Dan Promotion Study Guide

Colorado Judo League · CJL Dan Promotion Syllabus 2025

Testing for:

Yodan Requirements at a Glance

68
Nage-waza
All Kodokan throws
32
Katame-waza
Hold downs, chokes, locks
4
Renzoku-waza
Continuations
4
Renraku-waza
Throw combinations
4
Throw → Ground
Renraku transitions
4
Kaeshi-waza
Counter throws
4×4
Ne-waza
Ground transitions
4
Osaekomi
Pin transitions
4
Shime defense
Choke escapes
4
Kansetsu defense
Lock escapes
Kata: Proficient in Nage no kata or Ju no kata, plus Katame no kata, plus Kime no kata or Kodokan Goshinjutsu. Demonstrate as uke or tori — examiner's choice.

Rank Progression — Technique Count

Shodan43 nage-waza · 27 katame-waza · 1 of each transition type
Nidan49 nage-waza · 31 katame-waza · 2 of each transition type
Sandan59 nage-waza · 32 katame-waza · 3 of each transition type
Yodan ★68 nage-waza · 32 katame-waza · 4 of each transition type

9 New Nage-waza for Yodan

These are the techniques added at Yodan on top of all Sandan requirements. Know kuzushi, tsukuri, and kake for each.
  • O-gurumamajor wheel throwNEW · Yodan
  • Ushiro-goshirear hip throwNEW · Yodan
  • Obi-otoshibelt drop throwNEW · Yodan
  • Sumi-otoshicorner dropNEW · Yodan
  • Uchi-makikomiinner wrap around throwNEW · Yodan
  • Yoko-wakareside separationNEW · Yodan
  • Uchi-mata-makikomiinner thigh wrapping throwNEW · Yodan
  • Harai-makikomisweeping hip wrapping throwNEW · Yodan
  • Kani-basamiscissors throwPROHIBITED · Yodan

General Requirements

Example Exam Questions

  • When / why did you start judo?
  • What have you learned from judo study?
  • What keeps you interested?
  • Why are you testing for advanced rank?
  • Why did Kano Sensei open his own club?
  • Where did judo come from?
  • What was the ultimate goal in Kano Sensei's teachings? (Jita kyoei · Seiryoku zenyo)
68 total techniques. Green = new at Yodan. Blue tag = rank introduced. Know kuzushi, tsukuri, and kake for every throw.

Te-waza — Hand Techniques (16)

Koshi-waza — Hip Techniques (10)

Ashi-waza — Foot Techniques (21)

Ma-sutemi-waza — Rear Sacrifice (5)

Yoko-sutemi-waza — Side Sacrifice (16)

32 techniques total — same as Sandan. No new additions at Yodan, but all 32 may be tested.

Osaekomi-waza — Hold Downs (10)

Shime-waza — Chokes (12)

Kansetsu-waza — Joint Locks (10)

Yodan requires FOUR of each category. Sample techniques from Appendix C are listed as a starting point — you may substitute your own.

Renzoku-waza — Continuations (4 required)

Attack in the same direction or with the same technique.
  • Tai-otoshi to tai-otoshi
  • Seoi-nage to seoi-nage
  • O-goshi to o-goshi
  • O-soto-gari to o-soto-gari
  • O-soto-gari to ko-soto-gari / gake
  • O-uchi-gari to ko-uchi-gari
  • Ken-ken uchi-mata

Renraku-waza — Throw Combinations (4 required)

One throwing technique to a different technique in a different direction.
  • Right harai-tsurikomi-ashi to left harai-tsurikomi-ashi
  • Right hiza-guruma to left de-ashi-harai
  • Hane-goshi to o-uchi-gari
  • Uchi-mata to ko-uchi-gari
  • O-uchi-gari to tai-otoshi
  • O-soto-gari to harai-goshi

Renraku-waza — Throw to Ground (4 required)

Transition from a throwing technique directly into ground work.
  • Forward throw to any osaekomi-waza
  • Forward throw to any kansetsu-waza
  • Forward throw to any shime-waza
  • Tomoe-nage to kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame

Kaeshi-waza — Counter Throws (4 required)

