Belt colours and ranking
structure in Karate
Karate
Myint Kywe
In
Karate martial arts, the BLACK BELT (黒帯) is a way to
describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by
the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used
and denotes a degree of competence. The DAN
(段)
ranking system is used by many Japanese organizations to indicate the level of
one's ability (expertise) within a certain subject matter. It is now also used
in modern fine arts and martial
arts.
Many Japanese karate schools, after obtaining a black belt the student also
begins to instruct, and may be referred to as a senpai (senior student and
assistant teacher) or sensei (teacher).
DAN is often used
together with the word KYU (級) in certain ranking
systems, with dan being used for the higher ranks and kyu being used for lower
ranks. Karate students grades are called Kyu and Dan grades. Kyu means
class/step and the Kyu grades are all coloured belts. Dan means degree/grade
and the Dan grades are black belts.
The
color of a Karate players belt indicates rank and in theory, ability. Each
step forward represents a further accumulation of skills and knowledge.
Karate
belts are used to indicate when a student has been promoted to the next level.
Improved
Karate technique and deeper knowledge of the 3 elements of Kihon (basics), Kata
(form) and Kumite (sparring) needs to be shown before the next Karate level can
be awarded.
To
advance to a new Karate level, the Karate belt holder takes a formal test
called a Karate grading examination.
Karate
grading examinations for all higher ranks include theory, practical, oral and written
requirements. These vary depending on the Karate level being tested.
The
contents of tests vary among Karate styles but each school has set criteria
around...
·
Minimum
Time Elapsed from Last Karate grading
·
Consistent
Training
·
Proficient
Karate Technique
·
Demonstrated
Progress
·
Approval
or Recommendation of Instructor(s)
The
normal karate belt colours are white, yellow, green, brown and black etc. White
belt is always the first grade, so in most schools this would be 10th Kyu. Everyone
starts out as a white belt. White belt is always the first grade, so in most
schools this would be 10th Kyu. Everyone starts out as a white belt. It usually
takes about 6 to 12 months to move up 1 belt level in karate if you are
training thrice (three days) a week or so. If you train only once a
week, it will take longer. It may take less time at the early belt levels and
more time at the later belt levels.
In
many styles there is no way to tell what Dan a karate student is. They all wear
a black belt, it is often a sign of humility that they don't need to
show off their grade on their belt. Some karate styles will use a gold
stripe on the belt for each dan they have attained.
The
Ranking Structure in Karate
GRADE
|
BELT
|
MINIMUM
TRAINING REQUIRED
|
10th
KYU
|
White
|
3
Months
|
9th
KYU
|
Junior
White
|
3
Months
|
8thKYU
|
Senior
White
|
6
Months
|
7th
KYU
|
Junior
Yellow
|
12
Months
|
6th
KYU
|
Senior
Yellow
|
18
Months
|
5th
KYU
|
Junior
Green
|
24
Months
|
4th
KYU
|
Senior
Green
|
30
Months
|
3rd
KYU
|
Junior
Brown
|
36
Months
|
2nd
KYU
|
Assistant
Senior Brown
|
42
Months
|
1st
KYU
|
Senior
Brown
|
48
Months
|
1st
DAN
|
1st
Degree Black Belt
|
4
Years
|
2nd
DAN
|
2nd
Degree Black Belt
|
5
Years
|
3rd
DAN
|
3rd
Degree Black Belt
|
7
Years
|
4th
DAN
|
4th
Degree Black Belt
|
10
Years
|
5th
DAN
|
5th
Degree Black Belt
|
14
Years - must be 35 years or older
|
6th
DAN
|
6th
Degree Black Belt
|
20
Years - Minimum age 40
|
7th
DAN
|
7th
Degree Black Belt
|
30 Tears - Minimum
age 45
|
8th
DAN
|
8th
Degree Black Belt
|
40 Tears - Minimum
age 50
|
9th
DAN
|
9th
Degree Black Belt
|
50 Tears - Minimum
age 60
|
10th
DAN
|
10th
Degree Black Belt
|
60 Tears - Minimum
age 70
|
(After your last brown belt, you'll achieve your first
black belt, or dan belt. Your first dan (degree) black belt earns you the title
of "senpai"(senior student) or assistant teacher. While
this may seem like the end of the journey, it's the beginning of a new one.
There 10 dan levels or black belt degrees to achieve. All 10 dan levels require
continuous training).
Usually only the lower dan grades, up to about 5th dan are awarded on increasing karate ability. It takes usually a minimum of 20 years training to reach 5th dan level. After this karate belts are often awarded for service to the sport and commitment, instead of increasing ability. It usually takes around 60 years of training to reach 10th dan.
Everyone
begins wearing a white belt. From white they progress through the respective
levels of yellow, orange, green, purple, brown and black. The Japanese term
"KYU" to refer to the coloured belts and "DAN" to refer to
black belts.
Karate-ka
(a practitioner of karate) shall wear a clean, white, unmarked karate Gi
(karate training uniform), and the belt representing his/her present rank at
the time of grading. Many martial arts use between one and ten DAN ranks.
It
takes great skill to assess a student for promotion to an advanced Karate
Level. A
physical test displays physical ability which is fine up to a point. A written
or spoken test goes further and taps into the underlying knowledge of the
advanced Karate black belt.
