Congratulations on your advancement into what is generally referred to as the mid-level belt rankings. This is no small achievement and you should be justifiably proud of your accomplishment. You are one of the few who will ever obtain the Purple Belt and reach this level of accomplishment.

Blue Belt Curriculum Overview

You will now begin working on the material necessary to achieve the rank of Gokyu (Blue Belt). As with all new ranking requirements you will find that increased levels of fitness, knowledge, skills, and commitment are required to achieve your next belt. It may seem a bit daunting at first, but take it one step at a time and you will accomplish your next goal.

This belt will introduce you to several new skills that you may not have experienced in the past. The first deals with kicking. You will find the kicks in this curriculum to be much more invigorating and demanding. You will now incorporate spinning and jumping into the realm of your kicking skills. Most of the actual kicks are skills you have already practiced extensively in the past. Now, however, the method for delivering the kick changes so that the kick is delivered from unexpected or unusual perspectives. You will have fun learning these new kick delivery mechanisms.

Additional stick weapons are taught as well. These are not the final stick weapons you will ever learn, but by the time you complete this belt curriculum you will have become extremely familiar with the use of most common stick weaponry. For the first time you will be introduced to the use of a non-Japanese stick weapon that is a highly effective tool in the hands of an experienced practitioner. You will practice numerous drills and skills with stick weapons to perfect your sense of timing and to gain experience when using the weapons with someone in close quarters.

This belt will also introduce you to sparring. This can be frightening to some people, while others look forward to it with great enthusiasm. We have two different types of sparring in which students may participate. The first involves no head contact of any kind and is referred to as Kumite. The second is full contact sparring. Both sparring types require the use of hand, full body and head protection to reduce the risk of injury. Students under the age of majority will only participate in controlled Kumite sparring. Adult students will learn Kumite and may optionally participate in full contact sparring if they prefer. Full contact sparring is not required of any student. We also have a non-contact method of sparring for any student who wishes to avoid any form of impact.

Studies of health and human anatomy will continue. Included in the subjects discussed is an in-depth exploration of the digestive system. We will cover all of the major organs and the digestive processes that help provide nutrients and remove waste material.

Constantly Review the Fundamentals

Now that you have moved on to more advanced material you should be aware that it is extremely easy to focus on the new material to the exclusion of what you have already learned. However, the material you have already learned is by far the most important. The time when students begin to fail in advancement is when they attempt to learn new skills without having sound fundamentals. Always practice and work to perfect your fundamental skills. You can never practice your fundamental skills enough.

Blue Belt Curriculum

There is a lot of material to cover in this belt, so let’s get started.

Final Thought

Up to this point you have largely been training to utilize good defensive skills. As yet, there has not been a great deal of emphasis placed on the speed and efficiency of your movements. Beginning with your next belt that all radically changes. You will need an open mind.