Welcome, and congratulations on starting your journey as a Skyhook Ninja! Now that you will be training with us it is time to get you up to speed and start in our belting system.
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1. Getting your Skyhook ninja belt: You will receive your belt upon taking your first class as a member! When you come in for that class, tell the front desk ninjas it is your first class as an official Skyhook ninja. They will make sure your belt is cut and given to your teacher. The belt is presented to the ninja during class, usually at the end.
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2. Each ninja decides how quickly they will advance by learning, practicing, and progressing through the Skyhook belt curriculum and taking the minimum number of classes needed at each level. The entire Skyhook Ninja curriculum is posted on the grey wall, next to the water fountains, by the personal training space.
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3. Our class schedule is both online and at the front desk. It changes seasonally. The classes are color-coded to indicate the class's age range and subject. The classes are listed by belt level to indicate what belt the ninjas are expected to have to be in the class i.e. how difficult the class will be. L1 is a white belt, L2 is yellow and each level corresponds to a belt. Getting all the way up to the Black belt- L8.
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4. For a ninja to make their way through the belting system they will need to earn all 4 tapes for each belt. The tapes are: Climbing, Parkour, Ninja, and, to be earned after the athletic tapes, the Courtesy Creed and Respect tape.
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5. A Ninja earns each tape by mastering the skills required for the tape at their level, and testing for it during a tape week in the class that corresponds to the class (e.g. parkour tapes are awarded during parkour class). Make sure the ninja asks the coach for a tape test before or at the beginning of class.
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6. Tape weeks and skill weeks alternate. The week in Skyhook’s tape and skill week calendar begins on Monday and goes until Sunday. There are signs posted around the gym that let you know what week it is- Look out for our Tape week or Skills week signs!
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7. To earn the final tape, the Respect tape, your ninja has to earn their tapes in Climbing, Parkour, and Ninja. After that, the ninja is responsible for asking someone at the front desk to be tested on their creed and respect (while being accompanied by parent or guardian). They will be asked to recite their creed and answer a few questions regarding their behavior in and outside of the gym. If the ninja is able to do so and parent confirms, then they will awarded their White respect tape and are eligible for belt testing.
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*Please note, white tapes are the only tapes that can be taken away and ninjas must continue to demonstrate good white tape behavior to stay eligible for testing.*
8. Once a ninja has all of the tapes on their belt, and feel they can demonstrate the skills for their level, they may register for belt testing. Each testing level has an associated cost. You can call, email, or talk with the front desk to sign your child up for belt testing. Belt testing happens on the 3rd Saturday of the month and are organized into small groups where coaches will test them on all the skills at their level. Testing is usually from 5:30-7:30pm and you should expect for your child to be there for the entire time. Family and friends are welcome to come and spectate!