Page 15 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 6

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Karate Komments:

The Progressive Belt Rank System

By Jim Riddell green, blue, and finally the brown Advancing in rank takes a I am frequently asked about
The Karate gi belt. A stripe, showing progress minimum of two years before black belt titles and their meanings
is sometimes awarded between being able to test for 2nd degree, –the most common title is that
In the last Karate Komments
belt levels. It takes the student, on then an additional three years for
column I explained how the Judogi of Sensei, meaning teacher or

average approx. four to five years 3rd degree, four more years to 4th
(judo uniform) became standard instructor. When this title is
from the time he or she starts the etc. At 4th degree the entire length
attire for karate students. The awarded, varies from club to club,
sport, before they are prepared of the belt has alternating panels of
founder of Judo, Jigaro Kano, a anywhere from first to third degree.

to take the Shodan, or 1st degree red then black, each panel approx.
schoolteacher as well as a martial This requires spending time as
black belt test. This is possibly the six inches in length. Fifth degree
artist, implemented a belt system as
most important test that a martial is considered the beginning of the an assistant instructor, as well as
a means of recognizing the progress
artist ever takes, the memories of “masters level.” This means that in completing coaching and instructor
of his students. Gichin Funakoshi,

this grading lasting a lifetime. the years since the Shodan or first- certification courses.
founder of Shotokan karate, and a degree test, a diverse knowledge
close friend of Mr. Kano, adopted Achieving a black belt does has been acquired, teaching skills Seaway Karate has, for the past

this system, awarding the first karate not make the student an “expert” twenty years been a proud member

have been refined, and those basic
black belts to seven of his senior or “master” but recognizes that principles and techniques have of the World Kobudo Federation.
students on April 12th, 1924. the required knowledge and been mastered. This federation, one of the world’s
competency of the basic principles
The progressive belt rank system Sixth, seventh and eighth degree largest, awards these titles, all at the
and techniques have been met. This
consists of twenty steps, ten kyu black belts have no black at all, the masters level, Renshi (polished
is not the end of training, but part
or colored belt levels, and ten dan alternating panels being red and instructor), Shihan (master
of what is, for many, a lifelong
rank or black belt levels, which white. At ninth degree, the belt is
journey, the beginning of advanced instructor), Kyoshi (instructor to
are often referred to as black belt completely red in colour. If you
learning. This is provided at the the masters) and Hanshi (leader).
degrees. The starting point for a have been doing the math along the
Federation level with regional black
beginning student is white belt, way, while reading this, you now Karate Quote: The best teachers
belt classes, and seminars taught by
with each new belt earned getting realize that it takes approximately will show you where to look, but
master instructors.

darker in color - yellow, orange, fifty years to reach this point. don’t tell you what to see.
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