WBKA Instructor Program

    Instructor Qualifications

    Improve your karate skills and join the instructor program. A WBKA licence is earned through testing, renewed through seminars, and built on understanding — not on a fixed routine.

    • Register your club and yourself with WBKA. If your club belongs to a national federation, it is already a member.
    • Enhance your knowledge and take part in our instructor seminars worldwide.
    • Bronze and Silver instructors are tested by a Platinum/Master instructor or the WBKA technical director.
    • Gold instructors are tested by two Master instructors or the technical director.
    • Master instructors are tested by the WBKA technical director.
    • Every instructor must actively teach classes at their dojo.
    How To Renew

    A licence kept alive by seminars

    Each tier is renewed once a year, through training rather than paperwork.

    Bronze

    Local Seminar

    Participate at least once a year in a local or international seminar led by a Gold or Master licensed instructor.

    Silver

    Master‑Led Seminar

    Participate at least once a year in a local or international seminar led by a Master licensed instructor.

    Gold

    Main Master Seminar

    Participate in the annual Main Master Seminar conducted by the technical director.

    Master

    Main Master Seminar

    Participate in the annual Main Master Seminar conducted by the technical director.

    Level Requirements

    What each tier actually understands

    Requirements build on the tier below — every Master requirement once started as a Bronze one.

    Bronze

    Bronze

    At least Sho Dan
    Required Kata Heian, Tekki Sho Dan, Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion, Enpi
    • Must understand precise external form of basic techniques.
    • Understand 6 body dynamics, and how to apply them in different techniques.
    • Understand posture and its effect on movement.
    • Understand stance, and the use and principles of the different stances.
    • Must understand sequence within techniques.
    • Understand how to keep unity and connection between body center and arm and leg techniques.
    • Understand kime, pressure to the floor.
    • Understand basic Oji Waza, timing and distance.
    Silver

    Silver

    At least Ni Dan
    Required Kata Heian, Tekki Sho Dan, Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion, Enpi, Hangetsu, Jitte, Gangaku
    Can test candidates up to 1st Kyu.
    • Must understand precise external form of basic techniques.
    • Understand 6 body dynamics, and how to apply them in different techniques.
    • Understand muscle action, and how to synchronize it with body dynamics and technique.
    • Understand breathing that creates muscle action — direct and reverse exhale.
    • Understand posture and its effect on movement.
    • Understand stance, and the use and principles of the different stances.
    • Must understand sequence within techniques.
    • Understand how to keep unity and connection between body center and arm and leg techniques.
    • Understand Muchime, the body's snap.
    • Understand kime, pressure to the floor, and how to create total body contraction.
    • Can explain and demonstrate the breathing reaction, and how breath initiates technique.
    • Understand basic Oji Waza, timing and distance.
    • Understand Sasoi Waza, invitation techniques.
    Gold

    Gold

    At least Yon Dan, WBKA national instructor
    Required Kata Heian, Tekki Sho Dan, Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion, Enpi, Hangetsu, Jitte, Gangaku
    Can test candidates up to 2nd Dan.
    • Must understand precise external form of basic techniques.
    • Understand 6 body dynamics, and how to apply them in different techniques.
    • Understand muscle action, and how to synchronize it with body dynamics and technique.
    • Understand breathing that creates muscle action — direct and reverse exhale.
    • Understand posture and its effect on movement.
    • Understand stance, and the use and principles of the different stances.
    • Must understand sequence within techniques.
    • Understand how to keep unity and connection between body center and arm and leg techniques.
    • Understand Muchime, the body like a whip.
    • Understand kime, pressure to the floor, and how to create total body contraction.
    • Can explain and demonstrate the breathing reaction, and how breath initiates technique.
    • Understand basic Oji Waza, timing and distance.
    • Understand Sasoi Waza, invitation techniques.
    • Understand how to use Koroshi within Sasoi.
    • Understand combination attack.
    • Can assess faulty movement and its causes.
    Master

    Master

    At least Go Dan, WBKA international instructor
    Required Kata Heian, Tekki Sho Dan, Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Jion, Enpi, Hangetsu, Jitte, Gangaku, Tekki Ni Dan, Tekki San Dan, plus at least 2 advanced kata
    One Master instructor can test up to 3rd Dan. A committee of three Masters can test up to 4th Dan. The WBKA technical director can test up to 7th Dan.
    • Must understand precise external form of basic techniques.
    • Understand 6 body dynamics, and how to apply them in different techniques.
    • Understand muscle action, and how to synchronize it with body dynamics and technique.
    • Understand breathing that creates muscle action — direct and reverse exhale.
    • Understand posture and its effect on movement.
    • Understand stance, and the use and principles of the different stances.
    • Must understand sequence within techniques.
    • Understand how to keep unity and connection between body center and arm and leg techniques.
    • Understand Muchime, the body like a whip.
    • Understand kime, pressure to the floor, and how to create total body contraction.
    • Understand how to create continuation, avoiding gaps between techniques.
    • Understand Zanshin.
    • Can explain and demonstrate the breathing reaction, and how breath initiates technique.
    • Understand how breath creates internal preparation, to avoid back motion.
    • Understand basic Oji Waza, timing and distance.
    • Understand Sasoi Waza, invitation techniques.
    • Understand how to use Koroshi within Sasoi.
    • Understand combination attack.
    • Understand break‑balance techniques.
    • Understand how to read an opponent and when to use different strategies.
    • Can assess faulty movements and their main causes.
    Ready To Start?

    Register your club and begin the path

    Bronze is the first step. Every requirement above it builds on what you already understand — not on what you have memorized.

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