Orange Belt (8th Kyu)

• The student understands the instructions and completes the required techniques without needing individual assistance.
• The student demonstrates consistently good technique for this grade, including good preparation, stances, finishing positions and targets.
• The student performs with good speed, power and timing.
• The student remains focused and demonstrates good intensity throughout their techniques.
• Adult students complete their Kihon independently from the instructions given.

• The student completes Heian Shodan correctly and independently, without a count or assistance.
• The student performs the correct techniques in the correct order and directions.
• The student demonstrates consistently good technique for this grade.
• The student performs with good speed, power and timing.
• The student remains focused and demonstrates good concentration and intent throughout the Kata.

For junior students, a correct independent performance is given greater importance than the earlier counted performance.

• The student completes the attacks, blocks and counterattack independently.
• The student demonstrates consistently good technique with good speed, power and timing.
• The student shows good engagement with their partner, including distance, targeting and eye contact.
• The student demonstrates good focus, intent and intensity while maintaining control.
• Adult students complete the full Kumite exercise independently.

• The student understands the instructions and completes the required techniques without needing individual assistance.
• The student demonstrates mostly good, developing technique.
• The student shows some good preparation, stances and targeting.
• The student demonstrates some good speed, power and timing, although these may not always be consistent.
• The student is generally focused.

The student achieves a Merit by meeting either of the following standards:

• The student completes Heian Shodan correctly to count and demonstrates some good technique, speed, power and timing.

OR

• The student completes Heian Shodan correctly and independently, but their technique is still basic, developing or inconsistent.

For junior students, if mistakes are made during the counted performance but Heian Shodan is then completed correctly and independently, the independent performance takes priority.

• The student completes the attacks, blocks and counterattack without needing individual assistance.
• The student demonstrates mostly correct technique with some good speed, power and timing.
• The student shows some good engagement with their partner, including distance, targeting and eye contact, although these may not always be consistent.
• The student maintains appropriate control and is generally focused.

• The student completes the required Kihon content.
• The student may need some individual explanation, demonstration, guidance or correction.
• The student demonstrates a basic understanding of the required techniques.
• Their preparation, stances, targeting and finishing positions may still be basic or inconsistent.
• Their technique may lack precision, speed, power or timing.
• Their focus may also be inconsistent.

An independently completed performance may still receive a Credit where the technical standard remains basic or poorly developed.

• The student attempts Heian Shodan to count as required.
• The student makes errors in the sequence, techniques or directions and is unable to demonstrate a correct performance either to count or independently.
• The student may need individual guidance, reminders or corrections.
• The student demonstrates a basic understanding of the movements and sequence.
• Their technique may still lack precision, speed, power or timing.

• The student completes the required Kumite content.
• The student may need some individual prompting, explanation or guidance beyond the normal guided set-up.
• The student demonstrates a basic understanding of the attacks, blocks and counterattack.
• Their technique, speed, power, timing, distance, targeting or engagement may still be developing.
• The student maintains appropriate control.

The student is unable to complete the required Kihon content correctly after the permitted support and further attempts.

The student is unable to complete Heian Shodan correctly after the permitted support and further attempts.

The student is unable to complete the required Kumite correctly after the permitted support and further attempts.