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 Colored
belts and karate ranks are awards
of recognition presented to indicate the progress of the student
in mastering the physical, mental and emotional aspects of karate.
All students start with white-belts, signifying that they are beginners.
They progress through nine "kyu" grades (from 9th kyu
to 1st kyu) until they are ready to test for 1st degree black-belt
- sho-dan. With regular, focused, practice it takes between three
and five years to earn a black-belt.
To test for rank, examines must be a members of the Karate Club,
and by extension of that, the American JKA Karate Association - International (AJKA-I).
As such, club ranks are officially recorded with the AJKA-I. Members
are able to train as guests of AJKA member and affiliate clubs throughout
the United States.
Since all students are individuals with different potential and
rates of development, it is essential that, for testing, one student
not be compared to another. Grading should only be used as a tool
to measure each student's own individual improvement. The true opponent,
in testing and karate in general, is yourself.
The examiner will grade the student on many factors,
including:
- Form (kata)
- Basic techniques (kihon)
- Sparring (kumite)
- Correct timing, distance and judgment
- Mental, physical and emotional strength
- Etiquette and manners
As a student progresses towards black-belt, the
following factors are also taken into consideration:
- Character
- Training attitude and commitment
- Hours of training
- Age
- Individual handicaps and limitations
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