Purpose of Black Belt Rank

At White Karate, the black belt represents a foundational level of competence, responsibility, and understanding. It is not the completion of training. Requirements reflect technical ability, control, maturity, and consistent effort over time. All evaluations are conducted at the instructor’s discretion, with safety, age, and individual development taken into account.

APPLIES TO:
• All candidates testing for black belt

AGE & RANK POLICY

• Adult students (15+) are elegible to earn a black belt
• Students ages 8–14 may earn junior black belt.
◦ Upon turning 15, their junior black belt converts to a solid black belt.

SECTION 1 – GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

All black belt candidates must demonstrate proficiency in:
• Essential history and terminology (written or oral)
• Performance of required forms
• Execution of foundation strikes, kicks, stances, and classical techniques
• Practical, functional self-defense skill
• Controlled free sparring demonstrating strategy, timing, and adaptability

The instructor reserves the right to modify, combine, or emphasize requirements based on the candidate’s age, experience, safety considerations, and overall readiness.

SECTION 2 – HISTORY REQUIREMENTS

KARATE
• Meaning: “Empty hand”
• Derived from: Kara (empty), Te (hand)
• Developed in Okinawa, influenced by native fighting arts and Chinese martial traditions

TAEKWONDO
• Meaning: “Way of the hand and foot”
• Tae (foot), Kwon (hand), Do (way)
• Organized in the 1950s by General Choi Hong Hi in South Korea
• Included as historical knowledge only (not a testing requirement)

SECTION 3 – TERMINOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must know and demonstrate the following commands:
• Ready (Stance)
• Attention
• Bow
• End, return to ready
• Relax, feet apart hands behind back

SECTION 4 – FORM REQUIREMENTS
Candidates must perform:
• Beginner Form
• Advanced Form

SECTION 5 – HAND STRIKES

Candidates must demonstrate:
• Backfist
• Jab
• Hook
• Uppercut
• Reverse punch
• Hammer fist
• Ridge hand
• Palm heel

SECTION 6 – FOOT STRIKES

Basic kicks:
• Front kick
• Round kick
• Hook kick (front, back, turn, spin)
• Side kick (slide, step, turn, spin, offensive, defensive)

Additional specialty kicks:
• Side stomp
• Crescent/Wheel kick
• Axe kick
• Tornado kick

Body weapon strikes:
• Knee strikes
• Elbow strikes

Combination kicking:
• Triple side kick
• Hook → Round → Side kick
• Triple tornado or spin hook kick

SECTION 7 – TAKEDOWNS & GROUND RESPONSE

All takedowns and ground responses are demonstrated in a controlled manner appropriate to the candidate’s age, size, and experience.

Candidates must demonstrate:
• Be able to perform takedowns such as:
◦ Front leg sweeps
◦ Rear sweeps
◦ Double-leg takedowns
• Understand defense against all such attacks
• Demonstrate:
◦ Control
◦ Safety
◦ Practical application under pressure

SECTION 8 – STANCES

Candidates must demonstrate:
• Fighting stance (left, right, transitions)
• Front stance
• Riding/Horse stance

SECTION 9 – CLASSICAL TECHNIQUES

Candidates must demonstrate:
• Classical straight punch
• Knife-hand chop
• Sudo (knife-hand) block
• Low block
• High block
• Inside forearm block
• Outside forearm block

SECTION 10 – SPARRING SKILLS

Candidates must demonstrate sparring that shows:
Tactical concepts:
• Faking
• Directional movement
• Countering
• Jamming

Sample applied combinations:
• Jab → Punch
• Jab → Kick
• Low → High round kick

Evaluation is based on:
• Control
• Timing
• Distance management
• Practical effectiveness
• Calmness and adaptability under pressure

SECTION 11 – SELF-DEFENSE / ACTION DRILLS

Self-defense is flexible, adaptive, and interpretation-based.

Candidates must:
• Select three techniques of their choice
• Demonstrate practical logic, purpose, and realism

Possible examples include:
• Rear bear-hug escape
• Block → counter punch
• Ground escape
• Sweep takedown from clinch
• Block → strike → takedown
• Defending against takedown attempts

These standards are reviewed periodically to ensure they continue to reflect the values and training goals of White Karate.

White Karate Black Belt Requirements