In Martial Arts a person will earn titles as they advance though their studies. There are no formal titles in the Kyu levels but are still referred to with the respectful titles of Mr. and Mrs. by the instructors. This is an instructor's way of showing respect to the students. Fellow Kyu level students do not have to use respectful titles with each other.

Non-Instructor titles
All Dan levels are addressed with Mr. or Mrs. by all Kyu level students.

All Master levels are addressed with Master by all Kyu and Dan level students.

Instructor titles
All Dan level instructors above probationary level are addressed with their instructor level
title. All Master level instructors below Shihan level are addressed as Master.

When a Master level student has earned Senfu level instructor, they will not be become
Senfu but Shihan and can be addressed with ether the formal title of Shihan or as Master.
Shihan is the highest title a student can earn.

The highest title in Shinkyu Kenpo is Soke or Grandmaster. This is not a title earned by time and testing. It is a title of office and head of the Shinkyu Kenpo System and Association.

The Shinkyu Kenpo system has two pre ranking levels (Kenpo Kids, Juniors) and three belt ranking levels (Kyu, Dan, and Master) to designate various degrees or levels of proficiency, knowledge, and experience. Shinkyu Kenpo also has a separate Instructor ranking system.

Kyu - means "To seek" , "beginning"
There are ten Kyu levels pre pairing the student to become a black belt. Though out the Kyu levels students will learn that "Only perfect practice makes perfect" in everything they learn, and we will help them to teach themselves the importance of this. They will also work their body to become more flexible and stronger in everything they do. The key to a good martial arts practitioner is Speed, Precision, and Strength and we will guide them to become more than they ever dreamed they could be.

Kyu level students wear an all white gi and system t-shirt that is the same color as their belt.
Each Kyu level has a required amount of classes an student must attend before they are considered for advancement. Each group (Junior, Teens, and Adults) has a different amount of classes they must attend. This is done to insure our younger students have time to learn the Shinkyu Kenpo curriculum.

Kyu - White Belt - Intro Level
	Students are introduced to basic dojo etiquette, creeds, rules, leg dynamics warm-up, and stances. Students also learn basic tumbling, falling, and agility skills to build confidence. Students will learn basic blocks, kicks, balance, and strikes at this intro level. Curriculum: The only curriculum the student must face and pass at this level is the willingness to learn, facing their fears, and dedicate their time for study. Attendance Requirements: There are no attendance requirements for this level and an student can advance when they and their instructors feel they are ready.
Kukyu - Yellow Belt - Beginning Level
	Students must be at least 10 years of age to advance to this level. Once a Junior level student turns 10 and the instructors feel they are ready, then that student is moved up into the Teen ranks as a yellow belt. Students will learn advanced blocks, kicks, balance, and strikes at this level. Students also learn Tumbling, Falling, and Agility drills. Students will also learn their first two katas and sixteen techniques. Students are introduced to single Push Hands sparing to learn about their opponent from a single touch. Curriculum: 16 Yellow Belt Techniques and 2 Yellow Belt Katas Attendance Requirements: Teens - 27 Classes Adults - 18 Classes
Hachikyu - Gold Belt - Beginning Level
	At this level, students are introduced to a full level training regiment that will be the training structure from this point on. At this point on students will learn 32 techniques and two to four katas depending on the belt level. Students will be introduced to two handed Push Hands sparing. It is at this level students can dawn the system, flag, and school patches on too their gis. Curriculum: 32 Gold Belt Techniques and 2 Gold Belt Katas Attendance Requirements: Teens - 54 Classes Adults - 36 Classes
Shichikyu - Orange Belt - Beginning Level
	Students are introduced to full contact sparing to learn about themselves and their opponents in real life fighting situations. Curriculum: 32 Orange Belt Techniques and 2 Orange Belt Katas Attendance Requirements: Teens - 54 Classes Adults - 36 Classes
Rokukyu - Purple Belt - Intermediate Level
	At this belt level and up Teen and Adult students may be asked to join one of the following two clubs STORM (Special Team Of Role Models) Teens (ages 10 -14) Black Belt Club (ages 15 and up) Curriculum: 32 Purple Belt Techniques and 3 Purple Belt Katas Attendance Requirements: Teens - 81 Classes Adults - 54 Classes
Gokyu - Blue Belt - Intermediate Level
	Students are introduced to pugil stick sparing. Curriculum: 32 Blue Belt Techniques and 3 Blue Belt Katas Attendance Requirements: Teens - 81 Classes Adults - 54 Classes
Shikyu - Green Belt - Intermediate Level
	Students are introduced to the Kubotan techniques and katas. Curriculum: 32 Green Belt Techniques and 3 Green Belt Katas 16 Kubotan Techniques and 1 Kubotan Kata Attendance Requirements: Teens - 81 Classes Adults - 54 Classes
Sankyu - Red Belt - Advanced Level
	Students must be at least 15 years of age to advance to this level. students are introduced to their first weapons katas and techniques. Curriculum: 32 Red Belt Techniques and 3 Red Belt Katas 32 Escrima Techniques and 1 Escrima Kata Attendance Requirements: Adults - 81 Classes
Nikyu - Brown Belt - Advanced Level
	Students must be at least 16 years of age to advance to this level. Curriculum: 32 Brown Belt Techniques and 3 Brown Belt Katas 32 Cane Techniques and 2 Cane Kata Attendance Requirements: Adults - 81 Classes
Ichikyu - Brown over Black Belt - Upper Advanced Level
	This level is a mandatory one year belt level. Students are jugged to the highest level in all Shinkyu Kenpo standards everyday during this year and will not be asked to become a black belt until they continually meet Shinkyu Kenpo black belt standards. Students will not be told if they do not meet Shinkyu Kenpo black belt standards. They simply will not be asked to promote. It is up to the student to chouse for themselves if they want to become a Shinkyu Kenpo black belt. It is also at this level a student may choose to start the Masters training and apply for Instructor Internship. Curriculum: 32 Advanced Techniques and 2 Advanced Katas 32 Jo Staff Techniques and 2 Jo Staff Kata Attendance Requirements: Adults - 108 Classes

