CUKC follows the grading syllabus used by the JSKE (Japan Shotokan Karate England), the Shotokan karate organisation to which we are affiliated. The table below shows the requirements for each grading, from beginner through to 5th Dan. Each grading focuses on the three aspects of Shotokan karate — kihon (basics), kata (predetermined forms) and kumite (sparring). Gradings occur at the end of each academic term, and we usually require that you complete 24 hours of training before each grading.
| Grade | Kihon | Kata | Kumite |
Beginner to 9th kyu
 |
Stepping forward four times with kiai on the last:
Chudan oi-zuki
Jodan age-uke
Chudan soto-uke
Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side) |
Kihon Kata (video) |
Sanbon kumite (three step sparring)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
|
9th kyu to 8th kyu
|
Stepping forward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuke
- Jodan age-uke
- Chudan soto-uke
- Gedan-barai
- Shuto uke in kokutsu-dachi
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side)
|
Heian Shodan (video)
|
Gohon kumite (five-step sparring)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
|
8th kyu to 7th kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi (forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
|
Heian Nidan (video) |
Gohon kumite (five-step sparring)
- Judan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
|
7th kyu to 6th kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
|
Heian Sandan (video) |
Kihon ippon kumite (one-step sparring, right and left)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
|
6th kyu to 5th kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
|
Heian Yondan (video) |
Kihon ippon kumite (one-step sparring, right and left)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
|
5th kyu to 4th kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Ren-geri, chudan then jodan (hands to the side, forward, two sets)
- Mawashi-geri (jiyu-kamae, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
|
Heian Godan (video) |
Kihon ippon kumite (one-step sparring, right and left)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
|
4th kyu to 3rd kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke in zenkutsu-dachi, yoko-enpi in kiba-dachi (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke, gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Ren-geri, chudan then jodan (hands to the side, forward, two sets)
- Mawashi-geri (jiyu-kamae, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
|
Tekki Shodan |
Kihon ippon kumite (one-step sparring, right and left)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
- Chudan yoko-geri kekomi
|
3rd kyu to 2nd kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke in zenkutsu-dachi, yoko-enpi and yoko uraken-uchi in kiba-dachi (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke, gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Ren-geri, chudan then jodan (hands to the side, forward, two sets)
- Mawashi-geri (jiyu-kamae, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
|
Sentei Kata: Bassai Dai (video) or Kanku Dai |
Jiyu ippon kumite (3 metres apart, semi-free one-step sparring, right side only)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
- Chudan yoko-geri kekomi
- Chudan or jodan (must announce which) mawashi-geri
|
2nd kyu to 1st kyu
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke in zenkutsu-dachi, yoko-enpi in kiba-dachi, yoko uraken-uchi and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke, gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri (hands to the side, forward)
- Ren-geri, chudan then jodan (hands to the side, forward, two sets)
- Mawashi-geri (jiyu-kamae, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in zenkutsu-dachi
|
Sentei Kata: Bassai Dai (video), Kanku Dai, Jion or Empi |
Jiyu ippon kumite (semi-free one-step sparring, right side only)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
- Chudan yoko-geri kekomi
- Chudan or jodan (must announce which) mawashi-geri
|
1st kyu to 1st Dan
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan soto-uke in zenkutsu-dachi, yoko-enpi in kiba-dachi, yoko uraken-uchi and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan uchi-uke in kokutsu-dachi, kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Chudan mae-geri on the spot, chudan mae-geri stepping (jiyu-kamae forward)
- Mawashi-geri (jiyu-kamae, forward)
- Yoko-geri keage in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in zenkutsu-dachi
|
Sentei Kata: Bassai Dai (video), Kanku Dai, Jion or Empi |
Jiyu ippon kumite (semi-free one-step sparring, right and left)
- Jodan oi-zuki
- Chudan oi-zuki
- Chudan mae-geri
- Chudan yoko-geri kekomi
- Chudan or jodan (must announce which) mawashi-geri
|
1st Dan to 2nd Dan
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Chudan oi-zuki (forward)
- Jodan oi-zuki, chudan gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, same arm chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan uchi-uke in kokutsu-dachi, kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Shuto-uke in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Chudan mae-geri on the spot, chudan mae-geri stepping (jiyu-kamae forward)
- Yoko-geri keage, change leg, yoko-geri kekomi in kiba-dachi
- Yoko-geri kekomi in zenkutsu-dachi
- Mawashi-geri, yoko uraken-uchi, chudan gyaku-zuki (forward)
|
Sentei Kata: student's favourite kata |
Jiyu kumite (free-style) |
2nd Dan to 3rd Dan
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Kizami-zuki, jodan oi-zuki, chudan gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, same arm chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan uchi-uke in kokutsu-dachi, kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Shuto-uke, kizami mae-geri in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Chudan mae-geri, gyaku-zuki, yoko-geri kekomi, gyaku-zuki, mawashi-geri, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Ushiro-geri (forward)
- Mae-geri, yoko-geri kekomi, ushiro-geri in zenkutsu-dachi (on the spot, right and left)
|
Sentei Kata: student's favourite kata (Question and answer session) |
Jiyu kumite (free-style) |
3rd Dan to 4th Dan
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Kizami-zuki, sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, same arm chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan uchi-uke in kokutsu-dachi, kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Shuto-uke, kizami mae-geri in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Chudan mae-geri, oi-zuki, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Kizami mawashi-geri, yoko-geri kekomi, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Mae-geri, yoko-geri kekomi, ushiro-geri in zenkutsu-dachi (on the spot, right and left)
|
Sentei Kata: student's favourite kata (Question and answer session) |
Jiyu kumite (free-style) |
4th Dan to 5th Dan
 |
Stepping forward or backward four times with kiai on the last:
- Kizami-zuki, sanbon-zuki (forward)
- Jodan age-uke, same arm chudan soto-uke, gyaku-zuki (backward)
- Chudan uchi-uke in kokutsu-dachi, kizami-zuki and gyaku-zuki in zenkutsu-dachi (forward)
- Shuto-uke, kizami mae-geri in kokutsu-dachi, nukite in zenkutsu-dachi (backward)
- Mae-geri, jodan oi-zuki, chudan gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Yoko-geri kekomi, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Mawashi-geri, gyaku-zuki (forward)
- Mae-geri, yoko-geri kekomi, mawashi-geri, gyaku-zuki (forward)
|
Shitei Kata: Heian Shodan to Tekki Sandan, specified by examiner (Question and Answer Session)
Sentei Kata: student's favourite kata (Question and answer session)
|
Jiyu kumite (free-style) |
