Ki Aikido Grading Information

Minimum Required Practise

In addition to the calendar intervals, a minimum number of practise hours should be completed. For a 4 month interval, at least 48 training hours should have been completed and for a 6 month interval 72 training hours should have been completed. Note: This information applies to the British Ki Society (BKS) grading guidelines. The requirements do vary for other forms of Aikido that fall under different governing bodies.

KI EXAMINATION

Begin with warm-up - Kenkotaiso (Health exercise). This is a part of the test. Chukyu – Examinee must do Kenkotaiso in the correct order Jokyu – Examinee must keep timing and rhythm with examiners count Shoden/Joden/Chuden/Okuden – Examinee must count with the correct rhythm Kenkotaiso (Health Exercise) (see the Exercises page for fuller description) 1. Turning the trunk clockwise and anticlockwise by rotating the shoulders with arms raised above the head 2. Stretching the trunk to the side by swinging alternate arms above the head 3. Stretching backward and forward by swinging the arms between the legs then above the head 4. Shoulder blade exercise 5. Moving the head down and up 6. Turning the head side to side 7. Bending at the knees and standing on tiptoe 8. Stretching the knee on alternate sides 9. Circling both arms while bending the knees 10. Shake out the hands; downwards, to the side of the body The Kenkotaiso is followed by the Ki tests. The Deshi adopts the pose described below applicable to their grade level. Sensei will test by gradually applying pressure, back, front, sideways, up and down as appropriate. Some checks (higher grades) require initial ‘bounce’ of pressure before full pressure is applied to test if the Deshi is able to maintain Ki despite being distracted. Succeeding levels require greater levels of Ki to be demonstrated.

KI TEST

Chukyu – Examinee must do Kenkotaiso in the correct order Jokyu – Examinee must keep timing and rhythm with examiners count Shoden/Joden/Chuden/Okuden – Examinee must count with the correct rhythm

Applicability Test Position Test Shokyu 5th kyu 4th kyu Ki - Aikido Arms Up Standing Sitting Seiza Sitting cross legged (Agura) Putting out one hand (Palm facing down) Breathing exercise (Kokyu - ho) Front, back, side of shoul der. Small of back Plus push from front, uke holds Tori’s arms First plus lift hand and lift knee Pull, push from wrist, lift under elbow Push in to front shoulder on in breath Chukyu 3 rd kyu 2nd kyu Ki - Aikido Arms Up Standing Sitting Seiza. Sitting c ross legged (Agura) Putting out one hand (Palm facing down) Breathing exercise (Kokyu - ho) Repeat above but with better Ki Jokyu 1st Kyu Arms Down Standing Sitting Seiza. Sitting cross legged (Agura) Putting out one hand (Palm facing down) Standing with one foot forward Leaning backward Bending forward Standing and putting out one hand Standing on one foot and putting out one hand St anding up and sitting down in S eiza Breathing exercise (Kokyu - ho) Repeat above but with better Ki and add the additional tes ts shown Shoden 1st Dan Standing Sitting Seiza. Sitting cross legged (Agura) Putting out one hand (Palm facing down) Standing with one foot and one arm forward standing with one foot forward Leaning backward on a partner Bending forward leaning on a par tner Standing on one foot and putting out one hand Standing up and sitting down in seiza Swinging both hands up Unraisable body Walking forward while being held from behind Sitting cross legged (Agura) Breathing exercise (Kokyu - ho) Chuden 2nd Dan A. Di sciplines 1 - 15 B. Kenkotaiso Joden 3rd Dan A. Disciplines 1 - 15 B. Kenkotaiso Okuden 4thDan A. Disciplines 1 - 15 B. Kenkotaiso

Aikido Examination - Kyu Grades

KYU HITORIWAZA KUMIWAZA / TSUZUKIWAZA – ATTACK DESCRIPTION KUMIWAZA / TSUZUKIWAZA – RE SPONSE DESCRIPTION 5 th Kyu (Yellow) Min imum 4 months practice after Shokyu Jo Kenko Taiso Udefuri Undo Udefuri Choyaku Undo Tenkan Undo Sayu Undo Sayu Choyaku Undo Ushiro Ukemi Undo Zempo Kaiten Undo Katate Kosa - dori Cross hand wrist hold Katate - dori Ry o - te - mochi Two hands hold one hand Katate - dori One hand wrist hold Katate - dori Ryo - te - mochi Two hands hold one hand Zagi Ryo - te - dori Hold both hands whilst kneeling Kokyu - nage (hachi - no - ji (Figure 8) ) Kokyu - nage Tenkan Kokyu - nage Tenkan Kokyu - n age Ude - mawashi Kokyu - nage irimi

More Detailed Explanation for 5th Kyu:

