Nick Cerio’s Kenpo Standards of Excellence- Belt Requirements

Yellow Belt Requirements  
StancesHorse Stance
Forward Stance
Breakfalls  
PunchesFront Punch
Vertical Punch
Downward Elbow
Side Elbow
Hammer Strike
Back Fist
Roundhouse Punch
Kicks     Front Ball Kick
Forms       Blocking Form 1
Kata Combination 1
Self Defense       Checking the Storm
Battering Ram
Downward Hammer

Orange Belt Requirements
(All Yellow Belt Requirements)  

StancesCat Stance Rolls
PunchesForearm Strike
Rear Elbow
Roundhouse Elbow
Upward Elbow
Kicks     Side Kick
Forms       Blocking Form 2
Kata Combination 2
Self Defense       Bucking Branch
Hammering Vice
Wrist Grab Ten

Purple Belt Requirements
(All Orange Belt Requirements)  

StancesSide Horse Stance  
PunchesKnife hand Strike
Palm Strike
Two-Finger Strike
Kicks     Back Kick
Spinning Back Kick
Stomp
Forms       Kata Combination 3
Pinan 1
Self Defense         Menacing Twirl
Fleeing Snake
Rotating Destruction
JudoAll:
Basic Armbar Takedown
Adults:
Ogoshi (Major Hip Throw)
Uchi Mata (Inner Thigh Throw)

Blue Belt Requirements
(All Purple Belt Requirements)

StancesBack Stance  
PunchesUppercut
Tiger’s Mouth  
Kicks     Instep Kick
Forms       Kata Combination 4
Pinan 2
Self Defense         Bending Tree
Circling Arm Bar
Rotating Destruction B
JudoAdults:
Ogoshi Variant (Reverse Hip Throw)
OsotoGari (Major Outer Reap)

Blue Belt with Black Stripe Requirements
(All Blue Belt Requirements)  

StancesBent-Leg Forward Stance
PunchesTiger Claw
Chicken Wrist
Back Punch
Ridge hand Strike  
Kicks     Inside Cresent Kick
Forms       Kata Combination 5
Kata Combination 6
Pinan 3
Self Defense        Sweeping Tiger
Pressing Palms
Tornado
JudoAdults:
Uki Otoshi (Floating Drop)
Ko Soto Gari (Minor Outer Reap)

Green Belt Requirements
(All Blue Belt W/ Black Requirements)  

Stances 
PunchesTiger Claw
Chicken Wrist
Back Punch
Ridge hand Strike  
Kicks      Outside Cresent Kick
Rising Heel Kick
Forms        Kata Combination 7
Kata Combination 8
Blocking Form 3
Self Defense          Dance of Death
Twisting Branch
Haka Dori  
JudoAdults:
O Uchi Gari (Major Inner Reap)
Seoi Nage (Shoulder Throw)
Tani Otoshi (Valley Drop)

Green Belt with white stripe Requirements
(All Green Belt Requirements)  

Stances 
PunchesEar Clap
Spear hand Strike  
Kicks      Roundhouse Kick
Forms        Kata Combination 9
Kata Combination 10
Cat 1
Self DefenseRotating Ram
Praying Mantis Kick
Three Swords
JudoKo Uchi Gari (Minor Inner Reap)
Tai Otoshi (Body Drop)
Harai Goshi (Sweeping Hip)
Weapons      Adults:
Intro to gun, knife, and club technique

Green Belt with black stripe Requirements
(All Green Belt w/white Requirements)


StancesCrane Stance
Neutral Stance
PunchesAngle Punch  
Kicks      Rising Side Blade Kick
Knee
Forms        Kata Combination 11
Kata Combination 12
Circle of the Tiger
Self Defense  Sword of Destruction
Circling Sword
Spinning Sword
JudoAdults:
Koshi Gurma (Hip Wheel)
Tsuri komi Goshi (Lifting Pulling Hip)
Tomoe Nage (Circle Throw)
Weapons      Adults:
1 gun, knife, and club technique

Brown Belt with one stripe (Sankyu) Requirements
(All Green Belt w/black Requirements)  

