What are the belts (ranks) in karate and how long does it take to reach them?
Beginning students first go through the “kyu” ranks. Students typically rise in rank by one kyu every 3 to 6 months. Kyu ranks and the color belts that go with them are: White belt – 8th kyu, 7th kyu Green belt – 6th kyu, 5th kyu, 4th kyu Brown belt – 3rd kyu, 2nd kyu, 1st kyu Six months after students attain 1st kyu, they may then start testing for “dan” (black belt) ranks. Students who train regularly typically require 3 to 5 years to reach the first level (Shodan) of black belt. Each succeeding black belt level requires increasingly more time to attain. For example, it generally takes at least 2 years to go from Shodan (1st degree) to Nidan (2nd degree), at least 3 years between Nidan and Sandan (3rd degree), and at least 5 years between Sandan and Yondan (4th degree).
