Below are links and information for those interested, organized for Aikido test preparation. 2/3/06: This page is being updated, so some of the links are broken.

There are actually two ranking systems in Ki Aikido: one for Ki Development ("Ki tests") and the other for actual Aikido proficiency (usually just called "tests"). This section will hopefully provide a run-down of the requirements of the Aikido tests in a general way. Nothing will prepare you for testing except hard practice.

The Shin Shin Toitsu Do Rank System

	Beginning Ranks	Advanced Ranks (black belt and on)
Ki Ranks	shokyu chukyu jokyu	shoden chuden okuden
Aikido Ranks	gokyu (5th kyu) yonkyu (4th kyu) sankyu (3rd kyu) nikyu (2nd kyu) ikkyu (1st kyu)	shodan (1st degree black belt) nidan (2nd degree) sandan (3rd degree) yondan and above (4th through 10th)

A student has no rank when beginning Aikido. The first tests are for 5th kyu (gokyu) and shokyu ki rank. These are either taken concurrently or within several months of each other. After these tests, the student may join the Ki Society and become a registered member in Japan.

Periodically, a student tests for higher ranks, which count down through the kyu ranks, and then up through degrees of black.

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Test Requirements

Shin-Shin Toitsu Aikido waza
(Criteria for promotional Exams)

Rank	Hitori Waza and Taigi	Kumi Waza	KKS Requirements
Gokyu (5th kyu)	1) Udemawashi 2) Udefuri 3) Udefuri Choyaku 4) Sayu 5) Ushiro Ukemi (back roll) 6) Zempou Kaiten (forward roll)	1) Katatekosadori Kokyunage 2) Katatedori Tenkan Kokyunage A) Katatedori Ikkyo^ (Irimi & Tenkan) B) Kokyu Dosa	Oneness Rhythm Taiso with someone counting
Yonkyu (4th kyu)	7) Ikkyo 8) Zengo 9) Happo 10) Zenshin-Koshin a) Shikko	3) Katadori Ikkyo^ 4) Munatsuki Koteoroshi* 5) Yokomenuchi Shihonage 6) Shomenuchi Kokyunage C) Katatedori Irimi Kokyunage D) Katatedori Kokyunage Zenpou	Oneness Rhythm Taiso w/ count & Taigi 5
Sankyu (3rd kyu)	11) Funakogi 12) Nikyo 13) Sankyo 14) Koteoroshi b) Tenkan	7) Katadori Nikyo^* 8) Katatori Sankyo^* 9) Katatori Yonkyo^* 10) Yokomenushi Zenpounage 11) Ryotedori Zenpounage E) Ryotemochi Irimi Kokyunage F) Katate Kosadori Koteoroshi G) Katatedori Kaitennage^ H) Ryotedori Shihonage	Hitori Waza with someone counting & Taigi 1
Nikyu (2nd kyu)	15) Kaho Tekubikosa 16) Joho Tekubikosa 17) Ushirodori 18) Ushirotekubidori Zenshin 19) Ushirotekubidori Koshin c) Tobikoshi Ukemi (leap roll) One taigi from #1 through #9	12) Ushirotekubidori Zenpounage 13) Ushirotekubidori Kubijime Sankyonage 14) Ryotedori Tenchinage^ 15) Ushirodori Kokyunage Zenpou 16) Ryotemochi Kokyunage Enundo I) Munatsuki Ikkyo^ J) Ryotedori Zenpounage (3 arts) K) One Person Randori	Hitori Waza with count & Basic 8 Arts
Ikkyu (1st kyu)	Hitori Waza: All Two Taigi from #1 through #9	17) Zagi Handachi Shomenuchi Kokyunage 18) Zagi Handachi Munatsuki Koteoroshi* 19) Zagi Handachi Yokomenuchi Zenpounage 20) Munatsuki Zenpounage 21) Munatsuki Sudori 22) Munatsuki Kaitennage 23) Ryotemochi Koteoroshi 24) Ryotemochi Kokyunage Hachi-no-Ji 25) Yokomenuchi Koteoroshi 26) Yokomenuchi Kokyunage Hachi-no-Ji 27) Shomenuchi Koteoroshi 28) Shomenuchi Ikkyo^ 29) Ushirotekubidori Koteoroshi 30) Ushirotekubidori Ikkyo^ L) Keri Waza (3 Arts) M) Ushiro Ryokatadori Kokyunage (3 Arts) N) Basic 8 Arts O) Two Person Randori	Kitei Taigi
^ Irimi and Tenkan * Katameru Kneeling Pin		Numbered items indicate requirements of Ki no Kenkyukai Lettered items indicate requirements of Midland Ki Federation

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Oneness Rhythm Taiso (O.R.E.)

