Phoenix Karate Academy Pinan Do | Auburn, ME | Martial Arts, Karate, Self Defense, Kickboxing, Yoga

Procedures
Requirements: Adults
Requirements: Kids
Requirements: Little Sparks
Terminology

“I often tell my students a story I heard several years ago regarding the difference between 'Thinking' and 'Believing'. In telling them the story, I slowly see a change in their eyes, that awakening, that 'Igniting of the Fire Within'. To see them begin to understand with so much life and enthusiasm truly illuminates my entire being. Words cannot describe how wonderful the students at Phoenix are. They, like myself, now have an unquestionable drive to follow the path of a true martial artist! I am deeply honored to be on this journey with them!”

—Sosai Harry Harris

Belts: Requirements for Adults download in MSW

8th Kyu	Yellow	Techniques: Straight Punch, Upper Block, Palm Heel Block, Front Kick (low, middle, high) Crescent Kick Inside to Out; Falls: Front Fall; Self Defense: Basic Choke Defense; Headlock Defense; Overhand Right Defense; Kata: Kihon (Basic Floor Pattern); Taikyoku (First cause) — [2 month min. from white belt]
7th Kyu	Orange	Techniques: Hook Punch, Side Kick, Back Kick; Blocks: Inside to Outside Middle Block, Outside to Inside Middle Block, Roundhouse kick Low, middle High, Palm Heel Strike, Front Stance, Back Stance; Sparring: Basic Combinations; Falls: Back Fall, Side Fall; Kata: Sagogi Ichi (Kicking Form 1), (Kicking Form 2); Self Defense: Single Lapel Grab, Double Lapel Grab — [2 months min. from yellow belt]
6th Kyu	Purple	Techniques: Crescent Kick Outside to In, Ax Kick, Hook Kick; Sparring: Body shifting, Weaving, Slipping; Kata: Naihanchi Shodan (Iron Horse Level 1); Bo Shodan (Bo Level 1); Self Defense: Bear Hug from the Front Over, Bear Hug from the Front Under — [2 months min. from orange belt]
5th Kyu	Blue	Techniques: Haiyto (Ridge Hand), Sto-Block,Tettsui Komi KamiSparring: Reading your opponent; Kata: Pinan Ichi (K version), Sai Shodan; Self Defense: Bear Hug from Rear Over, Bear Hug from Rear Under — [3 months min. from purple belt]
4th Kyu	Green	Techniques: Tobi Mai Geri, Cat Stance, Spinning Back Kick, Wedge Block; Sparring: Using Angles, Using Counter attacks; Kata: Sanchin No Kata, Bo Nidan, Naihanchi Nidan; Self Defense: Tackle Defense, Single Arm choke from Rear, Front Kick Defense (Low & High) — [3 months min. from blue belt]
3rd Kyu	Brown	Techniques: Knee Kick, Stomp Kick, Heel Kick; Sparring: Refine Concepts, improve on speed & timing; Kata: Pinan Nidan (O version pinan shodan), Kyan No Sai, Pinan Sandan (K version); Self Defense: Roundhouse Kick (Low, Middle, High), Single Hand Grab from Behind — [3 months min. from green belt]
2nd Kyu	Brown	Techniques: Backfists(Forward, Side to side, Spleen), Toho (Throat Grab), Spinning Hook Kick, Double Knife Hand block (low & High); Sparring: Endurance, Setting up Opponent; Kata: Pinan Yondan (O version), Odo No Tonfa Ichi, Tzuki No Kata; Self Defense: Punch to Wrist Lock Throw, Knife Defense Caveman Strike, Over Hand Right (Advanced) — [3 months min. from 3rd Kyu brown belt]
1st Kyu	Brown	Techniques: Naka yubi Ippon ken(Middle Kknuckle Stike). Oya Yubi Ken( Thumb Fist Strike); Sparring: Advanced Combinations; Kata: Pinan Godan (K Version), Tensho, Ananku; Self Defense: Knife Defense Straight Thrust, Side Kick Defense (Middle & High), Ground Choke Defense — [3 months min. from 2nd Kyu brown belt]
Shodan Asst. Instructor	1st Degree Black	Techniques: Can Demonstrate Bunkai; Kata: Wansu, Shiho Nuki, Kanku Dai; Self Defense: Knife Defense: Thrashing Strike, Gun Defense (Front & Rear), Front Choke Defense (Advanced) — [3 months min. from 1st Kyu brown belt]
Nidan Instructor Level 1	2nd Degree Black	Naihanchi Nidan; Naihanchi Sandan; Gojushiho Ni; Kusanku; Shiho Nuke; Odo-No-Nunchaku; Student has basic understanding and can demonstrate kata bunkai; Student can lead a class through basics, kata, sparring, and self defense at a basic to intermediate level; Clearly communicates concepts and motivates the class — [2 years min. from Shodan]
Sandan Instructor Level 2	3rd Degree Black	Seisan; Niseishi; Passai; Tsuken-Aka-Chu-No Eku-Bo; Nakamura No Sai; Shima Igiri-Bo-Ichi; Student teaches at a higher level than Nidan by showing the ability to isolate a topic and teach it to a beginner, intermediate, and advanced students — [4 years min. from Nidan]
Yondan Full Grade Instructor	4th Degree Black Renshi	Chinto; Selunchin; Hakutsuru Ichi; Odo-No-Kama-Ni; Odo-No-Kama-Ni; Shimi-Igiri-Bo-Ni; Tsuyoshi-No-Kun-Ni; Black Belt is now considered a full grade instructor and should be able to teach kata, sparring, and self defense at all levels; Student will continue to grow according to his or her motivation and desire. The sky is the limit. — [4 years min. from Sandan]
Godan Master Instructor	5th Degree Black	Kamamura Hakutsuru; Sakugawa-No-Kun-Ichi; Ko-Bo; Tokumine-No-Kune-Ichi; Black Belt is a master at motivating others to achieve their best; His or her skill level is apparent to students and other Black Belts — [4 years min. from Yondan]
		WAITING PERIOD BETWEEN BELTS: The waiting period was established to ensure that the student has the knowledge necessary to test to the next rank. It is not a time requirement, but a minimum class requirement based on an average of two classes per week. This means that during a two month period between beginner rank belts, it is to be understood that the student will attend at least 16 regular classes to prepare for the next rank, and during the three month period between advanced rank, he/she must attend at least 24 regular classes. Therefore, if a student comes to class sporadically, it is likely that he/she will not test after the 2-3 month waiting period, but at a later date when they have attended the required number of classes and demonstrated that the knowledge to represent the desired rank has been achieved. As the student progresses to advanced rank, this will be more strictly enforced at the discretion of the Sosais.