Students may be "Stripe Tested" every 8-10 classes and will receive a stripe
for their belt provided they meet the standards and requirements for each stripe. Those students who have received all required
stripes are eligible to be recommended for belt promotion by the Chief Instructor. Belt testing and graduations will
be held monthly for eligible students.
Belt tests should
be viewed as measurable goals both short and long term – the journey begins at White Belt with a relatively simple set
of skills and represents the short term challenge of reaching the next belt level within a standard three to four month period.
Upon reaching Red/Black, the final step in the Color Belt system, the student will review and prepare during the required
six month waiting period prior to testing for Black Belt.
Achieving a Black Belt is a long term goal and can
take anywhere from three to five years . Many may view the Black Belt as a symbol of completion, yet, in truth, the Black
Belt is only a beginning, a stage at which the student's training truly begins in earnest.
Black Belt students are evaluated every
2-3 months between grades just as the color belts are thus maintaining advanced proficiency in all aspects of the art. Black
Belt Testing is offered twice a year-once in the Spring and once in the Fall.
