Black Belt Grading - October 2025
This Grading Camp will run from Friday October 10 to Sunday Oct 12
Point Wolstoncroft Sports and Recreation Centre is located at Kananga Drive Gwandalan NSW 2259 - Phone: 13 13 02
Black Belt Grading sessions will be conducted in and around the ‘Lake View Centre’ (the big hall on the waterside) - this will be our main training hall for the duration of the camp.
Images of the final schedule are included below, along with a venue map.
Please read the schedule as indicative only. The actual schedule will vary - things will be brought forward or pushed back depending on the needs of the grading students.
Candidates can start arriving at camp from 3:30pm to 4:30pm on Friday Afternoon.
You’ll need a code to pass through the Boom Gate entry. The venue provide this to us (usually) on the day. We’ll send it out via text to you. If you don’t have the code, don’t panic! Simply park near the entrance, walk up and ask a BBMA staff member (someone in a BBMA tshirt/hoodie/gi), ask for the entry code and then drive in.
Find the Lake View Centre - this will be our main training hall for camp.
You have been allocated to a specific cabin, and a specific room within that cabin. There will be BBMA staff members in and around the Lake View Centre. Speak to Sensei Trevor, or another available staff member, and ask them to tell you your room/cabin details.
Note: Once you know your room details, you’ll be expected to locate your own room, using the venue map.Candidates (CBBs and CDGs) are expected to assist with the hall set up (laying mats, setting up chairs and tables etc) and pack up. Contribution and kindness are Black Belt Principles- please take this opportunity to help your community.
Just a note: Almost all the staff attending a Black Belt Camp are there in their personal time on an unpaid ‘volunteer’ basis. Please be nice to them, manage your expectations, and keep in mind they are there to support the event as a personal act of kindness 🙏🫶🙏
You’ll then have a little time to find your room/cabin, quickly unpack and get dressed in your uniform. It is great if your Coach/Parent can do the unpacking and room prep for you while you help out at the training hall.
Bring a warm hoodie, shoes, sunscreen, drinks, snacks, sparring equipment, medication, and your first aid kit (with instant ice packs, antiseptic wipes, and bandaids) to all training sessions.
Please bring these items with you to the training hall. Do not leave them in your room. Parents and coaches play a crucial role in ensuring their candidates have everything they need during training and should be prepared to handle any minor incidents or accidents that may occur.The first session is a Formal Welcome. It’s vital your are on time and dressed in full uniform and belt for this part of the event.
Formal Testing (grading) sessions begin at around 6pm.
Testing and assessment will continue, with breaks for food and drinks at appropriate times, until around 10pm on Friday evening.
At around 7am on Saturday morning, expect a pretty vigorous physical challenge!
You can wear a BBMA t-shirt and shorts/fitness gear to this session (but don’t forget your Karate/KB belt!).Bring a big bottle of water and a towel. Wear running shoes and socks. We recommend a hat and lots of sunscreen.
There is a break at 8am for breakfast a quick shower, and a change into full uniform after the fitness session. Parents and Coaches can assist here.
Karate students should change into their ‘nice’ Kata Gi.Testing and assessment activities kick off again at 9am.
You’ll break for lunch, and then come back for Kumite. So make sure you have your full sparring gear with you when you return to the training hall after lunch.
Oral Examinations will be held at 3pm. This is for CBBs only. CBBs will be asked to hand in their question cards prior to the exam.
There may be a last minute ‘challenge’ or two at this time of the day.
At around 3:30pm we hold the ‘ceremonial’ section of the grading. CBBs will be asked to break boards. Then CBBs who have successfully passed the grading will be presented with their black belts :) All other belt promotions will then be formally announced. You may wish to invite family and friends to join at this time.
Note: CDGs.Dan Graders do not break boards, and are not presented with a new belt.Formal Testing ends here. All Candidates (CBBs and CDGs) will be asked to assist with the hall pack up and cleaning. Please do help clean up/pack up, mat removal, rubbish clean-up, and stacking all chairs - before leaving the hall on Saturday afternoon. Many hands make light work!
Saturday night is a ‘social’ night - celebratory, relaxed free-time for students and their families. Families and students get together, share food/snacks and relax together. Nothing ‘official’ will be organised - it is up to the each student/parent group to decide (and do) whatever suits them.
Note: We are often told that Saturday night was the best part of the entire camp! Students and parents alike have a fantastic night :)On Sunday Morning at 9am we hold a special class for new Black Belts and Dan Graders. This class is sometimes taught by Kyoshi Liz herself, and is always lots of fun. This is a very special ‘first’ class for our newest black belts, and always a community-building experience. This is not a testing event - it’s for celebration, connection, community and fun!
All Campers must thoroughly clean their rooms/cabins, dispose of all food/rubbish, and check out of their accommodation, by 10am on Sunday. Please leave your accommodation looking exactly as you found it.
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What should we pack?
A copy of the camp accommodation map. You’ll be told your cabin name (eg. ‘Acacia’) and room number. You’ll then need to find cabin (and your room) yourself.
BYO Plenty of food and drinks. There will be no food or drinks for sale or available at the venue.
Note: We know there appears to be a cafeteria/’dining hall’ on site, but you will not have access to this building. You must bring all the food you need with you.Pack food which is light and easy to prepare (and digest).
Avoid anything that needs to be cooked on a cooktop.
Bring your own esky if needed.
A microwave oven is available in each communal kitchen in your dormitory, but there will be a queue!
