Shaolin Kungfu Rank Testing Requirements

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

Block A White Sash: 0 months and up

  • Daily warm-ups
  • Seven fundamental stances
  1. Horse
  2. Bow
  3. Back
  4. Cat
  5. Crane
  6. Box
  7. Dragon
  • Kicks: front, side, back
  • Circle blocks inward and outward
  • 10-point blocking system
  • Low, middle, high horizontal punches (10 point punching system)
  • Elbow Set
  • Dan Tian (belly) breathing
  • Basic Shaolin kungfu definitions

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Block B Yellow and Orange Sash: 3 months and up

  • Shaolin breathing method in natural, horse, crane and lying leg stances
  • Cleansing breath techniques
  • Defining three categories of breathing
  • Seven stances stepping w/guard hands, strikes
  • Hand weapons: palm, willow leaf, spear hand
  • Vertical punches: high, middle, low
  • Breakfalls: Front, side, back, front rollout, kip ups
  • Forward roll
  • Five star blocking set
  • Kicks: Roundhouse, outside wheel, inside wheel, rising heel, hook, front side combination, crane with snap kicks
  • Strikes: horizontal backfist, vertical backfist, rolling backfist, inward chop, outward chop
  • Stance training:
  1. Three planes
  2. Shao ma bu
  3. Lean Forward and Search for the Sea
  4. Rhino Looks Up at the Moon
  5. Angel Looks in the Mirror
  6. Li Kwai Pointing to the Winner
  7. Swallow Skims the Water
  8. Lying Leg
  9. Sitting Buddha
  10. Reclining Buddha
  • Self-defense basics:
  1. Chin na (joint locks) – finger(s), wrist, elbow, shoulder
  2. Strikes to vulnerable targets – eyes, throat, groin, knee
  • Promotional techniques 1-6
  • Empty-hand forms: Fu Shin Yi, Fu Shin Er, Tan Tui 1-3
  • Nei gung (internal chi kung) form: Bhodidharma Yi Jin Jing
  • Weapon drills: Short sticks/Nunchuks whenever Block C & D do weapon forms
  • Man da (slow sparring)

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Block C Green, Purple, Blue, and Brown Sash: 15 months and up

  • Cyclic breathing 5, 7, 9 seconds
  • Power breathing technique
  • Sweeps: Front, back, combination
  • Stepping: Shuffle, front cross, back cross, San ti
  • Kicks: Hook, axe, rising heel, stomp, spinning back kick, spinning wheel (inside and outside), front and side stomp kick to knee, vertical and roundhouse knee strikes, jump front kick, jump kick
  • Takedown: Scissors kick takedown
  • Hand weapons: Tiger’s mouth, panther fist, chicken beak, eagle claw, bear paw, mind fist, mantis fist
  • Strikes: Uppercut, hook punch, crescent punch,  smothering backfist, wheel punch, hammer fist, spinning back fist
  • Fundamental ground techniques and escapes: Top mount, side mount, rear mount
  • Closed guard, half guard and passing guards
  • Arm bar, rear choke
  • Promotional techniques: 7-24
  • Empty-hand forms: Poke Set, Tan Tui 1-6, Kenpo 4, Meijung 1, Kenpo 2-man
  • Weapons form: Shaolin staff, Shaolin broadsword
  • Wai gung (external chi kung) form: Jin Gung
  • Man da (Up tempo slow fighting)
  • Stand-up free sparring

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Block D Disciple (Black Sash with White Stripe): 60 months and up

  • Ch’an meditation: Single pointed focus, contemplation
  • Shaolin philosophy: Wu-de, cultivation of compassion and wisdom
  • Kicks: Ma ti (horse kick), chicken kick, flying knee, flying side kick
  • Pressure point: one-finger, two-finger, thumb press
  • Strikes: Crossing, shoulder, hip, head butt
  • Chin na: Neck, shoulder, knee, ankle, spine
  • Throws and Takedowns: Waist, neck, front leg hook, back leg hook
  • Take-down defenses: Sprawl, back stance
  • Promotional Techniques: Instructor’s Choice
  • Empty-hand forms: Mei Jung 2-3, Lohan 1 and 2, Kenpo 1-3, 5, 6, Ju Jee Chuan, Lohan 2-man
  • Weapons forms: Shaolin jian, Shaolin spear
  • Combined stand-up and grappling free sparring

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Block D Lao Shr (Instructor): 120 months and up

Able to assist as an Instructor at The Peaceful Dragon, or able to form 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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