The path to purple belt is less about learning new skills – you already know almost all of the techniques required for a black belt – and more about personalising your own fighting style. A focus of purple belt is blending your skill sets; seamlessly mixing your strikes, throws, grappling. Prioritise skill development rather than accumulation of knowledge. This requires a change of approach; don’t stop learning, but adapt, test and apply your knowledge in diverse and challenging situations.
| Standing | Clinch | Ground | Self defence | Partner drills | Solo forms |
| Combos | Judo set 5 | Side control | Static knife threats | Taisabaki gata applications | Taisabaki gata |
| Counters | Grapple vs striker | Half guard | Concealed knife attacks | Bear hug drill | |
| Angles | Throw combos | Ground combos | Dynamic knife attacks | Naifanchi applications | Naifanchi shodan |
Stripe 1
Combinations
By this stage, you will already have a number of trusty combinations. Continue to expand, review and improve. Your combinations, counters and conditioning are key to your confidence in conflict.
Judo set 5
This set contains a lot of sacrifice throws. This is not accidental, you learn these last because many of them should be used as a last resort in the street. Choose at least two new throws from the final set of the judo go-kyo:
- Large outer wheel (osotoguruma)
- Floating throw (ukiwaza)
- Side separation (yokowakare)
- Side wheel (yokoguruma)
- Back hip throw (ushirogoshi)
- Back throw (uranage)
- Corner drop (sumiotoshi)
- Side body drop (yokogake).
Side control
Learn to control and escape the side control positions, including submissions and defences from side control, knee ride, scarf hold and north-south positions.
Escapes:
- Replace guard
- Bridging escape
- Stiff arm escape
- Double leg takedown
- Rolling escape
- Bulldozer escape
- Submissions from below
Submissions:
- Side choke*
- Baseball choke*
- North-south choke
- Loop choke*
- Armbars
- Armlocks
- Wrist locks
*Senior students only
Knife defence – static threats
Static knife threats are when an attacker used a knife, but the primary objective is not to hurt the victim at that time and place, or the attacker is still considering whether to hurt the victim. This section covers control techniques, balance displacement and strategic striking from the following threats:
- Knife to face
- Knife to body
- Knife to sides of throat
- Knife to back
- Knife to throat from behind.
Any engagement with an armed attacker is likely to end in at least injury. Do everything in your power to avoid violence with an armed attacker, but act decisively if you have no choice.
Taisabaki gata
There are six variations of this kata, one for each block. See the videos for details.
We have two drills to help understand Taisabaki gata and the associated blocking actions. The applications (oyojutsu) drill provides examples of how to use ‘blocks’ when grabbed. The bear hug drill (kihon uke waza) combines these applications into one flow drill.
Taisabaki applications drill (Taisabaki oyojutsu)
| Block | Application |
| Ageuke | From same-side wrist grab, slide back and pull hand (hikite), strike under chin with block, hook head, step and punch to release grip, hammerlock, knee, takedown, shoulder lock. |
| Gedanbarai | From same-side wrist grab, slide back and hikite, slap ear and armbar with block. Grab hand and windscreen wipe across body. Wrist lock, punch, stomp rear of knee and drop to right knee into collar choke. |
| Uchiuke | From cross-side wrist grab, invert grip with block, punch liver, wrist lock to ground, 3 kicks and arm lock. |
| Sotouke | From cross-side wrist grab, reverse grip with block, armbar, hammerfist strike, guillotine choke, sumigaeshi, ground & pound, arm bar, 3 axe kicks and ‘fertility pose’ arm bar. |
| Kakeuke | From same-side wrist grab, release grip with block, press elbow, flick eyes, wristlock, 4x armbar combination. |
| Shutouke | Uke hook punches from same-side wrist grab. Block punch, headbutt, release wrist grip and hand choke. As uke defends, pass over to gedanbarai armlock, grab inside of thigh and roll back to knee bar. Release, sit and grab two small fingers. Transition to back control and trap both arms in hammerlock armlocks. |
Sparring
Testing authority choice.
Stripe 2
Counters
This level of counters focuses on the most advanced timing – countering by anticipating a striking attack. This level of counter requires precise timing, accuracy and an ability to read the attacker’s intention.
- Block and then counter (go sen no sen) – counter after the attack
- Simultaneous block and counter (sen no sen) – counter at the same time as the attack
- Anticipated counter (sen sen no sen) – counter before the attack.