This is a series of videos of the Oneness Rhythm Exercises performed by Jill Nielsen sensei of the Kingston Ki Society in Ontario, Canada, a dojo of Ki Aikido Ontario.

http://www.kiaikido.ca/kiaikido/index_html/guide/oneness/oneness.htm

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Taigi List

This is the list directly from the mothership: Ki-Aikido USA.

http://ki-aikido.net/TAIGI/TaigiList.html

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List of Dojos

Here are links to headquarters and the dojos of the Midwest Ki Federation.
For a complete list, visit the directory of Ki Aikido USA HQ.

Headquarters - Koichi Tohei sensei, Shinichi Tohei sensei

Ki no Kenkyukai (Ki Society International) - Japan - http://www.ki-society.com/english/

Ki Aikido USA Headquarters - Seattle, WA - http://ki-aikido.net/

Midland Ki Federation - Chief Instructor Koichi Kashiwaya sensei

Kansas

Kansas Ki Society - Lawrence, KS - http://www.kansaskiaikido.org/index.php - Dr. Andrew Tsubaki sensei

Midland Ki Society - Kansas City, KS - http://www.kckiaikido.com/ - Vic Montgomery sensei

Missouri

Saint Louis Ki Society - Saint Louis, MO - http://www.stlki.org/ - Mark Rubbert sensei

Colorado

Rocky Mountain Ki Society - Denver, CO - http://www.kiaikidocolorado.org/ - Russell Smith sensei

Westminster Dojo - Metro Denver, CO - http://www.kiaikidocolorado.org/locations.shtml - Kevin Eta sensei

Denver Ki-Aikido - Denver, CO - http://www.kiaikidocolorado.org/locations_denver.shtml - Sunsan Chandler sensei

Boulder Ki-Aikido - Boulder, CO - http://www.aikidoki.net/ - Abel Villacorta & Jill Miyamoto

CSU Fort Collins Dojo - http://www.fortaikido.net/Home/Home.html - Russell Smith sensei

Arizona

Yuma Ki-Aikido - Yuma, AZ - http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/reach/224/ - Matthew Spriggs sensei

Illinois

Genkikai Club - University of Chicago, IL - http://genkikai.uchicago.edu/ - Kagan Arik sensei

Texas

Austin Ki Aikido Center - Austin, TX - http://www.akac.org/ - Kathey Ferland sensei

Houston Ki-Aikido - Sugar Land, TX - http://houstonkiaikido.org/ - Craig Hocker sensei

Washington

Northwest Martial Arts Ki-Aikido - Seattle, WA - http://www.nwmartialarts.com/ - Craig Krohn sensei

Seattle Ki Society - Seattle, WA - http://www.seattlekisociety.org/ - Michael Scarey sensei

Virginia

Blue Ridge Ki-Aikido - Charlottesville, VA - http://www.blueridgekiaikido.org/ - Jonathan Doner sensei

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Dojo Etiquette

There are few rules in Ki Aikido that are hard and fast, but proper etiquette is a must.
It ensures comfort, safety and cooperation among everyone on and off the mat. Here are the most basic eight; the rest will come eventually.

One) Make sure that your body, particularly your hands and feet, and that your gi (uniform) are reasonably clean and fresh smelling when you come to train. No one wants to roll around in filth, nor train with someone who smells bad.

Two) Bow before entering and leaving the dojo. Bow to the Ki sign before stepping on and off the mat. In case you've forgotten, this may remind you why you came.

Three) Try to arrive to practice at least 10 minutes early, but at the very least be in line by the time class starts so sensei can bow in on time. Being needlessly late is disrespectful to sensei, who is offering you both his time and knowledge.

Four) Sometimes it's unavoidable, so when you ARE running late, enter quietly and sit seiza on the edge of the mat until sensei acknowledges you and invites you to join.

Five) When sensei asks a question, answer either by saying hai ("hi") for "yes"/"okay" or another response. Staring with at him with bovine eyes does little for sensei's ability to gauge your understanding. Similarly, when sensei tells you to do something or corrects you, bow and say hai.

Six) When sensei is teaching a specific point to the whole class, it is often appropriate to sit seiza, but not always: watch the more experienced students and generally follow their lead. Also, when talking to sensei one-on-one, if sensei is sitting, sit seiza next to him, don't stand.

Seven) When working with partners, first bow to your partner and say o negai shimasu ("oh-nay-GUY-shi-mas"). Remember, you are trying to help your partner learn, so keep in mind their level of proficiency and offer appropriate resistance. When you are finished, bow and say "thank you" or arigato gozaimashita ("ah-ree-GAH-toe goes-eye-MA-she-tuh").

Eight) Remember that unless you are teaching the class or sensei has asked you to help others, you are on the mat as a student. Avoid teaching your partner or explaining the "correct" way unless you have been asked to do so by sensei; follow sensei's instructions or ask for his assistance if you are stuck or having a problem.

These are the most fundamental eight rules of dojo etiquette. Know them and obey them, and you'll probably avoid seppuku.

Other Resources

This link to the Reed College website has a number of links to useful information.
Thanks guys!

http://www.reed.edu/~erikg/resources/

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