rank progression rate

[xfighter88]

Furu Sento (TKD, Muay Thai, BJJ, Wrestling)

White
Yellow
Yellow green stripe
Green
Green blue stripe
Blue
Blue Purple stripe
Purple
Purple red stripe
Red
Red black stripe
Black

White to Green with blue stripe is a year to a year and a half depending on student. 3 months between is the minimum but we also have a minimum amount of hours in the gym. It works out to 2 times a week in a 3 month period. 6 month minimum between the rest of the belts. Red with black stripe to black belt is at least a year.

Looks like around 5-7 years.

 

[Yondanchris]

Hi all, I am a green belt currently studying Chinese Kenpo (Kung-Wu-Chu'an) and here's what my journey through the arts has taken me thus far. Of course a lot depends upon your effort and time you put into the art:

White
Orange - 5 months
Purple - 6 - 8 months
Blue - 8 - 12 months
Green - 8 - 12 months
Brown 3 Kyu - 6 to 8 months
Brown 2 Kyu - 6 to 8 months
Brown 1 Kyu - 6 to 8 months
1st Degree Black - 18 months
Total Time - 4.5 to 5 years

Thats right about how we test at Trinity Karate for Christ! Its good to see another Chinese Kempo practitioner on the board!

 

[senseib]

Ours is:
white 3 months
yellow 3 months
orange 3 months
green 3 months
purple 3 months
blue 3 months
red 3 months
brown 6 months
1st brown 6 months
2nd brown 6 months
3rd brown 6 months
black

then add 1 year to your dan rank for each level. so 2nd dan would be 3 years 3rd dan is 4 years and so on

 

[Devlin76]

Shotokan Karate
9th to 8th Kyu = 4 months
8th to 7th Kyu = 4 months
7th to 6th Kyu = 4 months
6th to 5th Kyu = 4 months
5th to 4th Kyu = 4 months
4th to 3rd Kyu = 4 months
3rd to 2nd Kyu = 6 months
2nd to 1st Kyu = 6 months
1st Kyu to 1st Dan = 1 year
average total time to blackbelt = 4 years

Fugakukai Aikido
6th Kyu to 5th Kyu = 3 months
5th Kyu to 4th Kyu = 3 months
4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu = 3 months
3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu = 3 months
2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu = 3 months
1st Kyu to 1st Dan = 6 months
average total time to blackbelt = 1 1/2 to 2 years

Aikikai Aikido
white belt to black belt = 4 - 10 years

Taijiquan
no ranks

 

[Hudson69]

In Kenpo karate it took me about two and a half years to reach black belt. I took a long two year break and then it took me about six months of intense time (4 times a week) to get to 2nd degree.

I got to 1st kyu in Budo Taijutsu before I quit and that took about three years but I was allowed to jump in/test in at 5th kyu based of prior training when it was still called Bujinkan Ninjutsu but all together I will have to say it was about three years to get that far.

When I became an FBI Arrest Control Instructor it took two weeks/80 hrs for certification. When I was a CO POST (Agency specific) DT Instructor it took one week/40 hrs for certification but I had to be certified in something else already (like FBI). I am waiting to go to PPCT Instructor school in February of 2011, I think it is two weeks as well.

I have, like many others, low ranking belts in a few other systems as well, like Kempo, Tae Kwon Do and Wun Hop Kuen Do but 3-6 months doesn't really count.

 

[jthomas1600]

Our TKD school goes like this:
White
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Purple
Red
High Red
Brown
High Brown
Bodan
Supper Bodan
Black

You can reach blue 12-14 months if you work hard. After that it starts to slow down a bit. Purple belt is a review belt. You're expected to not only demonstrate that you remember all the basics you've learned up until that point, but start to perfect them and understand them better. New students are told that it is possible to reach black in 3 years, but to not expect it...it doesn't happen from what I can see. White to black seems to be between 3.5 and 5 years depending on the student.

 

[ETinCYQX]

it would seam like our progression rate between ur style and mine are fairly close so thats good to hear... i still want other people's info though lol

Roughly five-seven years to black in my specific TKD school, training 2-3 times a week and taking things seriously. We promote to yellow as soon as possible for several reasons, one being that a student has to be yellow belt to spar with us and also it's a boost in motivation for a younger student to have a first colored belt. We also do stripes for kids without a full test. This is a guess since it's been a long long time since we had anyone grade to 1st dan (I'll be the next at the beginning of next month!)

In my Judo dojo I started in September and I'll be grading (hopefully) in March to yellow. Our Sensei has explained that he'd like us to be able to compete in April and that's a motivating factor behind the grading. I haven't been a Judo student long enough to give any more insight than that and it's a new club so no higher belts aside from our Sensei who is Ikkyu and our two assistant Sensei's who are green belts, plus a blue belt who shows up sporadically.