Pack snacks galore: Think cheese and biscuits, dried fruit, crackers, instant noodles, breakfast cereal, yoghurt pots, small energy/protein bars, vege sticks, lots of fresh fruit (whatever you think you’ll be able to stomach when you are completely exhausted but still need to eat).
Tea, coffee, milk (if you drink this normally). Herbal teas are great for a grading and can be made up and consumed hot or icy cold.
A few sugary/treat snacks are ok for when you just need SOMETHING to get you through those last few hours!
More drinks (mostly water plus a few sports drinks or fruit juices) than you think you will need.
Parents/support people - you might like to brink a small foldable chair, a small rug for your lap and a flask for hot drinks.
First aid basics: BYO Band-Aids, antiseptic cream, arnica, heat creams, anti-inflammatories, instant ice packs, plus something for a headache or mild pain.
Bring a ventolin/inhaler if you use one, and any other prescription medication you need to take.
If you tend to get an upset tummy, bring something for nausea (peppermint tea, ginger lollies, or whatever works for you).
Tissues. Everyone cries at a Black Belt Grading (well, Sensei Ann and Sensei Josh usually do, and we set everyone else off...)
Cup, plate, cutlery, water bottle. There will be some equipment available in the communal kitchens but equipment varies by accommodation type, so we recommend bringing your own.
Bring at least 3 Gi’s and a few of changes of underwear. You will be getting very sweaty, and probably dirty/muddy/wet. You must bring along a couple of spare Gis. Keep your freshest, best, whitest, cleanest (and most neatly ironed) Gi for your formal kata performance and assessment (you need to look clean and neat for this part of the grading).
Bring some coat hangers - to hang up your Gi's (especially your nice 'kata' gi) in your room.
Socks and warm clothing, including a big warm jacket and/or BBMA hoodie to wear over your Gi. You will start to feel cold between sessions, and you will have a bit of 'down' time where you aren't actually exercising.
Appropriate footwear – ie joggers/running shoes for random outdoor black belt grading shenanigans and the 5k run, and sandals/thongs which are easy to slip on and off for wearing off the mats and when moving between locations.
Toiletries: Lots of deodorant (personal hygiene really counts at a Grading!) and to freshen yourself up in between sessions. Bring soap, toothpaste & tooth brush, and all the toiletries you would typically need for a 2 night stay.
Keep in mind, parents and their children are sleeping in separate dorm rooms (for 'child-safe' reasons, juniors under 18 will be sharing a room with other juniors, and adults will share with other adults). So, each person will need their own supplies. Rooms are allocated a week prior to the camp. If you have any ‘special’ accommodation requests please let Sensei Trevor (BBMA Gosford) know.
Bring 2 towels - in addition to your daily showers, these are useful for muddy/wet outdoor sessions, and to help freshen up off the mats.
Bedding! You'll be sleeping on a very basic camp bed, in a shared 'dorm' style room. Please pack at least a pillow and sleeping bag (or similar). There is NO BEDDING available for the beds at camp.
Sun-screen and a hat
Joggers & socks
A BBMA branded t-shirt
An equipment bag - or something to carry your stuff around with you as you move between training locations
A note-book or paper and pens/pencils
CBBs - Your (already memorised!) laminated Black Belt Question card - for the Oral Exam
Bring along anything else you think might make/help you relax and feel comfortable.
What not to bring
Jewellery, large amounts of cash or anything breakable or valuable
I’m sure we don’t have to say this, but, just in case...:
Bring all your equipment including FULL SPARRING GEAR (mouth guard, groin guard, body protector, head gear, shin pads and gloves)
Bring your Arnis
Bring and wear your Belt
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In the days leading up to your grading:
Drink plenty of water every day
Practice (all of) your kata/forms daily
Stretch, roll out your 'sore/tight' bits
Eat properly
CBBs only: Memorize (perfectly, word for word) the answers to the special 'Black Belt Questions' for your Oral Exam - these were handed out after your last Pre Test.
Try to stay calm and get loads of sleep!
Go for a walk and do some stretching.
If you are nursing injuries, see your physio or medical health care professional, acupuncturist or masseur (or all of the above). Get yourself strapped/taped up and ready to go.
Make sure your toenails and fingernails have been trimmed/cut short.
Find and prepare your knee supports, strapping tape, heat/cold packs and instant ice packs.
Pack and prepare all your gear, uniforms and equipment and put it aside ready to take tomorrow. See below for more info on 'what to pack'.
Don't eat anything too spicy, rich, creamy, fatty, fried or 'junky'. Avoid anything that might make you constipated, give you gastro or risk food poisoning!
Shop for food and first aid items
Prepare your bedding (pillow plus sleeping bag is best) for bed at camp
Don't play any 'high risk' sports, or participate in activities that may lead to a 'grading ending injury' (it happens!).
The morning of your grading (Friday):
Don't panic :)) Breathe...
Keep drinking water
Eat a light breakfast and light, healthy lunch.
Double check you've packed everything in the car - including all your sparring gear, arnis, mouthguard, Karate belt and extra Gi's, bedding.
CBBs, remember to bring your (laminated) card with the special Black Belt Questions (you'll hand this in at the grading)
Leave early. Allow lots of extra time for traffic/weather/unexpected events.
You absolutely must be there on or before the nominated start time
Once you arrive, Candidates (CBBs and CDGs) cannot leave camp (you must stay on the premises) until the BB Grading finishes.