The April 2024 Rank Testing will be held on Saturday, April 20th. All Kyu ranks (both adults and kids) will be testing. This event will also include students from the Mentor Program, a major milestone for that class.
The second Rank Testing of 2024 will be held this Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at the New York City dojo. Eligible kids (in all divisions – Juniors, Youth, Mentor, and Teens) and eligible adults will have an opportunity to test for their next rank.
Testing, of course, is by invitation of Sensei. If you have received a written invitation, please return your completed information form to the Front Desk as soon as possible. It's important to get this form back to the dojo as soon as possible to allow for planning and logistics, especially in the various Kids Divisions.
Note that because Rank Testing is an all-day event, the regular class schedule is suspended on Saturday, April 20, 2024. No classes will be held at the dojo on that date, and no livestream classes will be held.
As with most testing days, on April 20th, the dojo opens at 11AM. All students testing are reminded to be prompt and arrive at the dojo in ample time for the start of their testing.
Mentor Students Participating
This is the first Rank Test in which students from the Mentor Program will be participating. This is such a major milestone for the students from that program that have been invited to test – the dojo is excited and proud of the kids that will test on Saturday from that program – we encourage everyone attending to support them in their testing.
Appropriate Uniform
In addition, all students testing are reminded to be sure to wear a gi that has both a Goju shoulder patch and a Goju chest patch. Rank testing is a formal event and all Goju karateka are required to wear a gi that displays both patches to formal events. This applies to both kids and adults testing.
Don't have patches? Stop by the Front Desk at the NYC Dojo– they're available for a nominal cost (you'll need one for your shoulder and one for your chest: they're different). Please remember to sew them on: these patches aren't iron-on patches.
Shinzen Katami
If you're testing, also please consider bringing a shinzen katami with you. If you don't know what this is, please read about that here.
Kids Rank Testing
Kids rank testing will begin at 11:30AM. This includes all divisions, including Teens (who will begin their written examination while younger kids begin their physical test). Teens will join the in-progress physical test once they've completed the written examination.
Kids in the Junior and Youth divisions do not take a written examination, but rather proceed to the general examination directly at 11:30AM.
Typically, the Kids Rank Testing event lasts until about 1PM, although kids in the Junior and Youth divisions finish their rank testing earlier.
Adult Rank Testing
Adult rank testing for kyu-belt rank students begins at 1PM, with a written examination for all adults who are testing. It is followed by a general examination. The entire event, for adults in the 10th through 2nd Kyu ranks, lasts about two hours total.
This is an all-ranks testing event. That means that all kyu-level students (10th through 2nd) are eligible to test, pending an invitation to do so, of course.
Come Support Our Young Karateka!
We strongly encourage everyone to attend the Kids Rank Testing: all the kids testing appreciate your support deeply! Family and friends are encouraged to come as well, especially family members! Rank testing is an important occasion for all of us, but its especially meaningful for kids who’ve worked so hard.
As per tradition, Adult rank testing is a closed event: no spectators are permitted.
