The CCBBA Karate Curriculum White Belt to Gold Belt
The beginning student is provided with a new white uniform and a white belt to wear
with it. Unlike judo, which often makes use of the belt itself as a
handhold during sparring, the Karate belt serves a purely ceremonial
purpose, indicating the rank of the student. In the Karate school,
different functions and responsibilities are assigned based on belt level. For
example students above blue belt in rank are required to assist in teaching classes for
the lower belts.
A white belt is provided to a new student in recognition of their commitment
to join the school and their desire to learn the martial arts. The
whiteness of the belt itself expresses both the absence of color as in a
painting, and the presence of all colors at once as in natural light. Thus
the new student is both expected to strive for an empty Zen-mind to absorb the
knowledge being imparted, and at the same time, dig deeply into the wealth of
experience that he or she has accumulated in life to date.
The gold belt symbolizes the richness of the knowledge the student has
begun to acquire.
- White Belt Basics
- Four Count Side Kick
- One Step Sparring (1-3)
- Kam Sah Form (Respect)
- Kyu Yool Form (Discipline)
- Self-Defense (1-5)
- Speech "What Karate Means to Me"
- Attendance: 28 Classes
- Physical fitness One perfect military-style pushup, 20 crunch situps,
100 jumping jacks
- Weight training Three sets of eight repetitions curls, flys, bench
press, wrist curls.
Technique Descriptions & Discussion
The white belt basics are as follows:
- Offensive & Defensive Front Punch. Performed with either
arm.
- Offensive & Defensive Back Punch. Performed with either arm.
- Front Leg Front Kick
- Back Leg Front Kick
- Front Leg Side Kick
- Back Leg Side Kick.
Stand in an upright position, knees locked, with the leading foot forward and
the trailing foot behind to form a shoulder width "L"
shape. The hands are raised in front of your face with the elbows tucked
in.
Find a partner and face each other. Bow to each other. One student
begins by throwing one of the six offensive white belt basics. The second
partner blocks the technique, steps back and throws an offensive
technique. Continue sparring back and forth in a steady rhythm for a three minute
round.
- Front Choke. The attacker grabs your neck with both hands and
attempts to choke you. Using your index and middle finger, make a Knife Finger and push it directly into the hollow below the
adams apple. If this doesn't work, without pulling your hands back, reach up
through the attacker's arms and gouge his eyes. If the attacker is too
tall, or his arms are too long, a front kick to the groin with the toes
pointed deeply into the groin cavity will dislodge all but the most
persistent individual.
- Rear Grab. The attacker comes from behind and grabs you in the
shoulder. Raise the arm that the attacker is touching straight up,
above your head. Now spin quickly to face the attacker and as you spin
lower your raised arm to trap the attacker's arms. At the same time,
raise your knee to complete a groin or abdomen kick.
- Wrist Grab. Break the attacker's hold by raising the wrist the attacker has
grabbed straight up. At the same time, and grab the attacker's wrist
and execute a defensive side kick to the attacker's ribs.
- Shoulder Grab. The attacker who is standing face to face with you
reaches across and grabs you by the shoulder with one hand. Grab the
attacker's hand on your shoulder just above
the thumb. You hand should be covering the attacker's fingers. Now
twist the attacker's wrist up and towards yourself. If you have done
this correctly, the attacker will follow you with alacrity.
- Lapel Grab. The attacker grabs your shirt at the neck and pulls you
towards them. Place one hand on the attacker's chin and the other hand
on the top of the attacker's head. Now twist your two hands in
opposite directions to take the attacker down.
The side kick is the most powerful technique in Karate. A well executed
jump side kick can break many boards, or even a concrete block. Correctly
executing the side kick is one of the most daunting challenges to the
beginner. Count kicks are executed one discrete step at a time allowing
the student to focus their attention and effort on correct form, and
balance. The four count side kick is executed as follows:
- Up and Pivot. Point the standing leg heel at the target. This
movement "cocks" the leg like a taut spring. The hands are
held high, protecting the face. The heel of the standing leg is
pointed at the target aligning the body for a faster and stronger
motion. The knee of the kicking leg is tucked close to the body with
the heel leading the kick and the toes pointed slightly back and down.
- Out. The kicking leg is thrust out in a snapping motion and
held completely extended with the leg and knee locked out. The heel of
the kicking foot should contact the target first. The side kick can be
executed at any level, and is equally effective against knees, abdomen and
head. For count kicks, the side kick should be belt level or higher.
- In. The kicking leg should be retracted back to the up and
pivot position.
- Down. The kicking leg is lowered and the student should
resume a normal fighting stance.
Kam Sah Form (Respect)
Ready Position: Attention stance, hands at your side, eyes straight ahead,
shoulders slightly forward. All directions assume that you are facing north.
- Bring both hands up to an Open Hand X-block with the left hand in
front, saying "One sir."
- Arm fold for left chop block, saying "Two sir."
- Left step with a west left chop block, saying "Three sir."
- Right back punch saying "Four sir."
- Feet together and arm fold for a right chop block, saying "Five
sir."
- Right step with an east right chop block, saying "Six sir."
- Left back punch saying "Seven sir."
- Feet together with an Open Hand X-block, saying "Eight sir."
- Attention position hands at your side, eyes straight ahead, shoulders
slightly forward, saying "Nine sir."
- Bow, with eyes straight ahead, saying "Ten sir."
Kyu Yool Form (Discipline)
Ready Position: Attention stance, hands at your side, eyes straight ahead,
shoulders slightly forward. All directions assume that you are facing north.
- Bring both hands up to an open hand x-block, saying "One sir."
- Drop down to a pushup position stance, saying "Two sir."
- Do one complete military style pushup, saying "Three sir."
- Do one complete military style pushup, "Four sir."
- Do one complete military style pushup, saying "Five sir."
- Do one complete military style pushup, saying "Six sir."
- Do one complete military style pushup, "Seven sir."
- Jump back to a standing position, feet together with an open hand
x-block,
saying "Eight sir."
- Attention position hands at your side, eyes straight ahead, shoulders
slightly forward, saying "Nine sir."
- Bow, with eyes straight ahead, saying "Ten sir."
Want More?
CCBBA Karate Curriculum | Gold belt |
Green
belt | Purple belt | Blue
belt | Red belt | 1st Degree Brown
belt | 2nd Degree Brown belt | Black belt |
Tae Kwon Do Terminology | Tae Kwon Do | Karate | Martial Arts
Acknowlegements: Muchas Gracias to the steadfast and resolute Ms.
T for her astute and insightful editorial assistance, also to the thaumaturgic
dannye for explicating the intricacies of multi-volume noding.