Martial Arts Belts: Everything You Need to Know

 

In martial arts, colored belts, or obi as they're known in Japanese, are a regular sight. They're used to represent a student's development, with each one denoting a different rank. This rank ranges from low (10th kyu) to high (10th dan) in various martial arts. A black belt is the following step after a pupil has achieved the highest kyu level (1st dan). They then begin their ascension through the dan levels, reaching 10th dan.

Dr. Jigoro Kano created the notion of utilizing a belt to indicate rank, as well as the kyu/dan system, in the early 1880s. Kano utilized only black or white belts to differentiate experienced pupils from beginners while teaching jujutsu, which is the foundation of contemporary judo.

Many other disciplines, including karate and taekwondo, adopted the belt ranking system shortly after Kano created his martial arts school, the Kodokan Judo Institute. The belts then changed throughout time, eventually becoming the multicolored belts we see today. Read full Article