Congratulations to Jason on his recent promotion to yellow belt. This a milestone for our young program – the first adult promotion! Jason is a dedicated student and actually holds the distinction of being the very first member at Waco Judo.
This might be a good time to go over the adult belt system at Waco Judo. Everyone starts at white belt (unless you’ve achieved rank at another judo school – then feel free to wear that belt). Rank in judo is divided in to two parts: kyu and dan. Kyu ranks are everything below black belt. Dan ranks are basically levels of black belt. The meaning of a black belt varies from country to country, but obviously implies some level of expertise.
- White belt – Rokkyu / 6th kyu. The beginner belt. You get one with your uniform! No knowledge necessary.
- Yellow belt – Gokyu / 5th kyu. This rank is awarded when you no longer look and feel like a white belt. The most important skill for a yellow belt is ukemi, or falling. While it’s good to know some throws, safe and technical falling is the key.
- Green belt – Yonkyu / 4th kyu. Advanced beginner. In addition to good falling skills, you can pull off some decent throws with a non-resisting partner, know some of the basics of judo competition rules, and have some skills in newaza as well (pins, chokes, armbars, etc). You should be able to stay relaxed during randori.
- Brown belt – Sankyu / Nikyu / Ikkyu – 3rd, 2nd, and 1st kyu. There are three levels of brown belt, and each one is one step closer to black belt. As long as you continue to attend class on a regular basis, you will make progress. Generally speaking it takes about one year at each level of brown belt, but everyone is different. Some might be promoted faster or slower.
- Black belt 1st degree – Shodan / 1st dan. The black belt marks an important step in judo, but which step is it? The very first step! You have mastered the basics, and you’re ready to explore the wide world of judo, specialize in certain techniques, and develop your own “game” in judo. You might also decide what direction you want to head in the ecosystem of judo – competitor? Coach? Referee? Instructor? Head Instructor? School owner? As far as technical skills, you should be able to name and demonstrate all the common 80-some odd throws in the official judo syllabus with a fully compliant partner, all the basic newaza skills, and you should be able to teach them to white belts. By that point you’ll also have a good understanding of the basic history of judo, as well as the philosophical and moral basis of judo.
- Higher dan ranks – a long subject which should be covered in a different blog post. As long as you continue to practice and engage in the world of judo, promotions should come.
It’s important to note that most judo schools use different belt systems for kyu ranks. Some use more belts, including orange, blue, purple, etc. Other places just use white, blue, and brown, with no distinction between different levels of brown.
First degree black belts vary widely by country as well. In France, for instance, I have heard that getting a black belt requires a certain number of competition wins within a calendar year, a written exam, a physical demonstration, and an oral/verbal exam. The competition wins are graded on quality as well – winning by ippon is weighted higher than winning by penalty. In western countries generally, a black belt in any martial art is seen as equivalent to mastery. But in Japan and Korea, a first degree black belt retains the original meaning of “educated beginner” – someone who knows the basics and is ready to really start learning.
As always, if you’re in Central Texas, please feel free to come visit us! Click here to sign up for a free trial class.