Karate is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes the development of defensive and counter-attacking body movements. Traditional karate training emphasizes fighting and self-defense, but it also includes mental and moral components that attempt to improve an individual’s overall health.
However, karate has a primitive and long history. But the karate belt system is a comparatively new system. In this article, you know about the order and colors of belts in karate.
Starting of the Belts Order System in Karate
The color belt ranking system is a useful and well-organized manner of displaying an individual’s progress, but it does not guarantee that your karate belt describes you completely. Karate belts are important because they help to maintain requirements consistent, which helps to sustain principles based on systems and integrity.
The coloring belt system was started in the 1930s and still the system is running. The kyu/dan system for Karate was adopted by Gichin Funakoshi, the creator of Shotokan Karate in 1922. One theory is that students would color their belts whenever they received a new rank. The belt would turn a different colour each time it was tied, and this would naturally become their rank marker.
Belts changed color over time merely because they were never washed, according to another idea. The dirtier the belt became, the more the individual practiced. There were certain schools where students would leave their uniforms in the locker rooms and not wash them for months or even years. This could have been due to cost considerations or a particularly odiferous technique of expressing ego.
Do you know about Kyu and Dan?
Before knowing about the karate belt system, you also know about kyu and dan. While karate students have been studying the technique for hundreds of years, the kyu/dan system was only introduced in the early twentieth century to grade their development.
The kyu/dan system, which was adopted from Judo, is used in modern Karate systems. The term “Black Belt” was designed to show proficiency in the technique, not mastery. The journey does not end with obtaining a black belt.
The Kyu rankings are used for primary level karate students. Most karate rankings are used from the 6th kyu system. Some karate styles adopt kyu systems that range from 8 to 12 kyu. The first kyu (brown belt) is the most advanced “student” level.
The Dan levels are the most advanced, and this is where the main adventure begins. Yudansha refers to a practitioner who holds a dan level.
There is no additional test after the 6th or 7th dan, depending on the style, and the rank is bestowed on an honorary basis by the headmaster.
Different Colors of Belts
Depending on techniques, schools, and even nations, there are many different belt colors and rankings available today.
Although the color belt ranking system is a useful and well-organized manner of displaying an individual’s progress, it does not guarantee that your karate belt completely describes you.
Karate belts are important because they help to keep requirements consistent, which helps to sustain principles based on systems and integrity. Let’s talk about what each rank color by color represents to a karateka as they begin their training.
White Belt
kyu ranks: 7th
White belt indicates the primary level knowledge of karate. When a student just enters karate, he gets this belt.
It is a signature of purity.Individuals who are new to Karate do not yet understand how to manage their thoughts or bodies. Their pure nature and their dedication and ability to learn and improve via Karate. So, this belt represents their eagerness to learn and a fresh start.
3 months of active training as a white belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Yellow Belt
kyu ranks: 6th
Yellow belt represents a student just like the first rays of sunlight. When a student proves that he is using this learning period effectively, he is granted a yellow belt. This belt encourages a student to learn karate. The student begins to learn the fundamentals of Karate at this level.
6 months of active training as a yellow belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Orange Belt
kyu ranks: 5th
hen a student improves his skill and mind rapidly, he will earn an orange belt. It may compare the strength of the rising sun in the sky. This belt also indicates the improvement of specific skills but still has a long way to the goal.
6 months of active training as an orange belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Green Belt
kyu ranks: 4th
Green belt is the basic step of karate just like green growing plants. In this stage, a student can not gain enough skill but he can earn spirit and proper fitness. Intermediate students obtain green belt for their corrective skills. Green belts are more attentive of the movements of their opponents.
9 months of active training as a green belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Blue Belt
kyu ranks: 3rd
Blue belt indicates the improvement of skill from the basic step. Students earn this belt when they learn technical skills and extra knowledge about karate. They have more control and confidence in self-defense. They’re also getting better at countering.
12 months of active training as a blue belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Purple Belt
kyu ranks: 2nd
Purple belts are given to students who have progressed to the advanced phases of their learning phase since purple is the color of dawn. In this stage students learn vast knowledge about karate.
12 months of active training as a purple belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Brown Belt
kyu ranks: 1st
Brown is the colour of maturity. It has the color of freshly planted seeds about to be harvested. Brown karate belts signify that a student’s skills are maturing and that he is moving up the mastery ladder. So, students earn a brown belt when their skills have progressed. It is the final level of the kyu system.
18 months of active training as a brown belt is required before progressing to the next rank.
Black Belt
Black belt is the final belt of karate. When a student has gained proper skills and knowledge about karate, he/she earns black belt. Many people feel becoming experts in their field after getting a black belt, and they begin passing on their knowledge to others.
This belt is categorised by the Dan levels. Dan levels are senior grades, and this is when the real adventure begins. Yudansha is a dan-level practitioner. The description of Dan levels are given below:
- 1st Dan is called Shodan. Someone who has mastered the fundamentals of Karate.
- 2nd Dan is called Nidan. Someone who understands the basics of Karate.
- 3rd Dan is called Sandan. Somebody who has mastered the fundamentals of Karate and proficient in it.
- 4th Dan is called Yondan. Somebody who has mastered the fundamentals and applications of has great skills.
- 5th Dan is called Godan. Somebody who possesses exceptional abilities and has mastered the fundamentals and applications of Karate.
- 6th Dan is called Rokudan. Somebody who has mastered the actual meaning of Karate and possesses exceptional skills.
- 7th Dan is called Nanadan. Somebody who has understood the actual meaning of Karate and has top-level skills.
- 8th Dan is called Hachidan. Somebody who is well-versed in the intricacies of Karate and has fully developed their abilities.
- 9th Dan is called Kyudan and 10th Dan is called Judan. These honorary titles are given to masters who are very exceptional.
Red Belt
The red karate belt signifies that students have acquired more specific knowledge and are well aware in discipline of their skills. Because the color red is associated with danger, a student who obtains a red belt is regarded to have more dangerous skills and knowledge.
Many Schools use this belt before or after Black belt.
Does Every School Use the Same Order of Karate Belt?
There are many different ‘schools’ of Karate. But every school’s ranking systems are not the same. They have different order of ranking. Here we describe the order of the Karate belt to popular Karate schools.
Shido-Kan Shorin Ryu School’s Belts Order:
White (8th Kyu) →Yellow Tip (7th Kyu) →Yellow (6th Kyu) →Green Tip (5th Kyu) →Green (4th Kyu) →Brown Tip (3rd Kyu) →Brown (2nd Kyu) →Black Tip (1st Kyu) →Black (1st Dan to 6th Dan) →Red or White (7th and 8th Dan) →Red (9th and 10th Dan)
Keichu Ryu School’s Belts Order:
White →Yellow →Green →Purple →Brown →Black →Red
Shotokan School’s Belts Order:
Red →Orange →Yellow →Green →Purple →Purple with white stripes →Brown →Brown with white stripes →Brown with two white stripes →Black
Wado-Ryu School’s Belts Order:
White →Blue →Green →Purple →Brown →Black
Obtaining a rank should be viewed as a byproduct of karate training rather than a primary objective. At whatever rank level, the most important goal should be personal development and growth.
Meta:-
Karate- Belt order system in karate. Kyu and Dan. Different colors of belt: White belt, Yellow belt, Orange belt,Green belt, Blue belt, Purple belt, Brown belt, Black belt, Red belt. Popular Karate schools belt order : Shido-Kan Shorin Ryu, Keichu Ryu, Shotokan, Wado-Ryu.