ATTENDANCE

Minimal 1 year of good attendance on a regular basis as a high brown belt.

Good attendance means your average coming to class 2x per week.

2 years of good attendance

for a 1st degree black belt testing for 2nd.

3 years good attendance

for a for 2nd degree testing for 3rd.

4 years good attendance

for a 3rd degree testing for 4th.

5 years good attendance

for a 4th degree testing for 5th.

RUNNING 1 MILE

You must run 1 mile (or equivalent, if bad knees) before you exam.  Equivalent is biking 3 miles, or swimming 9 laps.  Nine laps is 50 yards x 9, which is one lane (up and back) at the Optimist indoor swimming pool in North Raleigh.

This will be done on the honor system, meaning that Sensei will take your word that you have done this.

ESSAY

Before the examination begins, submit your typed essay to Sensei on what the martial arts means to you.

During your black belt test, you will give a verbal speech on what your years training has truly meant to you.  The words must come from your heart.

You will have no printed aid in front of you while giving your speech.

KNOWLEDGE

Be aware of all information on the website ––   the knowledge, terminology, academy guidelines, procedures, rules, and any knowledge of the martial arts covered in class.

ENDURANCE

Students in their teens + 20's

• 100 Jumping Jacks

• 100 Push-ups (75 push-ups for females)

• 3-minute Plank

• 100 full-contact kicks (50/50)

Students in their 30's

• 100 Jumping Jacks

• 75 Push-ups (50 push-ups for females)

• 150-second Plank (2.5 minutes)

• 50 full-contact kicks (25/25)

Students in their 40's

• 100 Jumping Jacks

• 50 Push-ups (30 push-ups for females)

• 2-minute Plank (120 seconds)

• 25 full-contact kicks on a target

Students in their 50's

• 75 Jumping Jacks

• 30 Push-ups (25 push-ups for females)

• 90-second Plank (1.5 minutes)

• 20 full-contact kicks on a target

Students in their 60's

• 50 Jumping Jacks

• 25 Push-ups (20 push-ups for females)

• 1-minute Plank (60 seconds)

• 15 full-contact kicks on a target

Students in their 70's

• 25 Jumping Jacks

• 15 Push-ups (10 push-ups for females)

• 25-second Plank

• 10 full-contact kicks on a target

Students in their 80's

• God love ya’!

BASICS

Know all stances, blocks, and strikes, strikes in various combination, and basic academy drills covered in class.  This is not only a test of the basics, but also a further test of stamina and endurance.

BUNKAI

Know application of all our Japanese katas.

(Taikyoku, Heian 2, Heian 4)

KATA

Know and be prepared to demonstrate all 9 academy katas along with your own invented kata.

Submit to Sensei a typed scenario of your invented kata, along with a listing of all strikes used.  Know the environment well.

1. Taikyoku (white belt)

2. Taegeuk EE Jang (yellow belt)

3. Taegeuk OH Jang (orange belt)

4. Heian 2 (green belt)

5. Heian 4 (blue belt)

6. Taegeuk YUK Jang (purple belt)

7. Taegeuk CHIL Jang (brown belt)

8. Taegeuk PAL Jang (high brown belt)

9. NEW AGE KATA (white-brown belt)

10. YOUR OWN INVENTED KATA

Must know bunkai, or application of kata.

1st degree testing for 2nd degree must perform black belt NEW AGE KATA and Koreo

Tai Chi form (empty hand or sword) for 3rd.

SELF-DEFENSE

• All 15 self-defense

   (white–blue belt)

• 3 invented self-defense

   (purple belt)

• Spontaneous self-defense

   (brown belt)

SPARRING

Be prepared to spar the entire academy, up to 4 opponents at a time.  Employ full contact (while respecting your sparring partner's size).

Apply proper technique, timing, control, breathing, combinations, footwork, power, and strategy.

WEAPONS

Know all strikes (including ready positions and blocks), self-defense, and kata of all 5 weapons:

Bo, Jo, Tonfa, Sai, Nunchaku

Also know advanced Bo kata.

1st degree testing for 2nd degree must spar an opponent with padded weapons.

2nd degree testing for 3rd degree must spar with multiple attackers (padded weapons).

