EXAMS

Ranks exams

There are officialy 10 Kyu (color belt ranks) in JKA karate. Kyu exams are usually carried out by branch dojo instructors. To be eligible for black belt testing, a minimum of three years of regular training is required.

There are 10 Dan (black belt degrees) in JKA karate. To obtain certification for each Dan rank, candidates must meet the required criteria and complete the testing process. Black belt Dan testing is carried out by a panel of instructors who are authorized JKA technical examiners.

Pre-tests are mandatory for Dan exams. They occur during some of the stages organized by the AKJKAQ and are coordinated by the AKJKAQ technical committee.

The exam must not be perceived as a simple technical examination. The effort, spirit and etiquette are also taken into account. The examination must be seen as a way to evaluate the karateka character.

Qualifications exams

The JKA offers three basic kinds of qualifications: Instructor, Judge and Examiner.

For each type of official qualification, there are four classes: D through A. Each subsequent class authorizes the instructor to carry out an increasingly broad spectrum of activities appropriate to the individual’s experience.

To advance from one class to the next, the instructor must fulfill the certification requirements and successfully complete the formal testing procedure.

Testing for these various classes of qualification are carried out by authorized and certified Examiners specified by the Chief Instructor or by the Technical Committee of the JKA.

Special rights for Dan and qualification exams

Jean-Pierre Cusson
Dan exams up to SANDAN (3^rd Dan)