Understanding Belt Ranking Systems Across Martial Arts

The History of Belt Systems

The modern belt ranking system was created by Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo, in the 1880s. He introduced white and black belts to distinguish beginners from advanced students. Colored belts were added later to mark intermediate progress.

Karate Belt Order

Traditional Karate typically uses: White → Yellow → Orange → Green → Blue → Brown → Black. Some styles add red or purple belts. Black belt has 10 degrees (dan), with 10th dan being the highest.

Taekwondo Belt System

WTF Taekwondo: White → Yellow → Green → Blue → Red → Black. ITF uses different colors and includes stripes. Junior black belts (poom) exist for those under 15.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

BJJ has the longest progression: White → Blue → Purple → Brown → Black → Red/Black → Red. Each belt can take years. The red belt requires over 45 years of training after black belt.

Judo Belt System

Judo uses: White → Yellow → Orange → Green → Blue → Brown → Black. After 6th dan black belt, red and white then solid red belts are awarded to masters.

What Belt Colors Represent

• White: Purity, beginning of the journey
• Yellow: First rays of sunlight, new knowledge
• Orange: Growing strength of the sun
• Green: Growth, development of skills
• Blue: The sky, reaching higher
• Brown: Maturity, ripening
• Black: Mastery of basics, beginning of advanced learning

Managing Belt Systems in Your School

Modern martial arts schools use software to track student progress, schedule gradings, and maintain accurate records of belt promotions.