StancesTwist Stance
PunchesEagle’s Talon
Crab Claw
Bear Paw
Tiger Palm  
Kicks      Hook Kick
Spinning Kook Kick
Roundhouse Ball Kick  
Forms      Kata Combination 13
Kata Combination 14
Cat 2
Self Defense  Tigers Mouth
Ripping Panther
Helping Hand
JudoAdults:
Ko Soto Gake (Minor Outer Hook)
Tsuri Goshi (Minor lifting Hip Throw)
Sukui Nage (Scoop Throw)
Weapons      Adults: 2 gun, knife, and club techniques

Brown belt with TWO stripes (Nikyu) Requirements
(All Sankyu Belt Requirements)  
StancesLady Horse Stance Empty Stance
PunchesLeopard’s Paw Oblique Elbow Trigger Finger Strike Ram Strike  
Kicks      Double Jump Front Ball Kick
Flying Side Blade Kick
Smash Kick
Pin Kick
Forms        Kata Combination 15
Kata Combination 16
Cat 3
Self Defense  Returning Sword
Driving Ram
Cyclone  
JudoAdults:
Ashi Guruma (Leg Wheel)
Utsuri Goshi (Changing Hip)
Kani Basami (Scissors Throw)
Weapons      Adults:
3 gun, knife, and club techniques

Brown Belt with Three stripes (Ikkyu) Requirements
(All Nikyu Belt Requirements)  
StancesTwist Stance
PunchesU Punch
Moral Man
Poison Thumbs
Smothering Strike  
Kicks      Ax Kick
Jumping Crescent Kicks
Spinning Cresent Kicks
Mule Kick
Forms        Kata Combination 17
Kata Combination 18
Statue of the Crane
Self Defense  Spinning Crane
Mountain Cat
Circling Snake  
JudoAdults:
O Soto Makikomi (Major Outer Wraparound)
Osoto Guruma (Major Outer Wheel)
Ushiro Goshi (Rear Hip)
Randori (Mat work)
Weapons      Adults:
4 gun, knife, and club techniques

Black Belt with one stripe (Shodan)
Requirements (All Ikyu Belt Requirements)
 
Stances 
Punches 
Kicks       
Forms        Kata Combination 19
Kata Combination 20
Shushi No Kon Sho
Self DefenseTiger Whips His Tail
Raging Bull
Pressing Vice  
Judo 
Weapons    Adults:
5 gun, knife, and club techniques  

Black Belt with two stripes (Nidan) Requirements
(All Shodan Belt Requirements)  

Stances 
Punches 
Kicks       
Forms       Lin Wan Kune
Cerio’s No Kon Sho
Blocking Form 4
Self Defense 
Judo 
Weapons    Adults:
6 gun, knife, and club techniques
2 Kata with one weapon
1 kata with another weapon

Black Belt with three stripes (Sandan) Requirements
(All Nidan Belt Requirements)  

Stances 
Punches 
Kicks       
Forms        Circle of the Leopard
Kanegawa No Nichogama Sho
Blocking Form 5
Self Defense 
Judo 
Weapons    Adults:
7 gun, knife, and club techniques
3 Kata with one weapon
2 kata with another weapon
1 kata with a third weapon

Black Belt with four stripes (Yondan) Requirements
(All Sandan Belt Requirements)  
Stances 
Punches 
Kicks       
Forms        Matsuhiga no sai
Self Defense 
Judo 
Weapons    Adults:
8 gun, knife, and club techniques
4 Kata with one weapon
3 kata with another weapon
2 kata with a third weapon
1 kata with fourth weapon

Black Belt with five stripes (godan) Requirements
(All Yondan Belt Requirements)  

Stances 
Punches 
Kicks       
Forms      Hamahiga No Tonfa
Self Defense 
Judo 
Weapons    Adults:
9 gun, knife, and club techniques
5 Kata with one weapon
4 kata with another weapon
3 kata with a third weapon
2 with fourth weapon
1 with fifth weapon

Black Belt Ranks above Godan (Shichidan, Haichidan, Kyudan, and Judan) are honorific and require significant contributions to Martial Arts.

As of: August 16, 2024.