Grading Syllabus

One element of Karate training is that it sets students attainable goals. Rather than being thrown in at the deep end on your first night with complex and difficult techniques, the Karate student is presented with a relatively small and limited set of technical skills to learn.

On a regular basis the student's proficiency is examined by a qualified senior Black Belt who will decide if they are competent in the techniques they have been learning. Once they are competent they are then promoted "one rung up the ladder" and are given a new set of techniques and skills to learn. To show their level of competency Karate students wear belts of different colours, which has the added advantage of ensuring that students are taught appropriately to their grade.

The colours and sequence of the belts varies by style and/or art, but there are usually two types of belt "grade" - Kyu and Dan.

Kyu grades are the early student grades, indicated by the brighter and varied colours of the spectrum. Kyu grades work on a descending scale, so a 1st Kyu is the highest Kyu grade and a 10th Kyu is the lowest.

After the Kyu grades come the Dan grades, and these work from 1st Dan upwards. A 1st Dan (or Shodan) entitles the Karate-ka to wear a Black Belt. Many consider this the ultimate goal of the martial arts, but, in truth, it is just the beginning.

A Black Belt shows that your "apprenticeship" is complete and you are competent in a wide range of skills, though it will take many more years (if not a lifetime) to master them. Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan, theorised that the highest grade attainable would be 12th Dan and the holder of this grade should wear a White Belt - the same as a compete novice! However, senior Black Belt gradings take a lot longer to attain than the Kyu grades, and very few people live long enough to reach levels in excess of 8th Dan.

The sequence of belts and the requirements to attain them in Traditional Shotokan are below. Click on the relevant link to see a description of the rank requirements for that belt.

Orange Belt