Dan - means step or degree, black belt.
Students must be at least 18 years of age to advance to Shodan. It is here that students will start to perfect their Shinkyu Kenpo skills though body, mind, and spirit training to become perfect Kenpo practitioners. But in Shinkyu Kenpo we don't just want to be great at Kenpo, we want to be well rounded martial artists. This is also the beginning down a path where the students will learn about other martial art systems. Their techniques and katas so that we can not only appreciate our own system more in what it has to offer, but what other systems have to offer as well.

Curriculum: 32 Krav Maga Techniques 32 Target Focus Training Techniques 32 Bo Staff Techniques and 2 Bo Staff Kata

Nidan - 2° Black Belt Curriculum: 32 Aikido Techniques 32 Tai Chi Chuan Techniques 32 Karambit Techniques and 1 Karambit Kata Sandan - 3° Black Belt Curriculum: 32 Jeet Kune Do Techniques 32 Marine Corps Martial Arts Techniques 32 Chinese Broadsword Techniques and 2 Chinese Broadsword Kata Yondan - 4° Black Belt Curriculum: 32 Modern Ninjutsu Techniques 32 Taekwondo Techniques 32 Bokken Techniques and 2 Bokken Kata Godan - 5° Black Belt Curriculum: 32 Jujutsu Techniques 32 Judo Techniques Rokudan - 6° Black Belt Nanadan - 7° Black Belt Hachidan - 8° Black Belt Kudan - 9° Black Belt

In Shinkyu Kenpo the Master level is not a level given because a student who has endured time and reached a certain Black Belt rank. It is given only to those who have gone that extra mile and taken the hard road in their training. A student may start down the Master path at Ichikyu by learning much more (twice as much as other students) at each belt level for the next 5 Dan levels and are judged more severely on their tests (Masters are held at higher standards). This is a path that takes years to achieve and shows no reward or any indication that a student has taken this path. Nor may the student tell anyone they have taken this path. These students must stay humble as they watch their peers and students they may have taught at kyu levels pass them in the black belt levels.

Once the student has passed their Godan (5° Black Belt) test or higher (depending on when they started down the masters path) plus all the Masters material required, they will become a 1° Master. If the student holds a Senfu instructor level or higher at the time they become a Master they then become a Shihan instructor (teacher among teachers).

Master Gi
All Master levels dawn the traditional kenpo black gi. The gi tops are embroidered with their name on the right breast, their school patch on the left breast and the SKA eagle logo on the back. Master belt ranks can start at the same level as the 5° Black Belt level but are given the respect of being a higher level that Kudan (9° Black Belt).

Master Belts
The Master belts are embroidered in metallic gold with the Shinkyu Kenpo seal and student name on the right side of the belt, and Shinkyu Kenpo in kanji and the Master level on the left side of the belt.

1° Masters Belt 2° Masters Belt 3° Masters Belt 4° Masters Belt 5° Masters Belt

The Grandmaster belt is not a belt of rank. It is a belt of office that the president of the Shinkyu Kenpo Association or Soke (Grandmaster) wears. At this time the belt is worn by our Shodai Soke (Founder and Grandmaster). The Soke must be at least a Master level and will still continue to train though the Master levels and earn their ranks. The Grandmaster belt is worn only on special occasions, events, and when the Soke is instructing black belt classes. When the Soke has learned all that the 5° Masters level has to offer, the Grandmaster belt then becomes a belt of rank. Only the Soke can achieve 6° Masters level. Even though becoming a 6° Master offers nothing new in training, it states that the Soke has not only been taught all that Shinkyu Kenpo has to offer, but has dedicated their life, body, mind, and spirit too Shinkyu Kenpo and the martial arts.