BREAKING

Be able to break boards using any strikes we've used in class:

— Punch (jab or cross)

— Palm Heel

— Hook Punch

— Knife-hand (shuto)

— Reverse Knife-hand

— Uppercut

— Hammer Fist

— Spear-hand

— Snake

— Back-fist

— Ridge

— Chicken-wrist

— Forearm

— Knee

— Front Kick

— Round Kick

— Side Kick

— Step Side Kick

— Hook Kick

— Spin Side

— Jumping Front Snap Kick

— Spinning Hook

— Flying Side

— Tornado Kick

You may also be asked to use these strikes in combination to break multiple boards.

Be prepared to break one 1-inch cinder block (or equivalent) using any hand technique.  Most students use the palm-heel strike.

(2 cinder blocks for 2nd degree)

FINAL RITUAL

At the end of your exam, you will share tea with Sensei!  This traditional ceremony creates a firmer bond between teacher and student, ensuring that you have survived the test and have finally earned your black belt!

TESTING FEES

$50 for 1st Degree Black Belt Test

$80 for 2nd Degree Black Belt Test

       Includes belt with your name.

$50 for 3rd Degree Black Belt Test

       ($80 if new belt is received)

       This may be your last physical exam.

No charge for 4th Degree Black Belt or higher

(no physical exam)

1st Degree Black Belt

Testing for 2nd Degree

ATTENDANCE:

Must have minimal

2 years of good attendance

TEACHING:

1 year teaching

as a 1st degree black belt

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must have significantly changed someone's life through the martial arts.

2nd Degree Black Belt

Testing for 3rd Degree

ATTENDANCE:

Must have minimal

3 years of good attendance

TEACHING:

2 year teaching

as a 2nd degree black belt

LIFE'S LESSON:

You must write a book on the martial arts.  Or, prepare 13 youtubes, each 2-5 minutes long.

All youtubes must be related, a mini-series.

3rd Degree Black Belt

Testing for 4th Degree

ATTENDANCE:

Must have minimal

4 years of good attendance

TEACHING:

3 year teaching

as a 3rd degree black belt

TAI CHI:

Must incorporate Tai Chi in your training by

learning Tai Chi's choreographed push hands.

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must have passed on your martial art knowledge to at least 50 people.

4th Degree Black Belt

Testing for 5th Degree

ATTENDANCE:

Must have minimal

5 years of good attendance

TEACHING:

4 year teaching

as a 4th degree black belt

TAI CHI:

Must incorporate Tai Chi in your training by

learning Tai Chi sword.

LIFE'S LESSON:

You must know in your heart that you are a master of the martial arts.

5th Degree Black Belt

Testing for 6th Degree

INVOLVEMENT:

6 years of teaching or training

TAI CHI:

Must incorporate Tai Chi

into your daily life

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must live the matial way

RECOGNTION:

Must be known in your town

6th Degree Black Belt

Testing for 7th Degree

INVOLVEMENT:

Must have minimal

7 years of teaching or training

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must continue to live

the martial way

RECOGNTION:

Must be known in your state.

7th Degree Black Belt

Testing for 8th Degree

INVOLVEMENT:

Must have minimal

8 years of teaching or training

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must continue to live

the martial way

RECOGNTION:

Must be known in your country.

8th Degree Black Belt

Testing for 9th Degree

INVOLVEMENT:

Must have minimal

9 years of teaching or training

LIFE'S LESSON:

Must continue to live

the martial way

RECOGNTION

Must be known world known.

THE BLACK BELT

RECERTFICATION TEST

To ensure that each black belt "knows their stuff," stays in shape, and reaches their personal best, Red Sun Academy black belts recertify their rank every 3 years.

They do this by taking a physical test which takes up to an hour.

While it is not at all as strenuous or physically demanding as the 3-plus hour black belt exam, the recertification exam ensures that the testing student knows all academy katas, self-defense moves, all material taught in the weapons classes, and all martial art knowledge and terminology that is presented in class and on our website.  

The black belt must also demonstrate that he or she is in shape by performing sit-ups, push-ups, the plank, and other physical activity that tests his overall endurance.  In addition, the black belt will spar all attending academy members, and will perfom numerous board breaks.

Black belts from other schools who wish to join Red Sun Academy have up to one year after they join the academy to pass the black belt exam.  They will do this in order to become certified black belts in our academy.  A year gives the new black belt enough time to learn the katas and self-defense moves.