 

[shima]

Generally at most schools I've been it takes about 5 years to get black. I got to black a little faster at the tae kwon do school I attended but that was only because I already had a black from my karate school previously and didn't need to be retrained in basics (punches, kicks, and some of the lower forms were really similar). But overall a good black belt in my opinion should take about 5 years of work. I'm hoping by the time I turn 30 I'll be testing for my kenpo first degree black belt. (I'm 25 now)

Had I stuck with the same style all these years I'm sure I'd be at least a 3rd degree in something by now, but it's ok, at the end of the day I'm not really rank crazed. I just want to fill my head with as much information as possible, and if that I should test for new belts with everyone else along the way, sure

 

[OKenpo942]

Ed Parker's American Kenpo Karate:

White
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Blue
Green
3rd Brown
2nd Brown
1st Brown
Black (1st - 10th)

 

[Kenpo17]

My system being American Kenpo is a little different in terms of ranks from your own. The Kenpo system contains in order white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, 3rd degree brown, 2nd degree brown, 1st degree brown, 1st degree black-10th degree. Nowadays at my school, a students test once every three months up until 1st degree black belt. When I was going through the ranks many years ago, white-yellow, yellow-orange, orange-purple took about three to four months to achieve the next belt level, purple-blue, blue-green, green-brown, and brown 2 to brown 1 took between six to ten months to achieve each level. Black belts are a little different in that it takes two to three and sometimes even four years inbetween black belt degrees.

 

[Lee Ch'a]

In my school of Tae Kwon Do, ranking goes as follows:

White
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
Purple-Trim
Brown
Red
Black

Usually 3+ months for colored belts, but generally longer as a Red Belt, as Black Belt tests are held only twice a year (In June and December), so that depends on how hard you train, how prepared you are, and when you earn you Red Belt, I suppose.

After this, the ranks are 1st-10th Dan, and the number of years between each continually increases, ie. 1 year between, then 2, then 3, and so on and so forth.

Very interesting to learn about all the other ranking systems. Thanks everyone for sharing!

 

[Cyriacus]

Ranks with the general time spent in each one:
[For All]
White Belt: 3 Months
[For Juniors]
White Belt Yellow Stripe: Three Months
Yellow Belt White Stripe: Three Months
[For Seniors]
White Belt Yellow Tag: Three Months
[For All]
Yellow Belt: Three to Six Months
Yellow Belt Green Tag: Three Months
Green Belt: Three Months
Green Belt Blue Tag: Three Months
Blue Belt: Three To Six Months
Blue Belt Red Tag: Three Months
Red Belt: Three To Eight Months
Red Belt Black Tag: Until Your Instructor Decides That You Are Fit To Attend A Black Belt Grading.
[For Juniors]
Black Belt White Stripe: Until Your Instructor Decides That You Are Fit To Attend A Black Belt Grading.
[For Seniors]
1st Dan Black Belt: About 2-10 Years.
(And goes up to 9th Dan)

 

[oftheherd1]

My recollection is that in Soong Moo Kwan Hapkido when I attended:

white 8
yellow 7 - 6
blue 5 - 4
red 3 - 2 - 1
black 1 to 8

I don't know if it is the same now or not. As to times, I don't recall for sure (it has been over 25 years), but on post where I studied, one could make 1st dan in a year. It required attending 6 days a week, sometimes more than once a day, and work outside the dojo. A lot of concentration and practice. I think I made 1st Dan in about 18 months. 2nd dan was probably just about the same or a little over. I had the advantage from blue belt on of being taught directly by my GM. Tests weren't given at the gup level progression, but at the belt level progression. So you tested for yellow, blue, red, and then black. Not many made 1st Dan in one year. Rather rare in fact.

 

[sfs982000]

In my school our ranks and progression rates are as follows:

White Belt
Orange Belt
Yellow Belt
Camo Belt
Green Belt
Purple Belt
Blue Belt
Brown Belt
Red Belt
1st Degree Recommended (Poom Belt)
1st Degree Decided (Black)
2nd Degree Recommended
2nd Degree Decided

The remaining Dan ranks go to 9th, from first to 4th Dan the grades are denoted by bars on the belt from 5th to 9th Dan the grade is denoted by stars on the belt. The average time in rank for white through green is approximately 3-4 months, from purple to 1st degree is around 6 months. We hold gradings every quarter in our school. It takes the average student approximately 3 years depending on the number of classes they're able to attend to earn their black belt.

 

[Buka]

To me, the best method of promotion I've seen was in a Rickson Gracie Jiu-jitsu school. When you were ready for your next belt - the instructor came up to you in class and gave you your belt. You stopped drilling long enough to put it on, there was applause from your dojo mates for a couple seconds and you went back to work.

