Most people know that, like most other Asian martial arts, Judo uses a system of colored belts to indicate time of study, expertise and dedication to the art. What many people aren't completely aware of is that Judo was the first martial art to do so. From white belt to advanced black, every Judo student follows a progression of colored belts on his journey to true mastery.
History
Judo developed out of the battlefield grappling techniques collectively known as jiu jitsu. In 1881, Dr. Jigoro Kano formalized and organized many of these techniques into an art he called Kodokan Judo. At the time, he adopted the colored belt rank system that other martial arts have subsequently imitated.
Beginning Ranks
Beginning judo students wear a white belt during their first year or two of study, indicating the "clean slate" of their mind when it comes to the martial arts. Although traditional judo ranking goes directly from white to brown belt after this period, some modern schools add colored belts to allow students to celebrate their progress more frequently. Yellow, orange and green belts are common choices at this level.
Intermediate Ranks
An intermediate judo student wears a brown belt, a symbol that he can coach beginning students and is preparing to don a teacher's black belt. Techniques at this time become more complex and potentially dangerous, and many schools require brown belts to enter live competition. Progress through brown belt to black belt takes two years or more, and some schools will subdivide this time by "striping" the belt with tape or patches to show progress.
Black Belt
The black belt -- "shodan" in Japanese -- indicates a practitioner who is qualified to lead classes on his own. After reaching black belt, a judo practitioner continues to train towards higher degrees of black belt rank. Each rank is indicated by a red stripe on the belt; two red, for example, indicate a 2nd degree black belt. Time between promotions is typically one year for every degree of black belt represented by the promotion.
Lifelong Study
High-ranking black belts in judo earn belts of different colors. At the sixth degree, representing a minimum of 20 years' study after attaining black belt rank, the teacher wears a red-and-white striped belt and continues to wear it through seventh and eighth degree black. Advanced mastery, indicated by ninth and tenth degree black, is shown with a solid red belt. It's worth noting that judo organizations often save ninth and tenth degree ranks for single individuals who lead the organization -- or even reserve tenth for the deceased founder of the art.
References
- OBC Judo: Judo Belt Ranks
- Judo Info: Judo History
- "US Judo Association Basic Judo Manual"; Philip Porter; 1994
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