Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt) is the fourth black belt rank in Kenpo karate and all Japanese martial arts. The rank is always awarded as Yodan/Yondan by a Kenpo karate Yudansha, while those Kenpo Karate instructors who were never awarded a rank by a Yudansha give only a forth degree black belt rank.
The requirements that we require for Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt) may differ slightly from what is taught in the Tracy's System of Kenpo.
There are 548 techniques and variations of the techniques required for a Tracy's Kenpo karate Yodan, Fourth Degree Black Belt.
Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt) consists of 30 Self Defense Techniques and 2 Variations.
The Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt) test will consist of 30 Self-Defense
Techniques learned for Yodan as well as all techniques Yellow thru 3rd Black Belt and
all
Katas Orange thru 3rd Black will be done.
The student should demonstrate to the judges that they are truly ready for this rank by
their power and proficiency in the Techniques and Katas.
The time required to attain Yodan is Approximately 9 years of training after receiving Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt). Students have been studying and/or teaching for approximately 15 or 16 years to achieve the Yodan Rank. This time frame is approximate and denotes continuous training.
At this point in the students training they have learned 548 Self-Defense Techniques and Variations & 19 Katas.