Charles Water Karate Student Resources & Testing F.A.Q.
On this page there is a variety of information to make your training experience amazing! We believe when you take your training home it not only fast tracks your success, it cements the knowledge into your persona. At Charles Water Karate and Fitness we want your training experience to be the very best it can be. We not only love when our students practice and study at home, we encourage it 100%.
(Click any item to complete your Practice Schedule and submit it online.)
(Click any item to download a printable PDF file.)
(Click any item to download a printable PDF file.)
“People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity.”
Testing information FAQ
These are questions that are asked by students concerning our testing system. Click any question to display the answer.
Testing is voluntary. Students of all ages, in our belted program, are eligible to test once every four months. When a student promotes to the children’s program from our Karatatot program, this time frame is approximately two months after the move up. Students must have a minimum of 20 attended classes by the end of their third month in order to be eligible for Pre-Testing. Time frames can be accelerated if students are in Black Belt or Leadership Club. Students’ that are red belt through 1st gup are eligible every six months.
Letters are sent out to beginning students eligible for Pre-Testing. A Pre-Test list is also placed on the Testing Wall located across from the front desk. Additionally an email is sent to all perspective candidates.
It is our promotion system. Let me explain…traditional martial art studio’s always had challenging belt promotion testing that took place once every 3 or 4 months. Students either passed or failed. Our philosophy is that we never recommend anyone to fail. So hence the Black Tip System was born. Students that are going from white belt to yellow/white belt get that opportunity one to three months from their karate, their start day. There are no fee’s associated with this promotion. Students need to have a working knowledge of combo #1 and Tiger.
Students that are Yellow/White up to Brown/Black get the opportunity to promote every four months. For instance once you receive any belt Yellow/White to Brown/Black you get the opportunity to promote every four months. There are fee’s associated with this test. However the test is broken down to four monthly categories. One month into your new belt you will learn parts of your new animal form or combo. You need to have a working knowledge, not perfect, of your testing material to receive your virtual red tip. Month #2 you need to be 30% compliant with your testing material in order to receive your 2nd virtual red tip. Month #3 you need to be 60% compliant in order to receive your 3rd virtual tip. The fourth month you need to be 80% compliant, plus demonstrate power and accuracy in order to receive Black Tip and be invited to Presentation Saturday. To sum it up all students in the program get the opportunity to showcase their skills one to two weeks per month all leading to their Black Tip.
If applicable your fees will be deducted from your card on file. $50 white top regular program, $33 black shirts Warrior Club, $28 red shirts. Presentation Saturday takes place every five weeks.
There are two red tip weeks prior to Presentation Saturday. Only Black Tips are invited to Presentation Saturday
All students will be informed immediately.
Once a student passes Black Tip Test they are invited to Presentation Saturday. Times are 2:00 – 3:00 either live or on Zoom. Testing dates are listed on the testing wall.
We want final exam to be a celebration. All students must wear dress uniform tops and bottoms.
Test fees are $50 for students enrolled in our basic program; $33 for Black Belt Club members and $28 for Leadership Club members, payable to Charles Water Karate and Fitness. Applications for testing are given to the student once they pass Pre-Test. If you lose your application a blank one can be found as a PDF under “PDF Forms Library” located on the top of this page. Make-ups are an additional $10. Papers turned in the day of exam are subject to an additional $2 late fee. Fees and applications can be placed in an envelope and placed in the Drop Box. Black Belt Testing fees are $385 for Warrior Club & $365 for Leadership Club.
Once social distancing is eased you can pick up age appropriate wood board by the upper studio office once fees and papers are turned in. While we do not actually practice a wood break in class we do practice the components of wood breaking constantly: focus of eyes, proper use of hip and courage. We will give suggestions on wood breaking. The wood break should be challenging but do-able.
Once a student is invited to Presentation Saturday they have received their Black Tip and have passed to their next belt.