Soke - Grandmaster Belt

All Shinkyu Kenpo instructors are professional Martial Artists, black belts and are indicated by a patch on their right shoulder. Shinkyu Kenpo instructors go though ever increasing levels of training much like their belt training, and the level of their instructor training and time as an instructor is indicated by the different patches listed below.

Shinkyu Kenpo uses this structure to separate belt ranks from instructor ranks. This does not mean a 2° Black Belt that is a Drill instructor knows more than a 4° Black Belt that is a first level instructor. It just means the Drill instructor has had more experience teaching and has earned their instructor rank. As students the 2° Black Belt will always give the respect deserved to the 4° Black Belt. But in a teaching situation the first level instructor will give the respect deserved to the Drill instructor, no matter what their belt rank.

	Intern This is the only instructor level that can be given to a non black belt. Once a student has reached Ichikyu and they are ether considering a career in Shinkyu Kenpo or they want to become a volunteer instructor; they may be come an intern. Internship is a one year commitment, long hours, and they must do everything an instructor asks of them. During this time an intern will learn what is needed to become an instructor.
	Volunteer Not everyone who wants to become an instructor wants to make it their career, but they do want to give something back and help. They can become a volunteer instructor. At this level the student has reached Shodan and has been an intern for at least one year and passed their first instructor test. Volunteers will assist instructors in classes and help teach. Volunteers do not get paid for their participation and help but can get a reduction in their tuition or exemption of tuition depending on the amount of participation and help. Volunteer instructors must retest every three years.
	Probationary At this level a student has reached Shodan and has been an intern for at least one year and passed their first instructor course and test. They have proven they have what is needed to become an instructor and want to make this a career. This is a full time position like any other job. This level is a one year commitment. Probationers will assist instructors in classes and help teach.
	Instructor First level instructors are given their own class if available, and assist in teaching Kyu beginning & intermediate belt levels.
	Drill Instructor Drill instructors are our main teaching force and teach all Kyu belt levels. They are generally given multiple classes.
	Senior Drill Instructor Senior Drill instructors teach all Kyu levels and assist in teaching the black belt levels below their belt rank if needed.
	Staff Instructor Staff Instructors help run the day to day proceedings of the dojo. Manage events, teach advanced Kyu levels and black belt classes. Staff Instructors are also part of the administration team and help make decisions that effect to running of the school. They are the Senfu's right hand and the second in charge to the Senfu and the school, and are able to run the school if the Senfu is away. Only one Staff instructor per school.
	Senfu Senfu instructors are more than high level instructors. They are the Manager of the dojo and in charge of all administration decisions that effect the running of the school. Only one Senfu instructor per school. "Sen-FÜ"; Senfu is a Shinkyu Kenpo made up title that is derived from both the Japanese title "Sensei" (term for a teacher) and the Chinese title "Sifu" (term for a master or teacher). Because Shinkyu Kenpo is a blend of both Japanese and Chinese systems we felt it fitting that the title of our head instructors reflect this blend. We took "Sen" from Sensei and "Fu" from Sifu and put them together to create "Senfu" our term for teacher.
	Senfu-sama To achieve a Senfu-sama level a Senfu must do the time. It takes ten years of hard work running a dojo to earn this level. Senfu-sama level instructors may run a second dojo under there charge. If a Senfu-sama is managing two dojos they will ware a gold chevron under their Senfu-sama instructor patch indicating a second dojo. The second dojo must have a Senfu in place. The "Sama" honorific is a Japanese formal title primarily used in addressing persons much higher in rank than oneself. We use it to honor our hard working Senfu. This is the highest instructor level for Dan level belts.
	Shihan Shihan level is reserved for Senfu or Senfu-sama instructors who have achieved 1° Master level in their studies. Or Master level students who have achieved the instructor level of Senfu. Shihan is the only level where an instructor can run more than two dojos and become a Head Master of a new House (branch of schools). Shihan level instructors who become a Head Master have the honor to name their new House and design the new school patch that all students in this new branch of schools will ware on their gis. A Head Master will ware a gold chevron under their Shihan instructor patch for every dojo in their house. Every dojo a Shihan instructor runs must have a Senfu or Senfu-sama in place. "Shi han"; Shihan is Japanese title used in martial arts. The term means "teacher among teachers"