Opponent attacks — you counter and throw.
  • Ko-uchi-gari to tomoe-nage
  • Ko-soto-gari to uchi-mata
  • Hiza-guruma to o-uchi-gari
  • Hane-goshi to hiza-guruma
  • Hane-goshi to utsuri-goshi
  • Seoi-nage to ura-nage
  • Harai-goshi to ushiro-goshi
  • O-soto-gari to o-soto-gari

Ne-waza Transitions (4 from each position)

Opponent on hands/knees or prone → you attack

  • Two hand pull in far arm turn over
  • Double belt pull, mount, and rear choke
  • Jigoku-jime entry from side
  • Entries into ude-hishigi-juji-gatame
  • Half nelson walk around head to pin
  • Sankaku attacks from in front of opponent
  • Sankaku attacks from opponent's back
  • Waki-gatame or ude-garami

You on your back — opponent in your guard

  • Entry into ude-hishigi-sankaku-jime
  • Entry into ude-garami
  • Turn over to tate-shiho-gatame
  • Entry into ude-hishigi-juji-gatame
  • Knee in with side turn
  • Sumi-gaeshi roll
  • Sode-eri-jime from front
  • Entry into nami-juji-jime

You in opponent's guard — passing to attack

  • Knee in entry, back leg
  • Knee in entry, cross knee
  • Swinging leg entry
  • Sleeve pull around
  • Double leg control to tate-shiho-gatame
  • Shime-waza under leg entry
  • Pants leg pull to ushiro-kesa-gatame

You on bottom (hands/knees or prone) — you attack

  • Stand up nage-waza to osaekomi-waza or kansetsu-waza
  • Sit through into your guard
  • Sit through into waki-gatame
  • Makikomi from head attack / arm in armpit
  • Leg hook / seoi-nage from back to choke attack
  • Sit through into ude-garami

Osaekomi-waza Transitions (4 required)

Transition from one hold down to another.
  • Kata-gatame → kesa-gatame → yoko-shiho-gatame → kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame → ushiro-kesa-gatame → tate-shiho-gatame
  • Yoko-shiho-gatame → ude-garami
  • Uki-gatame → ude-hishigi-juji-gatame
  • Kesa-gatame reversal → kesa-gatame
  • Kata-gatame → waki-gatame

Shime-waza Defense (4 required)

  • Defend with hand on top of head
  • Defend with chin in opponent's elbow pit
  • Defend with control of opponent's elbows

Kansetsu-waza Defense (4 required)

  • Defend ude-hishigi-juji-gatame by slipping elbow below groin
  • Defend ude-garami by grasping own uwagi or zubon

Nage-komi Practice

Simulate the examiner calling a throw. Hit the button to be given a random technique to demonstrate.
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Katame-waza Practice

Three separate randomizers — one per sub-classification.

Osaekomi-waza — Hold Downs

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Shime-waza — Chokes

—

Kansetsu-waza — Joint Locks

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Alyssa's personal techniques and focus areas for practice. These map directly to the Yodan transition requirements.

Combos (Renraku-waza)

  • Ko-uchi-gari to o-goshi
  • De-ashi-harai to o-uchi-gari
  • Ko-uchi-gari to left ippon-seoi-nage
  • Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi to okuri-ashi-harai

Continuations (Renzoku-waza)

  • O-goshi to harai-goshi
  • Sleeve side sasai to tai-otoshi
  • Sleeve side sasai to soto-makikomi
  • Koshi-guruma to makikomi

Throws to Ground (Renraku-waza)

  • Ko-uchi-gari to baseball slide pass
  • O-goshi to kesa-gatame
  • Makikomi to ura-gatame
  • Flying armbar — ude-hishigi-juji-gatame from standing / if challenged: tomoe-nage

Counters (Kaeshi-waza)

  • Uchi-mata-sukashi
  • Uchi-mata-gaeshi
  • Tani-otoshi
  • Ura-nage

Ground Work — Turtle / Prone Transitions

  • Turtle or prone transitions
  • Pedro series
  • Ude-garami
  • Thread the needle
  • Shuck turn over
  • Sankaku from turtle

