The pre-Green training ground

Intermediate is where the fundamentals you learned in Junior Karate get sharper, deeper, and more demanding. The class covers the three KYU ranks between Blue and Green — a stretch where students typically train for 12 to 18 months earning each stripe.

The three ranks at a glance

What changes from Junior Karate

Kihon gets more precise. Kata expands from the Taikyoku set into the Pinan series — the foundational form sequence in Kyokushin. Kumite shifts from controlled drills toward live partner work with proper intensity. Conditioning ramps up because Yellow belt is where students discover they have more in them than they thought.

Sanchin — the rank that defines the class

At 6th KYU, students learn Sanchin — the kata of dynamic tension and breath control. Sanchin is a Kyokushin foundation, often the most demanding kata in the entire syllabus despite its short form. The Intermediate class gives Sanchin the dedicated attention it deserves before grading.

Instructors

Senpai Sora leads the Intermediate class on Mondays and Wednesdays, with senior dojo instructors as backup coverage. All Intermediate instructors hold rank above the class — typically 4th KYU (Green) or higher — and are trained to push students through the Yellow belt plateau.

Junior Karate (10th–8th KYU)
       │  earn 7th KYU
       ▼
Intermediate (7th–5th KYU)
       │  earn 4th KYU (Green)
       ▼
Advanced Karate (4th KYU+, Green/Brown/Black)
       │  Years of training
       ▼
Black Belt (1st Dan)