General Rank Exam Info:

Feel free to take pictures anytime and do not hesitate to ask for a pose with one of the Senseis, students, etc.  Applause is greatly appreciated and appropriate after each test procedure.  A short description listed below will give you some insight of criteria and scoring.

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Kata Scoring:

This is a combination of techniques designed in the defending against a prearranged attack of 4 to 8 people.  The kata requires a good deal of agility and strength.  The karate-ka has to demonstrate muscle control, contracting for strength on contact, relaxing so he/she can move fluently into the next position.  The student should also maintain a certain degree of intensity during the performance without losing emotional control.  When the kata is completed, the performer should end up in the same place that he/she started.

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Kihon Scoring:

This will be a demonstration of the various blocks, strikes, kicks and basic combinations done in a series of three.  Points to look for are balance, speed, good posture and of course strength.  It is important that the karate-ka is always providing for themself a stance that will stabilize them during execution of a technique, keeping proper angles within the position of the hips, knees and feet so that the leverage created is properly directed toward the target.

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Kumite Scoring:

This is performed with 2 people.  One person is attacking; the other is defending.  There will be various prearranged attacks. Students will react with blocks appropriate for the attack and demonstrate basic application of the block and counter-attack.   Important points are target area, timing, distance and control of technique.

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Karate-do Score Chart:

Elements scored	Grading	Combined Totals	Result
Kata	5 Excellent	11-15	Full Kyu
Kihon	4 Above average	7-10	B Kyu
Kumite	3 Average	5-6	30 Day conditional
	2 Below average	1-4	Fail
	1 Poor