Kyu & Dan Grading
The Path from White Belt to Black Belt and Beyond
The Journey of a Karateka
Every black belt was once a white belt who never quit. The Kyu (color belt) system builds your foundation. The Dan (black belt) system deepens your mastery.
White Belt
Beginning — no prior experience required
Yellow Belt
Basic stances, blocks, and Taikyoku Shodan
Orange Belt
Heian Shodan, basic kumite combinations
Green Belt
Heian Nidan, controlled ippon kumite
Blue Belt
Heian Sandan, jiyu ippon kumite introduction
Purple Belt
Heian Yondan, advanced blocking and counter-attack
Brown Belt (3rd)
Heian Godan, advanced kumite and conditioning
Brown Belt (2nd)
Tokui kata selection, competition kumite readiness
Brown Belt (1st)
Advanced kata, tournament-level jiyu kumite, mentoring junior students
Black Belt
Mastery of all Heian + Tokui kata, jiyu kumite excellence, minimum 2 years at Brown
Beyond Black Belt
The Dan system represents a lifelong journey of deepening knowledge, refining technique, and giving back to the art.
Shodan (1st Dan)
3+ years trainingMastery of fundamentals, teaching basics
Nidan (2nd Dan)
5+ yearsTechnical refinement, dojo leadership
Sandan (3rd Dan)
8+ yearsAdvanced bunkai, competition coaching
Yondan (4th Dan)
12+ yearsSensei level — independent dojo operation
Godan (5th Dan)
17+ yearsShihan eligibility — master instructor
Ready for Your Next Belt?
Check the events calendar for the next grading date and register with your Sensei.