Grades

Your current grade is displayed by the colour of your belt. This enables others during training to quickly assess your experience and rank, and to adapt or tailor their training appropriately. Novices are normally treated a little more gently and carefully, since they are still learning breakfalls.

White Belt (Novice)

All novices start with a white belt.

Red Belt (8th Kyu)

More than 20 hours practice after starting and able to perform the following:

Unsoku Foot movements
Kouhou ukemi (standing) Backwards breakfall
Yoko ukemi (standing) Sideways breakfall
Aigamae katate dori

shomenate Front corner movement to facing Uke with a strike to the face - then cut forwards and downwards through Uke. Uke falls backwards.
oshitaoshi Uke's elbow gets bent, then pushed upwards and over - then pulled down and held by covering the elbow. Uke ends up on hand and knees with a elbow lock.
kotegaeshi Wrist twist outwards. Uke ends up breakfalling. Finish off.

Red Belt (7th Kyu) (optional yellow tab/stripe)

More than 20 hours practice after 8th Kyu

Tegatana dousa hand movements
Zenpou kaiten ukemi (on one knee) Forwards rolling breakfall
Gyakugamae katate dori - aigamaeate, hikitaoshi, tenkai kotehineri

Red Belt (6th Kyu) (optional two yellow tabs/stripes)

More than 20 hours practice after 7th kyu

Zenpou kaiten ukemi (standing)
Kouhou ryote dori - gyakugamae ate
Aigamae katate dori - wakigatame
Hanza handachi gyakugamae katate dori - tenkai kotegaeshi

Yellow Belt (5th Kyu)

More than 40 hours practice after 6th kyu

Suwari waza Shomenuchi - oshitaoshi osae
Kihon waza Atemi waza (shomenate, aigamaeate, gyakugamaeate, gedanate, ushiroate)
Kihon no tsukuri Atemi waza, hontai no tsukuri (shomenate, aigamaeate)
Kansetsu waza, tegatana jodan no tsukuri (oshitaoshi, hikitaoshi)

Orange Belt (4th Kyu)

More than 40 hours practice after 5th kyu

Suwari waza Shomenuchi - oshitaoshi gyakutedori kotehineri osae
Kihon waza Hiji waza (oshitaoshi, udegaeshi, hikitaoshi, udehineri, wakigatame, wakigatame)
Kihon no tsukuri Atemi waza, hontai no tsukuri (gyakugamaeate, gedanate, ushiroate)
Kansetsu waza, tegatana gedan no tsukuri (tenkai kotegaeshi, kotegaeshi)

Green Belt (3rd Kyu)

More than 40 hours practice after 4th kyu

Suwari waza Shomenuchi - oshitaoshi juntedori kotehineri osae
Kihon waza Tekubi waza (kotehineri, kotegaeshi, tenkai kotehineri, tenkai kotegaeshi)
Nage waza Nage no kata omote waza (go no sen no kuzushi)
Kihon no tsukuri Atemi waza, hontai no tsukuri
Kansetsu waza, nigiri gaeshi jodan no tsukuri

Blue Belt (2nd Kyu)

More than 60 hours practice after 3rd kyu

Suwari waza Shomenuchi - oshitaoshi tekubi osae
Kihon waza Uki waza (maeotoshi, sumiotoshi, hikiotoshi)
Nage waza Nage no kata ura waza (go no sen no kuzushi)
Kihon no tsukuri Atemi waza, shouki no tsukuri (shomenate, aigamaeate)
Kansetsu waza, nigiri gaeshi gedan no tsukuri

Brown Belt (1st Kyu)

More than 60 hours practice after 2nd kyu

Kihon waza Randori kihon waza (uke without tanto)
Kihon ura waza Atemi waza no ura (wakigatame, oshitaoshi, gedanate, aigamaeate, tenkai kotehineri)
Kansetsu waza no ura (oshitaoshi, tenkai kotehineri, kotegaeshi, wakigatame, tenkai kotegaeshi)
Kihon no tsukuri Atemi waza, shouki no tsukuri (gyakugamaeate, gedanate, ushiroate)
Kansetsu waza, hiji mochi no tsukuri
jodan (juntedori, gyakutedori)
gedan (juntedori, gyakutedori)
Randori hou taisabaki (against tanto)

- without using hands
- using tegatana

1st Dan - Shodan (Black belt)

More than 100 hours practice after 1st kyu

Koryu goshin no kata (suwari waza, hanza handachi waza, tachi waza)
Randori kihon waza (against tanto)
Tanto kakari geiko and hiki tate geiko (both 2 mins. tori and 2 mins. uke - women & older people excluded)
Important points for randori:

- Correct timing is essential for effective atemi waza
- Good tsukuri is essential for effective kansetsu waza

Notes

Kihon no tsukuri must be done twice on both left and right sides. The second time the technique must be completed without stopping.
Tsukuri practice.
1. Atemi waza - hontai no tsukuri - in five directions from the correct distance
  - shouki no tsukuri - in five directions at the time of uke's feet touching down
  - tsukuri from taisabaki - in six directions after taisabaki
2. Kansetsu waza - tegatana no tsukuri - aigamae and gyakugamae, jodan (eye level) and gedan (knee level)
  - nigirigaeshi no tsukuri - jodan and gedan, junte and gyakute grips
  - hiji mochi no tsukuri - junte and gyakute grips using both hands, in front of and behind uke.

All of the basic techniques are very well described in the highly recommended book Aikido - Tradition and the Competitive Edge, (Fumiaki Shishida & Tetsuro Nariyama).