What kind of curriculum for white to first rank?

Bushido-Ruach · Yellow Belt

Hi Gang,

As some of you will remember, I am trying to get a school started in June, but I am having issues with the curriculum for the first rank (ages 8 and up). Someone I have shown it to says that I don't have enough from white to yellow, or from yellow stripe to orange. I cover basic stances, movement in stances, rolls and falls, balance drills, blocks, strikes, kicks, sticky hands drills, balance disruption skills and basic body mechanics from white - yellow - yellow stripe - orange (we have no kata). Altogether, that's 93 techniques in three ranks...does that sound like "not enough" to anyone?

Also, any idea's?!!!

Thanks!

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Rateh · Green Belt

One thing to remember is that at white belt EVERYTHING is new and must be learned. This includes prodical in the school, often times names and counting in a different language, how to tie the belt, and just generally getting used to martial arts practice. Personally I think that many schools put far to much in between the rank of white belt the next rank up. Imho you should keep it simple, give them a chance to get used to the training, then gradually step up the requirements. Also I think at white belt is a good time to work on drills for balance, focus, control, etc.
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marie curie · KF Sempai

I think that it sounds like plenty, becasue in reality, they are not just learning drills and techniques, they are also learning how to move their body, how to pay attention to particular things, the terminology of everything, and how to not hurt someone in practice.

All of those bits coupled with your curriculum seems to be plenty to me

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NewEnglands_KyoSa · Pre-Black Belt

I agree with the general concensus here. Once you actually start teaching those classes with the multiple new 8 year olds in them i think you'll find that you have just enough to fill class with and still not get everything in so you can break the monotany. That sounds like a well rounded program. Now, just a curious question, what age do you plan on running this program til and how long in between each rank?
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Bushido-Ruach · Yellow Belt

NewEnglands_KyoSa · Pre-Black Belt

blackbelt · Yellow Belt

In my school, our belt ranking is, as you said, based on the student's skill and proficency in technique, but we also use a point system. Each day a student comes, they get three points. And for each belt rank, we have a minimum number of points that is required to advance. This helps the students realize that they have time to work/practice/refine their techniques and it also keeps a good pace so students aren't being promoted too fast. But just because they may earn the minimum amount of required points, doesn't mean that they'll get advanced, it depends on their technique too.

In my class we also have a stripe system as well. For each rank we have a list of required techniques within several categories such as form, kicks, breaks, knowledge and defense. And whenever a student demonstrates understanding of all the techniques in one category, they'll recieve a stripe. This gives them the sense of accomplishment that is essential in keeping kids motivated and interested.

A possible idea for your "tots" class (6-9yrs) that we use in our school is that this is a seperate class just for young students untill they can join the youth class. In my school these kids work up in degree of white belt (I think we have like 8 degrees of white belt with the stripes running down the middle). They advance in rank by skill and good behavior. And then when they reach the age in which they can go to the youth class, then there next promotion gives them a yellow belt and they're now on the regular belt system. We also give them the choice to keep that stripe on all of their colored belts so they can display their achivements.

Maybe some of these suggestions will be useful

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unknownstyle · Green Belt

plenty, we introduce all basics ay white, all i expect is for them to be able to perform it when i call it, no real correction. and in kata just to have everything in the right direction
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NievesOSK · White Belt

According to what's been passed down, in the old days, students were given a very small amount of material to begin their training with.

I.E.-Practicing Naihanchi (Shorin/Shuri Te traditions) or Sanchin (Uechi Ryu) for a long time along with some basic kicks, blocks and punching techniques were used to develop a student's basic understanding of the art they are training in.

What I have found from recent experience is that maintaining a small amount of katas with dynamic techniques and keeping the curriculum "basic" for the beginners would actually be better for their development than subjecting them to a large number of techniques. Will students get bored? Most certainly. That's where varying the drills using those basic techniques will take some of the "oh gawd, not gedan barai, choku-tsuki again!" blues away.

Thankfully my master instructor has allowed me to participate in the changes to improve our karate system. Pretty exciting times that allows us to remove unnecessary and redundant techniques/kata (i.e.-no need for Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan, & Sandan when Fukyugata Ich achieves the same results).

Osu

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