Hindsight being twenty/twenty, that's the way I'd do it if I could start teaching all over again. But that's just me.

 

[sfs982000]

To me, the best method of promotion I've seen was in a Rickson Gracie Jiu-jitsu school. When you were ready for your next belt - the instructor came up to you in class and gave you your belt. You stopped drilling long enough to put it on, there was applause from your dojo mates for a couple seconds and you went back to work.

Hindsight being twenty/twenty, that's the way I'd do it if I could start teaching all over again. But that's just me.

To me that would the ideal way of getting promoted, no b.s. just put the new belt on and keep practicing

 

[Saki]

Wado Ryu:

Rank goes:
White
Red
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Purple
Brown
Brown 2nd (1/3 black)
Brown 3rd (half black)
Black (no stripes. It is common to order a very high quality belt and never replace it)

Red Belt??? Hmmmm..... I have been Wado for a long while and never saw a red belt. There was not even an orange belt when I came through the system. Its' there now, of course.

One thing I liked is that it took about 4 to 8 year to get Black Belt. We never had junior black belts. You had to be mature enough to understand the duty and responsability of a black belt. When I hear people talk about getting black belt in 2 years- with no prior experience- I wonder how much it cost. So many styles have watered down their styles just to make money. It's sad. I wish we could be more traditional and closer to our arts. I do admire some styles like Akido where it's a black belt and a white belt- yet EVERYONE knows where to line up. I admire that. With the rank system- one thing I really don't like is Belt stripes. Maybe for small kids it's a good thing. For teenagers and adults- I think it's another way to water down the rank and style. Do people really need to be "rewarded" every other week or month to continue with their trainning. Maybe I am old fashion.

There is a lot of good info here. Seeing different information about different styles. Good info.

 

[NSRTKD]

Our school of HTF TKD:

White
Yellow (recommended = no stripes, decided = 1 stripe)
High Yellow (recommended = 2 stripes, decided = 3 stripes)
Green (recommended = no stripes, decided = 1 stripe)
High Green (recommended = 2 stripes, decided = 3 stripes)
Blue (recommended = no stripes, decided = 1 stripe)
High Blue (recommended = 2 stripes, decided = 3 stripes)
Red (recommended = no stripes, decided = 1 stripe)
High Red (recommended = 2 stripes, decided = 3 stripes)
Red/Black (this is equivalent to recommended black)
1st Dan Black (Gold embroidery with 1 stripe)
2nd Dan Black (Gold embroidery with 2 stripes)
...etc, etc.

**edited to add**
*We have to test for our stripes. A striped/high rank is a whole new rank, with completely new material. Some people seem to get by on 3 classes a week to test at 3 month intervals, I do 4-6 classes a week, can't imagine ranking that quickly without that intense level of training...*

In general, for the first few ranks (we adults take class WITH our kids so there is no difference on striping based on age), people advance at each testing, which is every 3 months, but then most people slow down around green/blue and start requiring several testing cycles of 3 months each to advance. Our kids often slow down around high yellow or low green belt, and we all take class together so the kids can see their parents showing proper respect and discipline right alongside them, and watch us handle frustrations and disappointments in a mature manner in their very own class. We are a family oriented school with very little emphasis on competition. Black belts take years between Dan levels, similar to what ccultrara above me said, though it's 2 years before 3rd Dan and 3 years before 4th. Our instructor says that regardless of rank, it takes a martial artist about eight years to get really good at it.

I'm a low green belt My husband is a 2nd Dan, my oldest kid is a high yellow belt and my middle child is a low yellow belt and my youngest needs to get out of diapers before I'll get her into a uniform. She begs me for a white belt and she's only three. *hehe love it!*

 

[SuperFLY]

Shotokan Karate (TISKA)

10th kyu Blue (3 months)
9th kyu Red (3 months)
8th kyu Orange (3 months)
7th kyu Yellow (3 months)

6th kyu Green (3 months)
5th kyu Purple (3 months)
4th kyu Purple (white stripe) (3 months)
3rd kyu Brown (3 months)

2nd kyu Brown (white stripe) (3 months)
1st kyu Brown (red stripe) (6 months)

Black Belt (1 year)

We grade every 3 months so if you grade every grading you should hit 1st kyu in around 3 years. 1st kyu is normally a 6 month wait. you then train for a year and go for black so you 'can' achieve black belt in 4 years. you can, as i did, go for 1st within 3 months if your sensei thinks you're capable but the year wait for black is set in stone. there is however, an 'intermediate' grading 6 months in so our chief instructor can see your progress. also means you dont get lazy by not grading for a whole year.

 

[NSRTKD]

We do that too, the "pretesting" of black belts for 3rd Dan and up.