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Exam program 4th KYUPrerequisites:th A minimum of 6 months practice twice a week since the last exam (5 KYU)
thth
 Knowledge of the techniques and theory required for 6 and 5 KYU exams
 Consent of the dojo’s technical director.
The literal translation of some Japanese terms is placed between quotation marks “…“.

Dojo behavior(continuation)

Notions to understand / know

Advanced and beginners: advanced aikidokas (and teachers) are responsible forbeginners. They have to be guided from beginning, at least until their 6th KYU exam. Thebeginners must feel that they are welcome and accepted. They are to be coached byadvanced and teachers. New members guarantee the survival of the dojo. As Aikido is aschool of life, an advanced aikidoka who often takes care of the beginners, progresses
faster on his/her way.
Work with 2+ uke, finish the techniques, uke goesto ground, but tori remains standing (noKakari geikoimmobilization on the ground)Work with several uke, only the outline of theTaninzu toritechnique
The most frequent way of training: flexible,Kigataspacious, big movements, fluent attacks
Way of training hard, strong, one gives uke time
Tanrento grab tightly, disciplined training“True or real sword; live blade”. Way of training
fast, rapid and short, killing with single blow…,
Shinkenrealistic training
Terminology originating from Hojo
Tate ichi monji“both hands in a vertical position”
Terminology originating from Hojo
Yoko ichi monji“both hands in a horizontal position”“Throw off balance on the jodan level”, orJodan kuzushi“intention to attack the face”
Terminology originating from Hojo
Shimo han en”lower semicircle”
Terminology originating from Hojo
Kami han en“upper semicircle”

Tsugi ashi
Tai / ashi sabaki

1“moving of the body / the legs (feet)”Okuri ashi
Ayumi ashi
Sonoba (Hojo) kaiten ukemi

Ukemi

Gyaku ashi kaiten ukemi“rolls”

Tai hineri kaiten ukemi

Sliding step
Like a sliding step, but do not close the legs, one
keeps a small space between the feet (for thehorse…)
Rear foot goes beyond the front foot and stays
open, almost perpendicular to the line.
Sonoba: “on the spot, at this place”. Uke and tori
grip each other at the wrist and uke trains the highfalls, on the spot.
Forward roll on the arm opposed to the leg infront.
Hineri: “twist”. Forward roll to the rear where one
throws the arm over the opposed shoulder (orover the same shoulder), it results a contortion of
the body in the air before rolling.

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For further details and descriptions of the movements, with drawing for support, please refer to the San Shin Kai Letter No. 3,
article “ASHI SABAKI”, can be downloaded at www.dojo-ne.ch, column San Shin Kai Letter.

These exam programs are built up following the teaching systematic ofth
Aikido conceived by Sensei Masatomi Ikeda, 7 dan, former technicaldirector of Swiss Aikikai.

© Eric Graf, 17/02/2016

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Technical program
Attacks

Techniques

Explanations, theoreticalcomplement“practice on the knees”

SUWARIWAZA
Shomenuchi kiawase

1

Ikkyo omote

basic, ikkyo osae

2

Ikkyo ura

1. basic, ikkyo osae
2. linear at entry mae ashi tenkan“standing practice”

TACHIWAZAShomenuchi kiawase

345678

Ikkyo omote
Ikkyo ura
Nikyo omote
Nikyo ura
Ikkyo ura
Shihonage omote

9Shihonage ura

10 Iriminage
Katatetori aihanmi
11 Kotegaeshi
12 Udekimenage
13 Uchikaitennage
14 Ikkyo omote
15 Ikkyo ura

Katatetori gyakuhanmi

16 Kotegaeshi
17 Iriminage
18 Shihonage omote
19 Shihonage ura
20 Tenchinage
21 Genkeikokyunage

Ryotetori

22 Udekimenage
23 Kiriotoshi (chinshin)
24 Udekimenage
Katate ryotetori

25 Kotegaeshi
26 Kotegaeshi

Ushiro ryotetori

272829303132

Katatori menuchi
Yokomenuchi

thExamination program 4 KYU

Shihonage
Kotegaeshi
Shihonage
Shihonage
Iriminage
Kotegaeshi

basic, ikkyo osae
basic, nikyo omote osae
basic, on hijikime osae, nikyo ura osae
kakarigeiko (2 uke): flow & harmony!
1. directly,
initial contact
chudan yin omotejodan kuzushi
2. tenkan tenshin,shimo han en,
initial contact
jodan yang omote
3. irimi tenkan tenshin,for 1. omote, for 2.
initial contact
omote/ura, 3. ura
jodan yang omote
omote/ura. Irimi tenkan (transform in gyaku)
1. irimi tenkan tenshin (remote-control)for 1, variation,
1. irimi tenkan tenshin,liberation with holdinitial contact
jodan yang, for 2, basic
chudan yang omote
form, atemi
2. tenkan tenshin,initial contact
liberation with holdjodan yang omotejodan yin
1. direct
2. irimi tenkan
4 forms (free)irimi tenkan

