How advanced is brown belt?

[Iskrax]

I am currently training really hard for brown belt. I have test for 3rd KYU (Shotokan) in couple months.

What is your opinion on brown belt? Is it like really premium rank in karate? I mean it is almost black belt (still couple kyus ahead).

When I tell my friends about brown belt, they are not impressed because it is not black. But how advanced for karate is brown belt?

As a sensei what do you think about your brown belt students?

I don't know how to explain this, but what do you think about brown belt rank? Thanks

[Kyonovice]

How advanced is brown belt???

Well, yellow belt (8thh kyu in some Shotokan organisations) is meant to mean that you are grasping at the meaning of Karate, you are are trying hard to understand but, like sand, every time you grasp at in your hand, it slips through your grasp, therefore green belt (7th kyu) is like grass, you are able to hold on to certain elements but others float away with the breeze.

Bearing in mind that, dependent on organisation, brown belt is 2 grades above green, you should be beginning to understand what Karate is about. However, once you reach Shodan level, well, that is where the understanding of Karate-Do truly begins...white belt (10th kyu) is novice, black belt shodan is beginner.

Hope that helps in some way

[JR 137]

It depends on your school's view on what 1st dan means. Many think 1st dan means you've shown proficiency in the basics and can begin to learn/be taught what the art is about. Others just see it as the next color after brown.

If 1st dan in your art is someone who's shown proficiency in the basics, then a brown belt is just about there.

And don't worry about what anyone else thinks. They don't have a clue. When you get your black belt, I'm sure they'll still think they're tougher than you. Haters always gonna hate, they'll just hate differently.

[mazzybear]

My instructor says a 1st Kyu should be a rough black belt in terms of knowledge and applying that knowledge. So brown belt is an important rank.

Mo.

[Lupin1]

Brown belt is an important rank as a stage of growth. Most people grow and learn a lot during their time as a brown belt.

One of the things many people learn during brown belt training is to not to care so much about rank or what others (like your friends) think of their rank. Do karate for you, not as a means of impressing your friends.

[bassaiguy]

C.W. Nichol said brown belt is the most dangerous rank. Your technique is strong, but you haven't yet mastered the control of a black belt. I, also, find sparring brown belts tough. What is it with you guys wanting to kill anyone with a black belt around their waist ?

[Hawkmoon]

hmm...many an instructor I have worked with and the ones that worked with me to get to 2nd and 1st kyu (Brown) had no illusion that to test for brown(especially 1st kyu) was be the hardest test you'd undertake!

Not to say a BB grading is easy ..no no far from it.

To test for 1st kyu is to take a grading exam much like the black belt, but as mentioned above you do not have the finesse, the control the mental strength and understanding to go along with 'a black belt examination'!

Come black belt all 'that' stuff has become normal and second nature.

It is at Brown belt you are made or broken, as mentioned above be aware and careful at this level!

Many students reach this level and simply stop, some mumbo jumbo craziness black magic spell creeps into the soul and takes over then suddenly the BB grading gets put on hold just a little longer and pushed back for less and less logical reasons!!

[sensei8]

What is your opinion on brown belt?

It's a senior/advanced Kyu rank, therefore, my opinion about brown belt (Sankyu - Ikkyu) is that it's an affable rank.

Is it like really premium rank in karate? I mean it is almost black belt (still couple kyus ahead).

It is, within the Kyu system!!

When I tell my friends about brown belt, they are not impressed because it is not black. But how advanced for karate is brown belt?

Your friends aren't impressed by a brown belt ranking because they're not MAist!! If they're MAist, then they'd be more supportive of you. Don't become derailed over opinions; they just get in the way of the training.

As a sensei what do you think about your brown belt students?

Top notch; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!! After all, me being their Sensei, I tend to be very bias towards them. Their advanced in one regards, but they're beginners in other regards!!

I don't know how to explain this, but what do you think about brown belt rank? Thanks

It's before the Dan system!! It's an advanced Kyu rank!! After all, imho, the most important rank of them all is...White (9th or 10th Kyu)!! Without the white belt, no other rank is attainable, imho!!

[JackD]

In our wado association, and the shotokan club I train with there is three grades of brown belt so you're in that zone for a lot longer than you are with previous belts. It might just be me but I've got a lot more philosophical about my karate, and you start seeing some of the tiny little things that make a big difference!

Iskrax If you haven't seen this post by Lupin1 this is a great read for brown belts, I've really taken this to heart

http://www.karateforums.com/5-ill-advised-things-every-brown-belt-should-do-vt47668.html

[Nidan Melbourne]

I am currently training really hard for brown belt. I have test for 3rd KYU (Shotokan) in couple months.

What is your opinion on brown belt? Is it like really premium rank in karate? I mean it is almost black belt (still couple kyus ahead).

When I tell my friends about brown belt, they are not impressed because it is not black. But how advanced for karate is brown belt?

As a sensei what do you think about your brown belt students?

I don't know how to explain this, but what do you think about brown belt rank? Thanks

My opinion of Brown Belt, stems as a whole for the entire Kyu System as is the School System. White Belt (9th Kyu) say is Prep or Year 1 then progress through to 1st Kyu as being in Year 12 about to graduate to University.

At my dojo we have 9 Kyu Grades; Then for Dan Grades we don't automatically Promote Students to Shodan from 1st Kyu instead we promote to Shodan-Ho. For Me Shodan-Ho is like a Combination of Year 12 and 1st Year of University/College.

Brown Belt at my Dojo is at 2nd Kyu + 1st Brown Belt is 1st Kyu; so they are fairly "advanced". So when I discussed it with my friends when I were those grades they were impressed; probably due to majority of my friends have training in some form of Martial Art.

Well I haven't been bestowed the Title of "Sensei" just yet, because it is given to us at Sandan (i'm a Nidan). But when I think about them, I think that they are close to being a Black Belt so i'll work them hard enough to get to that standard that i'd be proud of but also would be still be kind to them for them to stay motivated