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Kyu Examinations

Stanford Aikido is affiliated with the California Aikido Association

Examinations are generally held quarterly, during the first week of March, June, September and December or at the discretion of the dojo cho, Cyndy Hayashi Sensei. Students must have the required number of training days to be eligible for examination. The student then chooses a senior student as a trainer and submits an Application for Kyu Examination card to the dojo cho. Cards are generally kept with the attendance roster. The trainer is responsible for the student's readiness. The test date is set after the trainer confirms readiness with the dojo cho or assistant instructor.

Kyu Ranks
Japanese	English	Belt	Required Training Days	Example Video
Rokyu	6th Kyu	white	none
Gokyu	5th Kyu	white	50
Yonkyu	4th Kyu	blue	60	4th Kyu Test Spring 2013
Sankyu	3rd Kyu	blue	80
Nikyu	2nd Kyu	brown	100	2nd Kyu Test Spring 2013
Ikkyu	1st Kyu	brown	150	1st Kyu Test Spring 2013

Examinees should:

1. Select a partner/trainer in advance to help you prepare. As a general rule, this partner/trainer should be a rank or two above your own.
2. Listen to your partner/trainer...they have the experience and the responsibility to help get you ready. That responsibility includes being honest with you - and telling you if they feel you are not quite ready to test this time.
3. Be prepared to demonstrate clearly each technique required.
4. Continue doing the same technique, left and right, omote and ura, until the examiner asks for the next technique.
5. Expect examiners to change uke's during the examination.
6. Be prepared to demonstrate ukemi at a level appropriate for the rank tested for.
7. Expect to be re-tested within a few days to insure that corrections made by examiners have been understood.

The instructor-staff will consider each applicant according to the following criteria:

Personal

1. Attitude - humility, courtesy, respect
2. Spirit - aliveness, vitality, willingness to push self to the edge
3. Interaction - appropriateness in training with others

Technical

1. Knowledge - knowing how the technique works (form and principle)
2. Proficiency - showing how the technique works
3. Stamina - endurance, conditioning
4. Ukemi - falling skills advancing at same level as throwing skills

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Dan Examinations

Dan Ranks
Japanese	English	Required Training
		Days	Years
Shodan	1st Degree	200	1
Nidan	2nd Degree	360	2
Sandan	3rd Degree	540	3
Yondan	4th Degree	800 - 1000	4

The required number of days and years in grade are the minimum requirement. Most candidates will exceed this requirement.

Promotion to 5th and 6th Dan are by recommendation only.