In Alyssa's Guard

  • Ude-gatame (breakdance juji)
  • Baseball choke — kata-juji-jime
  • Scissor sweep
  • Bridge to pin

Passing Opponent's Guard

  • Stack pass — katate-jime
  • BJJ stack pass to side hold down
  • Kedge figure 8 pass
  • Classic pass

Opponent is Turtle

  • Wing roll
  • Straight arm bar
  • Sankaku butterfly defense
  • Granby into guard

Pins

  • Pins around the world

Shime-waza Defense

  • To be filled in

Armbar Escapes

  • Hitchhiker
  • Face slap

Techniques to Look Up

  • Daki-wakare
  • Yoko-wakare
  • Uchi-makikomi
  • Ushiro-goshi
  • Yama-arashi
  • Harai-goshi-gaeshi
  • Kibisu-gaeshi
  • Kuchiki-taoshi
  • Obi-tori-gaeshi
  • Yoko-otoshi
  • Hikikomi-gaeshi
  • Uke-gatame
  • Ashi-garami
  • Ryote-juji-jime

Kata Requirements — Yodan

Examiner's choice — demonstrate as uke or tori.

Required

  • Nage no kata or Ju no kata — full proficiency
  • Katame no kata — full proficiency
  • Kime no kata or Kodokan Goshinjutsu

Nage no kata — 5 divisions, 15 techniques

  • Te-waza — Uki-otoshi, Seoi-nage, Kata-guruma
  • Koshi-waza — Uki-goshi, Harai-goshi, Tsurikomi-goshi
  • Ashi-waza — Okuri-ashi-harai, Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi, Uchi-mata
  • Ma-sutemi-waza — Tomoe-nage, Ura-nage, Sumi-gaeshi
  • Yoko-sutemi-waza — Yoko-gake, Yoko-guruma, Uki-waza

Katame no kata — 3 divisions, 15 techniques

Osaekomi-waza

  • Kesa-gatame (kuzure-kesa-gatame variant)
  • Kata-gatame
  • Kami-shiho-gatame
  • Yoko-shiho-gatame
  • Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame

Shime-waza

  • Kata-juji-jime
  • Hadaka-jime
  • Okuri-eri-jime
  • Kataha-jime
  • Gyaku-juji-jime

Kansetsu-waza

  • Ude-garami
  • Ude-hishigi-juji-gatame
  • Ude-hishigi-ude-gatame
  • Ude-hishigi-hiza-gatame
  • Ashi-garami

Key Vocabulary

Judo Fundamentals

Off-balance
Entry into throw
Execution of throw
Person throwing
Person receiving
Free practice
Repetitive entry practice
Repetitive throwing
Favorite technique
Mutual benefit & welfare
Maximum efficient use of energy
Falling methods

Technique Categories

Throwing techniques
Grappling techniques
Standing techniques
Sacrifice techniques
Hand techniques
Hip techniques
Foot techniques
Rear sacrifice
Side sacrifice
Hold downs
Choke techniques
Joint locks
Continuations
Combinations
Counter techniques
Ground techniques
Striking techniques

Contest & Referee Calls

Begin!
Stop!
That is all!
Full point!
Half point!
Hold down!
Hold broken!
Minor penalty
Disqualification
I surrender!

Rank System

Below black belt
Black belt holder
1st degree
2nd degree
3rd degree
4th degree
5th degree
6th degree
7th degree

Dojo & General

Training hall
Teacher
Tournament
Formal sitting
Kneeling bow
Standing bow
Gripping
Same side gripping
Opposite side gripping
Body pivot / turning
Sliding foot walk
Normal walking
Belt
Judogi jacket
Judogi pants

Judo History

  • Founder: Jigoro Kano
  • School founded: The Kodokan
  • Year founded: 1882, Tokyo, Japan
  • Men's Olympic debut: 1964
  • Women's Olympic debut: 1992
  • First US men's World Championship gold: Michael Swain, 1987
  • First US women's World Championship gold: Ann Marie Burns, 1984
  • Two principles of judo: Jita kyoei (mutual benefit & welfare) · Seiryoku zenyo (maximum efficient use of energy)