Grappling vs striking
Specialised skills in defending against strikes using only grappling techniques. Structural defences, rapid entry, takedowns and ground stabilisation are essential components. Particularly important for members employed in security, law enforcement or other emergency services.
Half guard
Sure, you already have a few techniques from the half guard, but you may find yourself in this position a lot, so it warrants a deeper dive. This section is not about learning more techniques, it is more about polishing the techniques that you have and developing a strong half guard game from top and bottom.
Passes:
- To side control
- To mount
- To back
Escapes:
- Back take
- John Wayne sweep
- Windmill sweep
- Toe hold (old fashioned and 100%)
- Overhead sweep
Submissions:
- Kimura armlock
- Calf slicer (duck’s nuts)
- Knee bar
- Thrust choke (tsukomijime).
Knife defence – concealed attacks
This is a particularly difficult facet of self-defence to practice effectively. Awareness and pre-emptive action is pivotal in defending against concealed knife attacks. Always assume an attacker is reaching for a weapon any time that a hand disappears from view without a reason. Execute ageuke and arm control entries while the attacker’s hand is still behind their back.
Bear hug drill (Kihon uke waza)
| Tori | Uke |
| Front bear hug | Underhook with left hand, grab uke’s groin (pinch leg) with right hand |
| Pull hand off groin | Ageuke to arm hammerlock |
| Spin escape and right hook | Shutouke to gedan barai arm lock, wrist lock & punch over elbow |
| Hyperextend elbow over shoulder | Step and spin into uchiuke, punch ribs, sotouke armlock to arm lock on shoulder. Forearm smash into neck, front guillotine choke |
| Bite & escape | Kakeuke to elbow press armbar |
| Drop elbow to escape and hook punch | Block punch and head-butt, shuto strike to neck, release wrist grip, strike and grab throat |
| Peel off choking hand and wristlock | Escape wristlock, reverse grip, head-butt and front bear hug to reverse roles |
Sparring
Testing authority choice.
Stripe 3
Angles
You will have learned the value of using angles in your fighting well before this, but now is a time to reflect upon how well you are using angles for offence and defence and develop this important skill.
Throw combinations
Continue your research into throw combinations that work for you. These may include strikes and self defence applications, but ensure you master one or two combinations that start with two throwing techniques and finish in a submission that can be used in a context when strikes are inappropriate, such as sportive engagements, ‘drunk uncle’ incidents and for law enforcement/security industries.
Ground combinations
You have already demonstrated some understanding of escapes from ground positions, but you have probably also realised that they don’t work very well when your opponent knows what you are doing. The trick is to combine your actions so that your opponent cannot guess what comes next. Here are some examples to get you thinking:
- Back control – butt scoot escape to hip escape
- Top mount – upa escape to elbow escape
- Side control – hip escape to phantom escape
- Knee ride – knee bump to rolling sweep
- Scarf hold – upa escape to rolling escape
- North-south – back roll to guard recovery.
Demonstrate an ability to set up opportunities by using combinations of standing, sweeps, submissions, strikes & scrambling. Examples:
- Butterfly sweep to cutting armbar
- Scissor sweep to upside down armbar, armlock or triangle choke
- Kimura (udegarami) armlock to hip bump sweep
- John Wayne sweep to back scramble and/or dog fight sweep
- X-guard sweep to stand and single leg takedown
- Up kick to stand
- Hooks to kimura armlock
- Straight punches to armbar.
Knife defence – dynamic attacks
The reality of knife attacks is that no amount of training will guarantee that will not get cut. This section of the curriculum addresses some defensive tactics to try to minimise the risk of serious injury, including negotiation and escape. Note the application of tegumi drills.
Naifanchi shodan
Many karate instructors quote the old masters as saying that Naifanchi was the most important kata. Naifanchi is all about close quarter fighting, defending takedowns, elbowing, kneeing, choking and throwing. See the video for details.
Naifanchi shodan applications
- Neck clinch
- Push head down
- Knee and stomp
- Defend the takedown
- Elbow
- Twist neck to expose back
- Rear naked choke
- Lapel chokes
- Downward elbow
- Sweep x 2
- Throw.
Sparring
Testing authority choice.
Purple belt test
With the skills you have acquired, you should now be sufficiently skilled to handle yourself in all ranges of combat. You may even have black belt equivalent skills in certain ranges. You will be gaining confidence in your abilities and should start mentoring others.
Sobukan Dojo 