PMA JUNIOR CURRICULUM

This is the material that a student will learn over the period of time he is a certain 'kyu' or level such as white KYU belt: white with green stripe, white with blue and white with purple stripe. Kyu levels have a basic color onto which a different colored stripe down the center of the belt indicates the progress being made in that color or kyu. In the following tables, each kyu level (orange, yellow, etc.) generally represents one year of training or material. As you can see, by the end of several years, the student will have acquired a lot of information! And, the student is responsible for that material during testing. There will be other material taught that is not necessarily shown in the tables at this time.

It is important to note that a student may learn some material that is perhaps a year ahead on the table. For example a ninja student may learn some material on the samurai list. This would be a result of being at a camp, perhaps a special class, or being accelerated in that topic. He would not be considered responsible for that on a test but it would show up in his overall skill levels.

Before testing periods (every four months) the teachers in class begin extensive reviews at each level to insure each student has learned sufficient material for that test. This allows the teacher to pick up any items that thes tudent might be behind on.

Belt rank overview

All students start at white belt then progress in this manner.

ninja white kyu                    ninja  orange kyu    ninja yellow             samurai  kyu          samurai  kyu             samurai kyu

white/green stripe white/blue white/purple

orange/green orange/blue orange/purple

yellow/green yellow/blue yellow/purple

green/white green/orange green/yellow

blue/white blue/orange blue/yellow

purple/white purple/orange purple/yellow

Red belts are awarded after the samurai purple belts and have a succession of stripes down the middle than run in sequence:

white, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and brown.

Ninja - White Kyu  (6 to 8 year old, 0 to 12 months of training)

Katas are a series of memorized movements, maybe 20 up to even 80, against an imaginary opponent. It is made up from the strikes and blocks, stances and kicks the student has learned already.

Kata

orange with green stripe, orange with blue stripe, orange with purple stripe

yellow with green stripe, yellow with blue, yellow with purple

green with white stripe, green with orange, and green with yellow stripe

blue with white, blue with orange and blue with yellow stripe

purple with white, purple with orange and purple with yellow stripe

The advanced rank for samurai, highest levels. Stripes are added in order white, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and finally brown.

Red belt material may appear to be brief but in fact it is very complicated, lengthier in katas, involves weapons, and red belts are held to a higher standard of accuracy in technique, development of power, all previous material from the earlier ranks, more sparring, learning how to teach or assist, vocabulary skills, and more.