Requirements for Green Belt Certification

For many people, a black belt is synonymous with mastery. Imported from Eastern martial arts, ranking students by belt color is a familiar idea, although the details vary widely from one martial style to another, and even from one school to another within the same style. Most systems start with a white belt and end with a black belt. Green belts, which do not exist at every school, are usually the second or third belt received after the white belt.

  1. Tae Kwon Do

    • Tae kwon do is a Korean fighting style that translates to the art of striking with the feet and hands. In the World Tae Kwon Do Federation, the organization that regulates Olympic tae kwon do, belt requirements depend on learning both long forms and shorter one-step sequences. At the green belt level, students must also participate in free sparring. Students are not expected to break boards, to learn the more complicated three-step sequences or to show any specific skills during free sparring. Judging whether or not a student is ready to advance is up to instructors who have been certified by the WTF. Some schools use a stripe system that introduces gradations within each belt or minimum waiting times in between promotions.

    Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

    • Brazilian jiu-jitsu is based on Japanese jiu-jitsu but was adapted by the Gracie family to focus on ground fighting. The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation sets belt requirements in terms of age and time since the last belt promotion. A student is not allowed to reach the green-belt level until the age of 13. There are no minimum waiting times before a student can attain a green belt as long as the student as old enough, although waiting times do exist for higher ranks. Green belts can only be awarded by black belt instructors who are recognized by the IBJJF, but otherwise no skill-based requirements are given. Advancement is left to the instructor's discretion.

    Karate

    • Karate is a Japanese martial art that originated in Okinawa. Ranks in karate begin with 10 kyu and progress upward to 1 kyu, followed by sho dan or 1 dan and ending at 8 dan, the highest rank possible to achieve. The belts correlate to the kyu system with 10 to 7 kyu wearing the white belt, 4 to 6 kyu wearing green, 3 to 1 kyu wearing brown and all dan-level practitioners wearing black. There is no international governing body for karate, so not all schools follow this standard belt system. Determining when students are ready for a new rank or belt and what requirements they must meet is generally left to the head instructor.

    Six Sigma

    • The Six Sigma management system has adopted the belt system from martial arts to rank business leaders. Green belt test-takers are required to have three years of experience working with the Six Sigma body of knowledge. This body of knowledge encompasses project management, team management, process modeling and other aspects of effective business leadership. The applicant is also expected to have worked on business projects under the leadership of a Six Sigma black belt. The test itself is a four-hour 100-question multiple choice examination. The test is open book and use of a calculator is allowed.