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Aikido Rankings:

Students of aikido start by working toward gokyu (5th rank) and progress through yonkyu (4th), sankyu (3rd), nikyu (2nd) and ikkyu (1st rank), followed by shodan (1st level black belt), nidan (2nd level black belt), etc. Students are eligable to be tested for a kyu grading after completing a specified number of hours practice and if the sensei feels the student has gainied proficiency in the techniques required for that rank. Testing for higher ranks is usually done at the spring and fall seminars.

Requirements for Gokyo test are:

60 hours of practice (maximum of 1 hour per day counted)

Attack   Technique shomen-uchi iriminage   "   " kotegaeshi   "   " shihonage   "   " ikkyo   "   " nikyo   "   " sankyo   "   " yonkyo yokomen-uchi shihonage katate-tori kokyu-ho   "   " koshinage ryote-tori tenchi-nage   "   " kokyu-doza suwari-waza shomen-uchi ikkyo   "   "   "   " nikyo   "   "   "   " sankyo   "   "   "   " yonkyo morote-tori iriminage tsuki kotegaeshi ushiro ryotekubi-tori ikkyo

A WORD TO BEGINNERS

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a footstep.
TAO TE CHING - 64

Aikido can at first appear to be bewildering in its complexity. The movements which advanced students perform with apparent effortless power and flow seem, when you first attempt them, to require an incomprehensible coordination of limbs, balance, thought and effort. Take heart. Those advanced students spent considerable time with tangled arms, legs and thoughts to be able to move as they do. You too must serve this apprenticeship. The major trying point for most beginners appears to be after the first month or two . The initial thrill of starting a new activity has worn off, you are working hard but don't seem to be making any progress - if anything you feel less coordinated and more confused than when you started. This is a normal reaction; you are in fact learning and progressing. What is happening is you are becoming more aware, both of you own movements and of what you see in others movements. Your brain and body just haven't caught up yet to your increased perceptions so there is a bigger gap between what you know and what you can do than when you started. The way past this hurdle is to take a really good look at what you were like when you started and compare it to what you can do now - if you are truthful with yourself you will see that there has been progress. Keep at it - we are all students.

Those who master themselves have strength.
TAO TE CHING - 33