How to Get a Yellow Belt in GKR Karate

Last Updated: November 23, 2023

Go Kan Ryu Karate or GKR is one of the largest karate styles in the world. You start as a White belt and the first full colour grade is yellow belt.

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When you start karate you are a 10th Kyu white belt. This means you are a students who is 10 grades away from teaching a black belt. You don't have to wear a karate uniform at this stage, but if you do you wear a plain white belt. This way the sensei's can see that you are quite new to karate and might need some extra help. ^{[1]
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Once you have completed 6 karate lessons. grade to 9th Kyu yellow tip. This means you are now 9 grades away from black belt and have your first bit of colour on your belt. ^{[2]
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- You don't have to do anything special to gain your yellow tip. This is a reward for your commitment and attendance. It does take a lot of confidence to try something new and stick with it for the first 6 lessons. Your Sensei cans see that if you have a yellow tip you are still fairly new but will have experienced all the basics.
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Adults need to know a few more basics than the kids. ^{[3]
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4
Get a slip from your Sensei. If your Sensei feels you are ready they will give you a slip, which is called a grading slip. It will have your details on it and where and when the gratings are.
- Evaluations are usually held on Sundays, once a month. Students will be invited from all over the region to grade. Usually you will grade with the higher coloured belts too.
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5
Make sure you are at least 20 minutes early for your grading, sometimes there are lots of people. When you arrive you will need to sign in. You will need to hand in your grading slip and pay for your grading. You may also wish to purchase a belt. It is better to buy the belt at the start, because often they sell out or close the counter at the end. If you do pass you can wear it. If you don't pass you can just hang onto it until next time.
- The grading will be like a normal class, you will do a warm up and then your basic strikes and blocks, then you will do some leg stretches and basic stances and kicks. You might do so,e combinations of moves and other stuff too.
- Many sensei will walk around watching. Don't panic, they are mainly watching the higher grades. White belts aren't expected to be perfect to pass they realise you have only been doing karate for a little while.
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You might be asked to do some things you have not done before. Again don't panic. You won't fail if you can't do them, they are just giving you new experiences. You grading is just based on how well you do your strikes, blocks, stances and kicks.
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It is very rare to fail your yellow belt, but if you do you can come back and try again at the next grading which will only be a month away.
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Once you are a yellow belt you will start learning more advanced strikes, block, stances and kicks, you will do kata and you can start sparring. Get yourself some mitts and pads for sparring.

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What should I do if I don't get a slip in more than 16 weeks?

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Always ask questions like, "What do I need to work on?", "Could you watch me and give me some tips?" or, "Can we spar?" This could be to your sensei or any members in your class. Also try mixing it up by attending more classes because of the different teaching techniques and people that vary across regions. Remember everyone is different and some senseis can guide you better than others.

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How long do individual karate lessons last?

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Most karate lessons last for 1 to 2 hours, and most students attend 2 to 3 lessons per week.

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What are the exercises that I have to practice?

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Push ups, squats, jumping kicks, front punch, low punch, high block, low block, front kick, and side kick.

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Tips

Get a basics DVD, then you can practice your basics at home and it also has the new basics you will learn as a yellow belt on there.

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Buy a Gi from your Sensei. It will help you feel the part and look the part. If you don't have a Gi, you can usually buy one at your grading.

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Warnings

On grading day drink lots of water before you go

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