Q&A for How to Identify Karate Belts

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What percentage of students earn a black belt in karate?

Community Answer

Not very many as the schedule can be demanding and long. I would say about 5% of students go on to fully complete their black belt certification based on the numbers I've seen.

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Where does a Brown Belt fall on the spectrum?

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In my karate school, it's the belt before black belt, although they still need to get stripes before they become a black belt. In other systems, they don't even use the brown belt. Instead, they use the red belt.

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Question

Can you change the karate belt color back what you had before?

Community Answer

No. Getting a higher belt after you test means you are proficient or advanced in your level, and the old level can no longer contain you. You cannot move backwards.

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What does a white belt with red stripes mean?

Community Answer

In the club I belong to (Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs) red stripes are given to students under 8 years old. When a White belt student tests, but does not advance to Red, they can earn up to 5 red stripes.

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What are the fees to train up to a dark green belt?

Community Answer

It depends where you practice really. There is no set price or date when you'll finish. I'll recommend a dojo that only upgrades you once a year, not every 6 months. And it shouldn't be overly expensive. Watch out for McDojos.

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How do I learn karate?

Community Answer

You can find a local karate studio and join it. A professional will be able to instruct you through the stages of learning karate.

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What style has red and white striped belts for master instructors?

Community Answer

Most styles of martial arts Japanese and Okinawa use red and white blocked belts for 5th/6th Dan and over.

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What does a belt with one red stripe and one black stripe mean?

Community Answer

That means you are a bo-black belt. You will have a black belt after this belt.

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What does a white belt with 2 blue stripes signify?

Community Answer

It signifies that you're about to move up to the yellow/gold belt.

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What does it mean if I have a gold belt?

Community Answer

A gold belt is the second belt in Karate. It means you have successfully completed your white belt training.

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Question

Is there a red belt with 7 degrees?

Community Answer

No, I don't think there is. The longest degree (that isn't black belt) is probably brown belt, which sometimes has 3 degrees.

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Question

What is the first belt?

Jujubes

Community Answer

The first belt is white, given when a student is first learning karate. If you're talking about the first belt you test for, that's the yellow belt.

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Question

Should I tell my new sensei that I was graded as a yellow belt previously?

Community Answer

Yes. And show your new sensei your certificate to prove it. He may still require you to do a test for verification. A grade in one dojo is not necessarily equal to one in another dojo.

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Question

Where can I find the rankings of the different belts?

Community Answer

I found it by just looking up "Karate Belts" on Google. I used the fist link that came up for me (WMAC).

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Question

Is a brown belt more skillful than a black belt?

Community Answer

It depends on how much experience they have. A black belt could have just trained relatively little and still pass the tests, while a brown belt can train for years at the same belt.

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What does a gray belt mean?

Community Answer

Gray belts aren't very common, but they are usually used to indicate the level before a black belt.

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Question

Do I get a yellow belt or a orange belt after I pass my white belt test?

Community Answer

Usually you'll get a yellow belt. Your dojo may be using a different system, but that's very rare.

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How do I gain karate belts?

Community Answer

You will be given the opportunity to test for the next belt at certain intervals (in my school, it's every three months); if your instructor feels you've met the test requirements, you'll be given the next belt. If not, follow any advice your instructor gives you and work toward improvement.

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What does yellow belt with white stripe mean in karate?

Community Answer

It means when you have gone past the first rank, which is a white belt.

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Which is higher- black belt or a black with a white stripe?

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A full black belt is higher than one with a white stripe, which indicates the wearer is "halfway".

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Question

What will I need to do to advance from a white belt to a yellow belt with a white stripe?

Community Answer

You will have gradings, and you will have to meet the requirements for the grade. If so, you will move upwards. In some schools, once you do another grading to advance from a yellow belt, you may receive a yellow belt with a white stripe.

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What does it mean to have a white belt with a black stripe and a blue stripe?

Community Answer

This likely means that the instructor or organization has created a customized rank system. You would need to ask the instructor or a class member what this means.

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What does a comp stripe mean if it is on a black belt?

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Community Answer

It is the belt right before black belt and it means you are one level away from a black belt.

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Question

How can I achieve my kyu grade to my dan grade?

Community Answer

You must prepare for a grading where all the karate sense in the area will asses you on your kata from white to brown belt and other things you must also present two black belt kata.

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Is it loyalty or honesty for the brown belt with red stripes on a karate belt?

Community Answer

A brown belt in karate represents stability. You learn your bong form, and become stable with your past forms.

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What does an orange belt with a yellow stripe down the center mean?

Community Answer

It means that you are above the standards for base orange belt. But you are not proficient enough to pass to a purple belt.

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How long does it take to get to yellow then orange belt? Is it the number of times you go to the classes?

Community Answer

This will depend on your dojo. Many dojos have minimum attendance requirements, but that's only part of your requirement to qualify for a belt test. If all you do is show up to class and do nothing to get a belt, you didn't truly earn the belt. You need to be able to show techniques, forms, and basic sparring too.

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Question

What rank is a camo belt?

Community Answer

The only martial art to use a camo belt is ATA style Taekwondo. ATA style considers camo belt to be "6th grade", which is after yellow belt, but before green belt.

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