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In many martial arts, a student's progress is earmarked by advancement through a series of ranks, which are frequently denoted by colored belts. The UGA Karate Club employs such a system. Students are formally tested at various times during the year, and those who show a sufficient degree of skill are advanced to the next belt rank. The process is nowhere near as mechanically precise as this description indicates, however. A student's determination and attitude are much more important than his or her physical skills, and there is no exact way to measure these attributes. In short, if you come in and grit your teeth and show that you care about what you're doing, it will overshadow whatever flaws may exist in your actual technique.
Attendance is also a factor at test time. While the club has no set attendance policy, the instructors do tend to notice who has been showing up and who has not. If your attendance has been very poor, it is doubtful that you will be selected to test.
Below is a list of the belt ranks the Karate Club utilizes, in order. Click on a rank to see the general test requirements for that belt. Also note that the UGA Karate Club grants white belt status to all beginning members; there are no test requirements for that level. You will not receive the actual belt until you purchase a uniform, however.
Important: Keep in mind that the listed test requirements are not always precise; on a given test you may well be called upon to perform techniques that are not on the sheet. Time constraints will also cut a test short every so often. Hence, consider these test sheets guidelines, not law. Expect the unexpected, be ready to think on your feet, and do your best when someone throws you a curve ball.