grading

about
eligibility requirements
technical requirements

about

At Oakland Aikido we follow the grading curriculum of our parent dojo, Vanadis Aikido (Stockholm, Sweden). Our dojo only assigns kyu grades. Dan grades (black belt levels) are conferred by Jan Nevelius Shihan and are authorized by the Aikikai Foundation (Tokyo, Japan).

An Oakland Aikido guide to grading is coming soon. In the meantime, check out this comprehensive guide from our sibling dojo, Aikido Oberursel (Germany). Our grading protocols and expectations will be virtually the same as described in their guide, except for the following: test results will not be sent to the press, there are no grading fees for kyu tests, there is no plan to implement mudansha books at this time, and in the event of a party the newly promoted will not be expected to buy everyone a round. Additionally, a component of self-assessment may be implemented in the future.

minimum eligibility requirements — kyu levels

please note: the following time values are minimum requirements, i.e. they assume above-average training participation. In exceptional cases, the minimum practice time may be lowered by the chief instructor. Other adjustments may be made to the listed requirements at the discretion of the chief instructor on a case-by-case basis.

  • time

    • 3 months of practice

    • 30 classes (45 hours)

    At the discretion of the chief instructor, beginners with prior martial arts or relevant movement experience may skip directly to 5th kyu.

  • time

    • 6 months of training since 6th kyu

    • 40 classes (60 hours)

  • time

    • 6 months of training since 5th kyu

    • 40 classes (60 hours)

  • time

    • 9 months of training since 4th kyu

    • 60 classes (90 hours)

  • time

    • 12 months of practice since 3rd kyu

    • 80 classes (120 hours)

  • time

    • 12 months of training since 2nd kyu

    • 80 classes (120 hours)

kihon (basic/grading techniques)

Adjustments may be made to the listed requirements on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the chief instructor.

  • 6th kyu full playlist

    Basic Exercises (solo) 

    video reference from Vanadis Aikido

    1. mae ukemi (0:09)

    2. ushiro ukemi (0:22)

    3. shikko mae (0:34)

    4. tai no tenkan, a.k.a. tenkan, (0:48)

    5. irimi tenkan (0:56)

    6. irimi*

    7. kaiten*

    also see foundational skills and exercises for tutorials and in depth-breakdowns

    *not in video, see above linked “foundational skills and exercises” page

    Partnered exercises and techniques 

    video reference from Vanadis Aikido

    1. katate dori tai no tenkan ho, a.k.a. tai no henko (0:08)

    2. ai hanmi katate dori ikkyo* (0:32)

    3. ryote dori tenchi nage (1:30)

    4. suwari waza ryote dori seiza kokyu ho, a.k.a. kokyu dosa (0:56)

    *oomote & ura

  • 5th kyu full playlist

    Basic Exercises 

    video reference from Vanadis Aikido

    1. shikko ushiro (0:12)

    2. ikkyo undo (0:26)

    3. shomen uchi ikkyo undo (0:44)

    4. irimi tenkan ikkyo undo (1:03)

    Techniques- all previous, plus the following:

    video reference from Vanadis Aikido

    1. shomen uchi ikkyo* (0:10)

    2. shomen uchi irimi nage (1:11)

    3. ai hanmi katate dori irimi nage (1:44)

    4. ai hanmi katate dori shiho nage* (2:13)

    5. katate dori tenchi nage (3:03)

    6. katate dori kokyu nage (3:28)

    *oomote + ura

  • video references from Vanadis Aikido are linked on the category or first of each attack type. You can view the full playlist here.

    Basic Exercises 

    shikko kaiten

    Techniques- all previous, plus the following:

    suwari waza

    1. ai hanmi katate dori ikkyo* (0:11)

    2. ai hanmi irimi nage (0:57)

    3. shomen uchi ikkyo* (1:21)

    4. shomen uchi irimi nage (1:40)

    tachi waza

    ai hanmi katate dori

    1. nikyo* (0:08)

    2. sankyo* (1:53)

    3. udekime nage (3:09)

    4. kote gaeshi (3:44)

    kata dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:09)

    2. nikyo* (1:08)

    katate dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:08)

    2. nikyo* (1:05)

    3. kote gaeshi (2:23)

    4. irimi nage (3:02)

    5. uchi kaiten nage* (3:29)

    6. kokyu ho, a.k.a. katate dori sokumen irimi nage (4:19)

    7. udekime nage* (4:43)

    ryote dori tenchi nage* (0:09)

    shomen uchi kote gaeshi (0:08)

    ushiro ryote dori sankyo* (0:08)

    yokomen uchi

    1. shiho nage* (0:11)

    2. udekime nage* (1:01)

    *oomote + ura

  • video references from Vanadis Aikido are linked on the category or first of each attack type. You can view the full playlist here.

