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Adult Rank Testing Requirements for Shaolin Kungfu

Here is a list of the skills studied at each level.

Beginner: 0 months and up

• Daily warm-ups
• Seven fundamental stances
   a. Horse
   b. Bow
   c. Back
   d. Cat
   e. Crane
   f. Box
   g. Dragon
• Dan Tian (belly) breathing
• Circle blocks inward and outward
• 10-point blocking system
• Low, middle, high horizontal punches (10 point punching system)
• Elbow Set
• Peaceful Dragon lineage
• Basic Shaolin kungfu definitions

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Novice: 3 months and up

• Basic Shaolin breathing exercise
• Seven stances stepping w/guard hands, strikes
• Defining three categories of breathing
• Bar & partner leg stretches
• Basic kicks: Front, side, back
• Basic hand weapons: Palm, willow leaf, spear hand
• Basic strikes: Horizontal backfist, vertical backfist
• Stance training:
   a. Three planes
   b. Shao ma bu
   c. Lean Forward and Search for the Sea
   d. Rhino Looks Up at the Moon
   e. Angel Looks in the Mirror
   f. Li Kwai Pointing to the Winner
   g. Swallow Skims the Water
   h. Lying Leg
   i. Sitting Buddha
   j. Reclining Buddha
• Self-defense basics:
   a. Chin na (joint locks) - finger(s), wrist, elbow, shoulder
   b. Strikes to vulnerable targets - eyes, throat, groin, knee
• Promotional techniques 1-5
• Empty-hand forms: Fu Shin Yi and Fu Shin Er
• Nian Shou (sticking hands drill)

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Intermediate: 12 months and up

• Cleansing breath techniques
• Intermediate stepping: Bamboo, Santi, Ting zi bu
• Intermediate kicks: Roundhouse, outside wheel, inside wheel
• Intermediate hand weapons: Tiger's mouth, panther fist, chicken beak
• Intermediate strikes: Rolling backfist, inward chop, outward chop
• Promotional techniques 6-10
• Poke Set
• Empty-hand forms: Ju Jee Chuan, Kenpo One
• Nei gung (internal chi kung) form: Bhodidharma Yi Jin Jing
• Man da (slow sparring)

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Mid-Intermediate: 24 months and up

• Power breathing technique
• Sweeps: Front, back, combo
• Mid-Intermediate stepping: Shuffle, front cross, back cross
• Mid-Intermediate kicks: Hook, axe, rising heel, stomp
• Mid-Intermediate hand weapons: Eagle's talon, tiger claw, dragon tooth fist
• Mid-Intermediate strikes: Uppercut, hook punch, crescent punch
• Promotional techniques 11-15
• Empty-hand forms: Kenpo Two, Kenpo Three
• Weapons form: Shaolin staff
• Wai gung (external chi kung) form: Jin Gung
• Man da (Up tempo slow fighting)

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High-Intermediate: 36 months and up

• Cyclic breathing: 5,7,9 seconds
• High-Intermediate kicks: Spot kick, spinning back kick, spinning wheel (inside, outside)
• High-Intermediate hand weapons: Bear paw, mind fist, mantis fist
• High-Intermediate strikes: Hammer fist, smothering backfist, wheel punch
• Ground techniques: Top mount, side mount, rear mount
• Escapes from above positions
• Closed guard, half guard
• Passing the above guards
• Arm bar, choke, knee bar, ankle lock
• Promotional techniques 16-25
• Breakfalls: Front, side, back, front rollout
• Empty-hand forms: Mei Jung One, Lohan One, Kenpo Four
• Weapons form: Shaolin broadsword
• Two-person form: Kenpo
• Stand-up free sparring

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Advanced: 60 months and up

• Ch'an meditation: Single pointed focus, contemplation
• Shaolin philosophy: Wu-de, cultivation of compassion and wisdom
• Basic First Aid, CPR, Traditional Chinese herbal remedies
• Advanced kicks: Ma ti (horse kick), chicken kick, flying side kick, flying knee, scissors
• Advanced hand weapons: Pressure point (one-finger, two-finger, thumb press)
• Advanced strikes: Crossing, shoulder, hip, head butt
• Advanced chin na: Neck, shoulder, knee, ankle, spine
• Fundamental throws: Waist, neck, front leg hook, back leg hook
• Take-down defenses: Sprawl, back stance
• Promotional Techniques 26-40
• Empty-hand forms: Mei Jung Two and Three, Lohan Two, Kenpo Five and Six
• Weapons forms: Shaolin jian, Shaolin spear
• Two-person forms: Meijung, Lohan
• Combined stand-up and grappling free sparring

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Lao Shr (Instructor): 120 months and up

Assistant Instructor at The Peaceful Dragon, or forming new classes or schools.

Note: To be promoted to Lao Shr (instructor) level, the student must have competed in a minimum of five CACMA or Kuoshu sanctioned tournaments at the Advanced Level, in the following three divisions: Empty-hand forms, weapons forms, continuous sparring. At least two full-contact matches are recommended though not required.

Training in Shuai Chiao is an optional adjunct to your Shaolin Kungfu training. It is recommended but not required to be certified to teach Shaolin Kungfu.

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