1. Katate kosa-dori / kokyu-nage – Tori steps in behind Uke, bringing hand not being held onto neck, held hand brings Uke round, held hand drops bringing Uke forward slightly and comes back up over Uke’s face, hands extended with ki being laid over Uke as he drops to floor. 2. Katate-dori Ryo-te-mochi / Tenkan Kokyu-nage – free hand extends outwards to bring Uke off balance, then as for ‘1’ above. 3. Katate-dori / Tenkan Kokyu-nage – Tori steps in beside Uke (not disturbing the hold) and turns both palms to face up (tenkan); walk Uke round in circle (Tori on inside & not too tight or Uke may let go). Bend both knees, so down, up and extend hands laying ki. Uke falls. 4. Katate-dori Ryo-te-mochi / Tenkan Kokyu-nage Ude-mawashi – Tori brings body in to Uke, folds held arm close into body with hand in ‘beak’ position in shoulder, walk Uke in circle, circle ‘beak’ arm down and round (ude-mawashi – sweep of the arm) bringing Uke through 180 turn, kokyu-nage. 5. Zagi Ryo-te-dori / Kokyu-nage irimi – one hand turns over Uke’s hand bringing it to floor with Uke forward and off balance, other hand goes up to shoulder height and takes Uke backwards until Uke rolls on back, move outer knee in to maintain balance. Sit on heels (which should be together) but with toes still tucked under. Hold, as Uke will test Tori’s ki in this position. Note: Different techniques are employed by different Sensei. For example in ‘1’ above, one advocates walking the uke round in a circle whereas the others simply turn the uke through 180 before dropping the hand. Different emphasis is put on the held hand too. Different styles is not necessarily a bad thing as in real life each attacker and each attack varies – but it does make it more difficult to learn.

KYU HITORIWAZA KUMIWAZA / TSUZUKIWAZA – ATTACK DESCRIPTION KUMIWAZA / TSUZUKIWAZA – RESPONSE DESCRIPTION 4 th Kyu (Orange) Minimum 4 months practice after 5 th kyu Jo Aiki Taiso: Funakogi Undo : Ikkyo Undo : T en shin Undo : Zengo Undo : Happo Undo Mae Ukemi and Ushiro Ukemi Katate - dori One hand wrist hold Mune - tsuki Body strike Mune - tsuki Body strike Ryo - te - mochi Two hand hold Ushiro Ryo - te - dori Two hand hold from behind Ushiro - kubi - shime Neck choke from behind Ushiro Katate - dori One hand held from behind Ikkyo irimi Enter, apply Ikkyo Ikkyo irimi Enter, apply Ikkyo Kote - oroshi Lead down forearm Kote - oroshi Lead down forearm Zenpo - nage Throw Uke into forward roll Kokyu - nage Ura - gaeshi G e t behind and t hrow Ikkyo Apply Ikkyo 3 rd Kyu (Green) Minimum 6 months practice after Chukyu Koteoroshi Undo Sankyo Undo Nikyo Undo Tekubikosa Undo Hanmi - Gyakuhanmi Undo Ushirotori Undo UshiroTekubitori Zenshin Undo UshiroTekubitori Koshin Undo Jo and Jo: Shomen - uchi Strike to top of head Yokomen - uchi Strike to side of head Yoko - barai Strike from side to side Do - uchi Strike to mid region Ashi - uchi Strike to ankle/foot Katate - dori Katate - dori Yokomen - uchi Katate - dori Yokomen - uchi Ryote - dori Ushiro - dori Tanto - dori: Mune - tsuki Bokken - dori: Shomen - uchi Jo and Jo: Block by raising Jo just above head , elbows bent Block at level of attack by swinging Jo to side (best to swing from side - to - side in ‘cup’ arc rather than ‘hat’ arc.) ditt o Kokyu - nage irimi Kokyu - nage (get rid of hold, figure 8) Kokyu - nage (figure 8) Shiho - nage (irimi / tenkan) Shiho - nage: (tenkan - irimi, tenkan - tenkan, irimi - irimi, irimi - tenkan) Zenpo - nage over top of me, nearly Zenpo - nage Kote - oroshi Kokyu - nage (figure 8) 2 nd Kyu (Blue) Minimum 6 months practice after 3 rd kyu One - hand bokken - exercises: Moving bokken vertically Shomenuchi Moving bokken horizontally Cutting forward horizontally ( Each exercise 8 times with R hand and 8 times with L hand ) Shikko: (8 steps forward – 8 steps backward, 4 Tenkan ) Zagi: Shomen - uchi Kata - dori Kata - dori Kata - dori Kata - dori Yokomen - uchi Shomen - uchi Ushiro Ryo - kata - dori Ushiro Ryo - kata - dori Jodori: Tsuki - kaeshi Jodori: Mune - tsuki Hitori - gake ( solo attack – series o f attacks by 1 man ) Ikkyo (irimi / tenkan) Ikkyo irimi (static) Nikyo irimi (static) Sankyo irimi (static) Yonkyo irimi (static) Kokyu - nage irimi ikkyo form Ikkyo (irimi / tenkan) Kokyu - nage (figure 8) Zen po - nage back the way uke came Zen po - nage throw same direction Appropriate response for each attack

Note: Hitori-waza – ‘alone techniques’ – ie practising by one’s self – solo techniques Kumi-waza – ‘couple techniques’ – ie two people practising together Tsuzuki-waza – ‘continuity techniques’ ie techniques woven together one after another

Note. ‘Figure eight’ does not refer to an English Figure of 8. See definition of Hasso No Kamae, which reads: The figure eight does not correspond to the Arabic numeral "8", but to the Chinese/Japanese character which looks more like the roof of a house. In Hasso No Kamae, the sword is held up beside one's head, so that the elbows spread down and out from the sword in a pattern resembling this figure-eight character.