    Techniques- all previous, plus the following:

    suwari waza

    katate dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:09)

    2. nikyo* (1:05)

    kata dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:11)

    2. kata dori nikyo* (1:01)

    shomen uchi

    1. nikyo* (0:09)

    2. sankyo* (1:18)

    3. kote gaeshi* (2:16)

    hanmi handachi waza

    1. katate dori shiho nage* (0:13)

    2. shomen uchi irimi nage (1:04)

    3. katate dori uchi kaiten nage* (1:51)

    tachi waza

    katate dori

    1. soto kaiten nage* (0:09)

    2. kokyu ho (1:05)

    morote dori**

    1. ikkyo* (0:12)

    2. nikyo* (1:10)

    3. kokyu nage (2:27)

    4. udekime nage* (2:50)

    5. kote gaeshi (3:38)

    6. kokyu ho* (4:12)

    ryote dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:10)

    2. shiho nage* (1:06)

    shomen uchi

    1. nikyo* (0:08)

    2. sankyo* (1:14)

    3. yonkyo* (2:29)

    ushiro ryote dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:10)

    2. nikyo* (1:12)

    3. kote gaeshi (2:42)

    4. shiho nage* (3:22)

    5. irimi nage (4:22)

    6. udekime nage* (4:52)

    yokomen uchi

    1. ikkyo* (0:10)

    2. nikyo* (1:05)

    3. sankyo* (2:19)

    4. yonkyo* (3:42)

    5. kote gaeshi (4:37)

    6. irimi nage (5:08)

    katate dori jiyu waza

    *oomote + ura

    **a.k.a. katate ryote dori

  • video references from Vanadis Aikido are linked on the category or first of each attack type. You can view the full playlist here.

    Techniques- all previous, plus the following:

    suwari waza

    katate dori

    1. kote gaeshi (0:08)

    2. irimi nage (0:41)

    yokomen uchi

    1. gokyo (0:10)

    2. irimi nage (0:38)

    hanmi handachi waza

    katate dori

    1. soto kaiten nage* (0:09)

    2. ikkyo* (1:09)

    ryote dori shiho nage*

    tachi waza

    ai hanmi katate dori koshi nage     

    chudan tsuki irimi nage     

    jodan tsuki hiji kime osae     

    kata dori sankyo*

    kata dori menuchi

    1. ikkyo* (0:08)

    2. nikyo* (1:10)

    3. sankyo* (2:25)

    4. kote gaeshi (3:44)

    5. shiho nage oomote (4:18)

    6. irimi nage (4:50)

    katate dori

    1. sankyo* (0:08)

    2. sumi otoshi (1:23)

    morote dori** irimi nage     

    ryote dori

    1. kote gaeshi (0:09) 

    2. irimi nage (0:42)

    shomen uchi

    1. uchi kaiten nage* (0:10)

    2. soto kaiten nage* (0:58)

    3. shiho nage* (1:41)

    ushiro ryo kata dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:08)

    2. nikyo* (1:04)

    3. sankyo* (2:15)

    4. aiki otoshi (3:24)

    5. kokyu ho, a.k.a. sokumen irimi nage (3:49)

    ushiro ryote dori juji garami     

    yokomen uchi gokyo

    shomen uchi jiyu waza

    *oomote + ura

    **a.k.a. katate ryote dori

  • video references from Vanadis Aikido are linked on the category or first of each attack type. You can view the full playlist here.

    Techniques- all previous, plus the following:

    hanmi handachi waza

    ushiro ryo kata dori

    1. kote gaeshi (0:09)

    2. sankyo oomote (0:45)

    3. kokyu nage (1:20)

    tachi waza

    chudan tsuki

    1. nikyo* (0:10)

    2. sankyo* (1:16)

    3. kote gaeshi* (2:32)

    jodan tsuki

    1. ikkyo* (0:10)    

    2. nikyo* (1:04)

    3. sankyo* (2:15)

    4. shiho nage* (3:30)  

    ryo kata dori

    1. ikkyo* (0:09)

    2. kokyu ho* (1:10)

    3. kokyu nage* (1:37)

    shomen uchi

    1. gokyo (0:08)

    2. koshi nage (video not from Vanadis)

    ushiro eri dori

    1. ikkyo (0:09)

    2. kote gaeshi (1:16)

    3. shiho nage oomote (1:57)

    ushiro katate dori kubeshime

    1. shiho nage (0:11)

    2. koshi nage (0:45)

    katate dori koshi nage (video not from Vanadis)

    morote dori** juji garami

    muna dori shiho nage

    kicks

    1. mae geri kokyu ho (0:08)

    2. mawashi geri osae (0:24)

    jiyu waza

    1. tori waza

    2. uchi waza

    *oomote + ura

    **a.k.a. katate ryote dori