Gradings
The Next Available grading is: Sunday 13th December 2009

What is a Grading?
Gradings refer to karate students taking exams or tests to achieve their belt. Gradings in ESKA occur every 3 months at the Stevenage leisure Centre, where all the clubs across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex gather together for a big examination day. On the day there are hundreds of children and adults attending.

What Happens at a Grading?
On the grading day you will have a warmup session and then an hour lesson. After this hour students will be taken in small groups to their examination area, where normally 2 or 3 instructors are waiting. Depending on your grade, you will be tested on kata, basics and set work. As a higher grade you will be tested on your fighting, self defence, history oral exam, terminology written test, bones and muscles tests. All the things you are tested on are taught to you in your classes at Kimpton prior to the grading day, so there should be no worries. The first few gradings are always the easiest but as you get higher, the gradings are harder and longer.

Am I going to Grade?
Students should not assume they are going to grade everytime. People learn at different paces and usually get there in their own time. It is upto the instuctors whether you are ready or not every 3 months and if you are, you will receive a grading form. This will need to be filled out, payed for and accompanied with your licence by a certain date. Grading is not a race and you shouldnt want to grade just to keep up with your friends. Many people miss the gradings due to other commitments, holidays, exams etc, so dont worry!!! YOU DO NOT NEED TO GRADE EVERY TIME!!

Will I get my grading form?
The instructors have to consider many things:
1) Are you concentrating and behaving in class.
2) Have you had enough lessons.
3) Have your fees been paid regularly and on time.
4) Have you done the minimum amount of lessons and spread them out evenly.
5) Have you had the correct attitude to instructors, higher grades and other students.
6) Have you helped teach on a regular basis (1st kyu & above).
7) Do you know everything you should do and at a good standard
8) As a brown belt have you been training at least twice per week.
Try not to aim for the number of lessons written below. The more lessons you have the more confident you will be when you get to grade. The number needed on this chart is the colour belt that you are now:

GRADE (Grade you are now)	JUNIORS	ADULTS
White	10	10
Blue	10	12
Red / Orange	12	14
Yellows / Greens	14	16
All Purples	16	18
Brown - Brown 1 red stripe	18	20
Brown 2 red stripes - Inter black	36	40

You will not receive your grading form until you have completed the required number of lessons. We feel it is unfair to give out grading forms to everyone and then have to take the form back from the student because they are not quite upto standard or havent done enough lessons at the last minute.

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BELT (Obi)

You will get a free white belt in with your membership package when you join he Kimpton karate club. When you grade you will be asked to buy your own belts. For those of you who have not realised yet, adults and juniors have a different amount of belts to get through. See below:

BELTS 1)A belt must have gone around the body twice 2)Must not be crossed over at the back 3)The two ends must be the same length when tied 4)Must be securely tied with the knot 5)Never wash your belt....it will shrink!!

ADULTS JUNIORS

	No applicable to Adult students
	No applicable to Adult students
	No applicable to Adult students
	No applicable to Adult students
	No applicable to Adult students

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UNIFORM (GI)

You will get a karate suit with your membership package when you join the Baldock Karate club. Obviously at some point you will want to buy a new one, due to it getting old or you growing out of it.

Students in our association dress in the origional cotton jacket and trousers, combination knowns as a "gi". You can get many different weights of gi's:

1. Beginner gi's (used by new students) very light in weight (approx 10oz)
2. Medium weight gi's, mainly used by higher grade children (approx 12oz)
3. Heavy weight gi's (worn by higher grades adults & children) always recommended for people who are well into their karate!! (approx 14-16oz) made of a heavy cotton canvas or brushed cotton.
   

Difference in Uniforms

Light weight beginner gis are great because they are not that expensive and can be replaced quite quickly. They are easy to wash and iron but need to be cleaned frequently. Light weight gis don't last very long but are perfect weight for the summer or beginner.

Heavy Weight gis are recommended for all higher grades. They give your karate that extra notch in performance. They are a little more expensive to buy but they will normally last you years. They do shrink quite dramatically, so a cool wash is recommended and the steam iron is essential.