The order of belt colors in martial arts varies somewhat by the style of martial arts and the particular school, but the progression typically follows a predictable pattern. Lighter-colored belts are generally worn by beginning students and darker belts signify more experienced practitioners.
The First Belt
Virtually all beginning martial arts students wear white belts. White belts symbolize the innocence and purity that comes with being a martial arts novice. Some schools present the white belt along with the new uniform, while others require the student to demonstrate a few basic skills and martial arts knowledge before awarding him a white belt.
Lower Ranks
Martial arts students are awarded colored belts as they demonstrate proficiency in specified martial arts skills. Most martial arts replace white belts with a yellow or gold belt after several months of study. Some schools also use orange belts or camouflage-colored belts immediately before or after yellow belts.
Middle Ranks
Martial arts belt colors get progressively darker after a year or more of study. A typical progression of middle-level martial arts belts is from green to blue to purple. Green belts usually come first, but some martial arts schools flip the order of purple and blue.
Upper Belts
Most martial arts schools award brown belts to advanced martial arts students preparing to be instructors. Many martial arts also give red belts to advanced students. Some schools use the red belt before the brown belt and others use it afterward.
Black Belts
Martial arts instructors wear black belts, which are awarded after the student rises through all of the other belts. The training for a black belt typically requires five years of martial arts study. The first black belt an instructor receives is considered a "first degree" black belt. Additional degrees are awarded after additional years of study. Many instructors add gold or white stripes to the ends of their black belts to signify the degree they have achieved.
Master Belts
A fifth-degree black belt instructor is considered a martial arts master. Some masters wear variations of the black belt to represent their status. This can be a horizontal red stripe through the middle of the black belt or a primarily red belt with black trim. Some judo masters wear belts that are half red and half white.
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