Liberation with holdchudan yin
jodan kuzushi

tenkan tenshin (initial contact jodan yang omote)kigata, irimi tenkan tenshin(initial contact chudan yin omote)
1. theory kotegaeshi (tate ichi monji)
2. theory irimi nage (yoko ichi monji)
karamiosae (tate ichi monji, 2 forms possible)
1. uchi no te
2. kata no tecounter-attack yokomenon entry makiotoshi

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Theoretical knowledge: introduction to the systematic of Aikido
The aspects and notions presented in this text do not have to be learned by heart, but must be
understood. The Aikido student should be encouraged to ask questions to the trainer if this text has
awoken his curiosity in even the slightest way

Two expressions are born from the neutral principle of ikkyo, yin and yang: tenchi nage and genkei
kokyu nage. These two expressions can be found everywhere, in every movement, in all techniques.
The triangle with the principle of ikkyo on the top and the two pole techniques (opposed to each other)symbolizes the birth and the presence of the dualism in the physical world.
The square: ikkyo, kotegaeshi, irimi nage and shiho nage are the four basic techniques which form thepillar of the Aikido systematic introduced by Ikeda Sensei.
The entire didactic system of Ikeda sensei is built on 6 techniques. They form together the examthprogram of the 6 kyu, the first grade one can attain in Aikido. So the foundation stone of Aikido is laidat the very beginning.
To paint the scenery of the world of Aikido, one has to understand these 6 techniques and also
understand in full detail what the 6 techniques represent. Each consecutive exam program brings alittle bit more exactness about this subject. Studying aikido in order to find the technique present inevery technique and the movement at the base of all movements. One now arrives at the techniquecalled furizuki kokyu nage (振り突き呼吸投げ). This movement consists of simply raising the arm asillustrated in the drawing below.
This movement is in all movements because, atrest, the arms of the human being are hanging
down along the body. If one wants to express amovement with the arm, one has to begin to raise
one of them, at least a little bit. This initial
movement can be more or less pronounced andwhen extended to the level of the face, theresulting throw is called furizuki kokyu nage, it is
the most simple and direct technique. Thus,
whichever technique will be realized, furizuki
kokyu nage is present, it is the core of Aikido.

furizuki kokyu nage, raise an armthExamination program 4 KYU

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One has intentionally omitted to include hands on the above drawn person, because at this level ofdetail of Aikido, there exists neither yin nor yang, it is the hands which decide whether the expression
will be either yin or yang (drawing below).

hands express the attitude and energy yin

hands express the attitude and energy yang

The technique furizuki kokyu nage corresponds with the breathing form su no kokyu, which exists intotally natural breathing, without specific movements of the body (typically for meditation in thebeginning and the end of each training). This is the breathing, which can be found in all other forms ofbreathing, because it reflects the fact of natural breathing!
If we add to the technique of furizuki kokyu nage another movement, which can be simply lowering thearm, one expresses the principle of ikkyo (raising and lowering the arm). The world of dualism anddiscernment emanates from the principle of ikkyo which is without judgment neither yin nor yang, andexists also all movement. Yes, every arm going up will end up coming down again!
thThe principle of ikkyo corresponds to the breathing A UN no kokyu (see 6 kyu), breathing which
symbolizes the union and annihilation of yin and yang, elevation of the spirit above dualism.
th

The circle symbolizes the 5 element, which consists of the four other elements and the two
expressions of yin and yang simultaneously. The technique representing the fifth element is uchi
thkaiten nage, introduced in the 5 kyu exam. The corresponding breathing form is ki mussubi no teth
kokyu (see 6 kyu) which is expressed through the hands in the attitude of either yin or yang.

one hand yin, the other yang: this is the position used while executing the technique uchi kaiten nageth

Examination program 4 KYU