Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) is the fifth black belt rank in Kenpo karate and all Japanese martial arts. Godan is known as the first of the Master Ranks in most martial arts systems. The rank is always awarded as Godan by a Kenpo karate Yudansha, while those Kenpo Karate instructors who were never awarded a rank by a Yudansha give only a fifth degree black belt rank.
There are 605 techniques and variations of the techniques required for a Tracy's Kenpo Karate Godan, Fifth Degree Black Belt. The Techniques and requirements that we require for Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) may differ slightly from what is taught in the Tracy's System of Kenpo.
Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) consists of 37 Self Defense Techniques and 19 Variations. We only have 37 instead of 41 (as on the Tracy's list) because we teach 4 of the techniques in the lower belts.
The Godan (5th Degree Black Belt) test will consist of 37 Self-Defense
Techniques learned for Godan as well as all techniques Yellow thru 4th 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 Godan is approximately 14 years of training after receiving Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt). Students have been studying and/or teaching for approximately 20 or 21 years to achieve the Godan Rank. This time frame is approximate and denotes continuous training.
At this point in the students training they have learned 602 Self-Defense Techniques and Variations & 20 Katas.