Types of Belts in Karate

The martial art of karate requires strenuous physical and mental discipline. As each step in the process taken to achieve these goals is completed, the student is awarded a colored belt denoting his move to the next step.

  1. History

    • Karate is one of the oldest forms of self-defense. The form we know today can be traced back to Okinawa and the early 20th century when Sokon Matsumura developed a series of prescribed movements known as a kata. The origins of these movements go even further back and are believed to have originated in India with a young Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma in the sixth century. The word karate is written with two Japanese characters that mean "open hand."

    Significance

    • Degrees of achievement of specific skills are awarded in karate. As a level is reached and mastered a colored belt is presented to the student.

    Types

    • Belt colors vary from style to style of karate and from school to school. Most schools begin with white for the beginner and end with a black belt to signify the highest level of proficiency. In-between colors range from green to purple to brown. Some schools utilize additional belts of red and yellow, or switch the order around. When a black belt is achieved, the development of advanced skills is measured in degrees.

    Time Frame

    • How fast a student earns a different color belt depends on how quickly she masters the required techniques and passes the test for that level as administered by her instructor.

    Considerations

    • The techniques for karate stress lethal kicks and punches instead of wrestling or throwing. This requires a need for speed, strength and proper technique as well as a good sense of timing and the ability to take an opponent by surprise. The wearing of a colored belt shows progress in mastering these skills