The Japanese martial art of judo has a set of standardized ranks, including six "kyu," or beginner ranks and 10 "dan," or black belt ranks. Even though the ranks are common to judo clubs everywhere, the requirements for earning those ranks are not. There is no one official standard for earning a judo black belt.
Misconceptions
Many people hold the mistaken impression that a judo black belt is always a "master" of the art. Some people also believe that the higher "kyu" ranks such as brown belt indicate some level of expertise in judo. In reality, the "shodan" or first-degree black belt is the first rank at which one is considered to even be a student of judo at all. All of the kyu ranks are beginner ranks, including brown belt, and the holders of these ranks are not yet considered to have earned the right to consider themselves real judo students. When you reach the first-degree black belt rank, your serious lifelong study of judo is considered to have just begun. Despite this fact, the candidate for a judo black belt through the United States Judo Federation must be able to perform five throws, three combinations, three counters and the judo kata.
Black Belt Competition Requirements
The United States Judo Federation takes a number of factors into account when awarding promotion to black belt rank. Competition is weighted heavily in rank promotion, and the higher the level of the competition the more it counts toward rank. For example, a judo competitor at the Olympic Games must have held first-degree black belt rank for a minimum of six months before testing for a second-degree black belt, but a competitor at smaller tournaments must hold the same rank for two and a half years before being eligible for a second degree. A competitor can test for first-degree black belt if he knows the first three parts of the nage no kata exercises, but a non-competitor must know them all.
Technical Requirements for Black Belt
First degree judo black belts with the United States Judo Federation must be skilled at five judo throwing techniques: "uki-otoshi" or the floating drop, "uki-waza" or the floating throw, "koshi-guruma" or the waist wheel technique, "harai-tsuri-komi-ashi," which is a type of foot sweep, and "yoko-guruma" or the side wheel throw. They must also perform three throws on the left and three throws on the right, as well as combination attacks, counter techniques and the nage no kata exercises.
Technical Requirements for Higher Degrees
Additional black belt ranks up through fourth-degree black belt must demonstrate another four to five throws for each rank. From the fifth degree onward, other factors become the basis for additional promotion. Fifth-degree black belts must perform the kime no kata, ju no kata and goshinjutsu exercises. Sixth degree adds itsutsu no kata. Seventh degree adds koshiki no kata, which is also the basis for eighth degree. Ninth- and 10th-degree black belt promotions are not based on technical demonstrations, but on the recommendation of the United States Judo Federation's Promotion Committee.
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