February 2025 Rank Testing

The February Rank Test will be held on Saturday, February 15th, 2025 at the New York City dojo. Eligible adults will have an opportunity to test for their next rank.

This Rank Test is for Adult Kyu belts (all ranks, up to 2nd Kyu) only: no kids will test. (The next test for students in the Mentor, Junior, Youth, and Teens Divisions will be in April 2025.)

Testing is By Invitation

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.

Note that because Rank Testing is an all-day event, the regular class schedule is modified on Saturday, February 15th, 2025.

Specifically, the Mentor Division General Class will be held at its normal time of 9:30AM. (The dojo will open at its usual Saturday morning time of 9:15AM).

However, no other Kids Division classes will be held at the dojo on that date, no Adult classes will be held, and no livestream classes will be held.

Because only Adults will be testing at this event, the dojo opens at 9:15AM for the Mentor General Class, and then again at 11AM for those participating in Testing. All students testing are reminded to be prompt and arrive at the dojo in ample time for the start of their testing. Adult Testing begins at 11:30AM, which is earlier than it usually does when kids test as well – please make careful note of this schedule change.

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.

Adult Rank Testing

Adult rank testing for kyu-belt rank students begins at 11:30AM (instead of the usual 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 between two and four hours total, depending on rank.

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.

As per tradition, Adult rank testing is a closed event: no spectators are permitted.