Tsue Kakuto Ranks - 5th Kyu Requirements

OBJECTIVE:  The 5th Kyu is a practitioner rank designed (1) to expand the set of skills taught in 6th Kyu, (2) to start the development of tactical sense, and (3) to explore the use of distance.  Tsue Kakuto regards the Yellow Belt the first step in the development of combat proficiency, a process that is essentially complete when the student earns the Purple Belt.  Students earning the Yellow Belt are considered to be qualified apprentice Tsue Kakuto practitioners.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS: On the completion of 5th Kyu students will be able to:

(1) meet the knowledge requirements for 6th Kyu

(2) for a given situation identify the tactical choices involved

(3) describe one 5th Kyu footwork or weapon technique

(4) list the steps of the 6th (1st Kata) and 5th Kyu Kata (2nd Kata)

(5) for a given situation select the correct combination of distance and target

(6) identify elements that indicate the onset and timing of an attack

(7) identify basic targets and the physiological impacts of successful attacks against them

Knowledge requirements are met by passing a written examination with a score of 80 percent or higher.  The written examination must be completed prior to practical testing on techniques (waza) and the 2nd Kata.

TECHNIQUES (WAZA):  On the completion of the 5th Kyu students will be able to perform the following techniques without hesitation, showing smooth, precise, and controlled action, accuracy of delivery of offensive actions, and effectiveness of defensive actions.  Speed of execution should be proportional to student experience.

(1) Footwork

(1.a.) initial position

(1.b.) balanced guard position on the dominant side

(1.c.) advancing and retreating steps in the guard position

(1.d.) a forward lunge coordinated with a weapon strike

(2) Attacks with the cane

(2.a.) underarm strike

(2.b.) above the arm strike

(2.c.) elbow strike

(2.d.) diagonal strike to the body

(2.e.) thrust with the tip

(2.f) knee strike

(3) Defensive actions with the cane

(3.a.) lateral parry high line inside - one or two handed

(3.b.) lateral parry high line outside - one or two handed

(3.c.) lateral parry low line inside - one or two handed

(3.d.) lateral parry low line outside - one or two handed

(3.e.) sloping parry against attack to the head

2ND KATA:  The 2nd Kata is designed to teach the flow of disabling attacks to the arm from the inside and to the body.  At the Yellow Belt level, this kata is performed with the dominant hand against an opponent of the same or opposite hand as specified at the start of the kata. 

PRACTICAL TESTING:  Students must demonstrate the performance of each technique correctly against the standard in 4 out of 5 tries as directed by the examiner.  Examiners may observe student technique in a class setting, as opposed to a formal testing situation, but if this approach to testing is selected the expectation is that 80 percent of all executions observed (with a minimum of 5 executions of the technique) must be correctly done.  Kata must be done individually in front of the examiner.  The student is expected to be able to correctly execute the 1st Kata and 2nd Kata, with all movements to the standard, three times in succession.