Grading System

 

There are 10 grades before Black Belt and 10 after. The grades before Black are known as Kyu grades, while the ones after are called Dan grades. There is a popular misconception among Karate students during the early years of Karate training, that being a Black Belt is where Karate ends. In fact, the reality is quite the opposite. Getting a Black Belt is where you truly begin to study Karate.

Originally, there were no grades in Karate at all. It was decided though that grading was a useful technique that helped keep students motivated, especially in the early years of training.