How many belts should there be?

[quinteros1963]

I think white, yellow, and orange belts(9-12 months) are good for varying levels of beginners (primarily to motivate new comers). Green to denote intermediate(1-2 years), brown for advanced(1-2 years) and finally black.

[bushido_man96]

Being in TKD for most of my career, I'm kind of acclimated to 9 or 10 belt systems. I think they are pretty decent belt systems, too, as I've been able to see through testings and tournaments how the progress tracks as the students keep moving up.

I don't see anything wrong with belts systems with fewer than 9 belts, either. In the end, it really depends on the goals of the system or the instructor, and how they set up the advancement of the system.

To me, its interesting how many Asian systems have the use of the belt systems, whereas many Westerns systems don't have one, but the skill levels are more readily identified in one's ability to compete with others, and the skill levels are revealed in that context.

So, in regards to how many belts might be needed, the answer could be none. In the end, I think its up to the goals of the system.

[Lupin1]

I like the idea of having a different system for adults and kids. Still give the adults belts-- we like the feeling of accomplishment and order that goes with them as well, but I don't think an adult should need 9 belts to stay encouraged. Keep in mind the school I attend is free-- no tuition or class fees and no testing fees. Most of the time they don't even charge for belts because they collect the old belt when you get a new one and reuse them. So there's no profit at all to worry about and they also don't really care if they keep students or not beyond the satisfaction of having a kid stay and watching them grow and learn.

For adults, I think it should be white, green, brown, black. At our school where it takes about four years of full time study for an adult to get a black belt, that'd be about a year at white, a year at green and two years at brown. It'd still give the sense of accomplishment and progress and let people know where they stand without having to get a new belt every few months. Adults should be able to keep track of their own progress over the course of a year or two without needing a strip of colored cloth to tell them they're progressing.

For kids, on the other hand, I think they need more levels for several reasons. First of all, kids should take about twice as long as an adult to get to black belt as they're still developing power and coordination and take longer to work out fine movements and details and stuff. Secondly, they need more physical signs of progress since they're not as able to self-regulate and notice small improvements in themselves. They need those constant encouragements and signs of success. It's just the way their brains are wired. So for kids, I think 8-9 belts are a good idea. They should get a new belt every 6-9 months or so in the beginning and then as they get older and more mature and more advanced, start spacing the belts out more to closer to a year between belts or maybe even more for the last few. I think timing the spacing so most kids who start at 8-10 will be ready for their black belt towards the end of high school (when they're basically adults when it comes to power and coordination) is a good idea. I also see no problem with tape stripes for smaller accomplishments between belts for kids until the high school level or so. Again-- they need those physical signs of progress because they're not as able as adults to reward themselves and notice their own growth and improvement.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Personally I think it is up to the school but if i remember correctly from what my sensei had taught me many years ago there were 5 belts that a student would have white, red, green, brown and black.

White - symbolises purity and beginning to learn

Red - from all the blood and sweat that they gave in learning the art (and has gone into the belt)

Green - From training on grass and being taken to the ground many times (so the belt becomes green)

Brown - From training on dirt and hard surfaces

Black - all of those belts coming together to create a black belt

then as time goes on and the belt goes grey and eventually becomes white again. As it is a circle of life

[RJCKarate]

I definitely think adults and kids need a different system, as children are often motivated with a material reward. Whether that is good or not, it is a reality. However, we don't actively encourage focusing on the belt.

Our system is:

Children (mon-kyu)

White

White/yellow

Yellow

Orange

Blue

Purple

Children also have three stripes between each belt. Children generally take around one year minimum to go from full colour to full colour (ie. Yellow to orange).

Adults (Kyu)

Muyu white

6 kyu green

5 kyu green

4 kyu green

3 kyu brown

2 kyu brown

1 kyu brown

There are six actual grades, but only three colours of belts, no stripes or anything other than skill to differentiate grades.

Then of course, we have the black belt.

_________________

[Nidan Melbourne]

Six.

No Belt: Just started. Still learning the basic fundamentals. If you ask them to do (insert basic bread and butter technique here) , say reverse punch or front kick, expect to be looked at in confusion.

Green Belt: Knows the basics. Typical student.

Yellow Belt: Advanced student. Can be thrown around the room forcefully or have other intense things demoed on them and will deal with it gracefully.

Blue belt: Instructor. Qualified to teach.

White belt: Instructor.. of the class you are in. only one of these in a room at once.

Brown belt: Visitor. Green or higher, but in a different style. Expect them to move wierd.

That is a very interesting order of belts. What would you say if a visiting student came from another style and was say a 4th dan black belt?

[sensei8]

There should be, imho, but we'll never see this again, THREE!!

White

Brown

Black

[Nidan Melbourne]

There should be, imho, but we'll never see this again, THREE!!

White

Brown

Black

has anyone really seen this all that much in the past?

I remember being told by my shihan that "back in the day" there were 5 belts (even if they are only there to keep our pants up).

White

Red

Green

Brown

Black

which then turns back to white from training for your whole life

[Harkon72]

For the McDojos the answer is "As Many as Possible".

I don't mind that people charge for each belt, what angers me is when a student has six strips of sticky tape on his belt and he's paid £35 for each one!

[Nidan Melbourne]

For the McDojos the answer is "As Many as Possible".

I don't mind that people charge for each belt, what angers me is when a student has six strips of sticky tape on his belt and he's paid £35 for each one!

That is always frustrating.

For our students to grade we require them to get 5 'tags' before your eligible. But we don't charge them for each one. our "cheapest" membership is 30 lessons so that includes all testing (aka gradings), belts, grading, and part of each membership is allocated to helping us hire out the space that we train in.