Information On Belts In Martial Arts

The image of a black-belted martial arts master is so recognizable it is almost iconic. As a beginner martial arts student, you might aspire to that level of proficiency, and also might wonder what all of the other belt colors mean. The colored belt system differs slightly from one tradition to the next, and some do not use belts at all.

History of the Belt System

The colored belt ranking system is relatively new to the ancient martial practices. Prior to 1882, the previous system, menkyo-kaiden, was employed. Richard Kim, author of "The Weaponless Warriors," defines menkyo-kaiden as "a certificate of full proficiency in an art, usually given to a student deemed most suited to carry on the art of his sensei." In 1882, Dr. Jigoro Kano founded Kodokan, a Tokyo martial arts school, and started the practice of using belts to rank his students.

Belt Systems

Most martial arts traditions now use some form of Dr. Kano's ranking method. If you study Korean tae kwon oo, Chinese mok-gar, or many of the Japanese traditions, you will progress through a belt system. In tae kwon do, karate and jujitsu, you begin with a white belt and advance through about 10 levels until you reach either a black or red and white belt. Judo and Shaolin mok-gar begin with yellow belts, but mok-gar ends at black and judo ends with red.

Beltless Traditions

The Chinese tradition of wing chun kung fu would not grade you at all. In Japanese aikido, only children wear colored belts. "This is in accordance with directives from the hombu (headquarters) in Japan," states Fay Goodman in "The Ultimate Book of Martial Arts." As an adult, you might train with children in aikido because there are no size or weight divisions, but children generally do not learn some techniques for their protection.

Ranks and Color Meanings

Colored belts represent kyu, or lower grades. Black or red belts signify dan, or advanced levels. Each color holds a symbolic meaning for its stage of your training. White symbolizes newness or beginnings. Black is a symbol of the darkness that comes before the next part of your martial arts journey dawns. As a black or red belt student, you have mastered the basics of your art and are ready for advanced studies.