyaku tsuki (reverse punch)
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi) and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi with a left gedan barai
- Step backward into a right front stance (migi hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform an inside-outward block with your right hand (migi uchi ude uke) and a straight punch with the same hand (kizami tsuki), followed by a gyaku tsuki
- Step backward into a left front stance (hidari hanmi zenkutsu dachi) and perform an inside-outward block with your left hand (hidari uchi ude uke) and a straight punch with the same hand (kizami tsuki), followed by a gyaku tsuki
- Repeat the above technique as directed by the examiner.
Shuto uke (knife-hand block) and Nuki-te
- Start in a ready stance (yoi dachi)
- Step forward with your right leg into a back stance (kokutsu dachi) and perform a knife-hand block with your right hand (migi shuto uke), followed by a nuki-te (spear hand attack) in zenkutsu dachi
- Step forward with your left leg into a back stance (kokutsu dachi) and perform a knife-hand block with your left hand (hidari shuto uke), followed by a nuki-te (spear hand counter-attack) in zenkutsu dachi
- Repeat the above technique as directed by the examiner.
Mae geri (front kick)
- Start in a ready stance and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi, hands in kamae position
- Perform a front kick with the right leg, landing forward into a right front stance (migi zenkutsu dachi)
- Perform a front kick with the left leg, landing forward into a left front stance (hidari zenkutsu dachi)
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner.
Mawashi geri (roundhouse kick)
- Start in a ready stance and then change to a left zenkutsu dachi, hands in kamae position
- Perform a roundhouse kick with the right leg, landing in a right zenkutsu dachi (kamae position)
- Perform a roundhouse kick with the left leg, landing in a left zenkutsu dachi (kamae position)
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner.
Yoko geri keage (side snap kick)
- Start in a ready stance
- Step to the right hand side into a horse riding stance (kiba dachi) and perform a side snap kick with your right leg (migi yoko geki keage)
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner (you are likely required to do five kicks to the right and then turn around and do another five kicks to the left).
Yoko geri kekomi (side thrust kick)
- Start in a ready stance
- Step to the right hand side into a horse riding stance (kiba dachi) and perform a side thrust kick with your right leg (migi yoko geki kekomi)
- Repeat the above as directed by the examiner (you are likely required to do five kicks to the right and then turn around and do another five kicks to the left).
2. Kata
You will perform Heian Sandan kata for this grading and may be asked to perform Heian Nidan or Heian Shodan from your previous gradings as well.
Below are demonstrations of the Heian Sandan kata by Master Hirokazu Kanazawa and one by Aragaki Misako sensei.
3. Kumite
From the green belt level onward, you are required to perform Kihon Ippon Kumite meaning basic one-step sparring for the Kumite part of the grading.
For the green belt, you are required to demonstrate both the attack and defense sides of the following sparring exercises:
- Jodan Number 1: Attack with Jodan Oi tsuki. Defend with Age Uke and counter-attack with Chudan Gyaku tsuki
- Chudan Number 1: Attack with Chudan Oi tsuki. Defend with Hidari Soto Ude Uke and counter attack with Chudan Gyaku tsuki
- Mae geri Number 1: Attack with Chudan Mae geri. Defend with Gedan barai and counter attack with Chudan Gyaku tsuki
- Yoko geri Number 1: Attack with Yoko kekomi. Defend with Hidari Soto Ude Uke and counter attack with Gyaku tsuki
- Mawashi geri Number 1. Attack with Jodan Mawashi geri. Defend with Haiwan Uchi Ude Uke and counter attack with Chudan Gyaku tsuki.
4. Ukemi waza
Ukemi waza are break-fall techniques.
You are required to perform Ukemi Waza Level 3 which includes the following techniques:
- Shoulder roll from standing position
- Shoulder roll to side breakfall
- Side breakfall from simple throw.
You need to demonstrate both the left and right sides.
5. Other techniques
Please prepare for situations where you are asked to perform other techniques by the examiner, for example, a combination of previously learned techniques or techniques you’ve performed in previous gradings.
How to prepare for your green belt grading?
By now, you would have trained for 12 to 18 months and know well the grading procedures.
Always put 100% effort into your training and make the best of your time on the dojo floor on normal training days as well as on your grading day and you should be fine.
The best preparation for all gradings is a lot of practice which means spend as much time in the dojo and time training on your own as you can, there is no other way around it.
In addition, at this level, you already know a lot of basic techniques and are about to enter the intermediate level, it’s time to put meaning into the techniques instead of mechanically performing the moves.
When doing a simple combination of Age uke and Gyaku tsuki, imagine you are intercepting an attack at the jodan level and immediately counter-attack with a reverse punch.
When doing a simple Uchi ude uke, Kizami tsuki and Gyaku tsuki combination, imagine you are blocking a middle level attack, and immediately counter-attack with a Kizami tsuki and Gyaku tsuki.
Start visualizing fighting a real opponent with every single technique and every technique combination that you perform instead of just doing the physical moves with no mental connection.
References
The JKA Kyu and Dan Rank Certification System
Shotokan Karate International Australia Grading Syllabus
Understanding the Meaning of Karate Belt Colors
Zanshin Shotokan Karatedo Grading Curriculum
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