Ranks
History
Historically students wore only white belts. Over the course of many years of training the belts became soiled. The more an individual trained the darker the belt became until it appeared brown and then eventually black. Finally, the black belt would fray with continued training and return to white. This signified that the student had completed a full cycle of experience in the Martial Arts.
When the Martial Arts became popular following World War II, commercial systems of Martial Arts developed intermediate color belts to designate levels of experience between White Belt and Black Belt. Color belts provide students with short term goals and a method of measuring their progress toward their black belt. Many systems use stripes to signify intermediate levels between color belts. Most systems require three to four years of training prior to Black Belt with color belt tests every two to four months.
The order of the color belts differs from system to system. In general, color belts progress from light to dark. This often leads to disagreement about which is darker. For instance, is green or blue darker? One only has to look to the light-color-spectrum to find an indisputable order of the ranking system: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, or "ROY G BV." Our system starts with white, the traditional color of the novice, beginning, or innocence. When light hits a prism all of the colors of the rainbow can be seen. This represents the potential of each student to do all things, hence the White Belt for beginners. As students' inherited talents are tapped and molded, they progress throught the light spectrum, starting with orange then yellow, green, blue, and purple. Brown Belt is then awarded historically signifying an advance of status. Black Belt is awarded to Brown Belts who have proven their worthiness. The "color" black is actually devoid of all color, representing an openness to begin in a lifetime of true training. A Black Belt is truly only a master of the basics. He or she must have an open mind and remain humble. A Black Belt must be willing to learn from everyone he or she encounters, regardless of the other's rank. As a Black Belt begins to "see the light," the color red is gradually added to the belt, signifying a return to the beginning (as in the beginning of the color spectrum). At this stage, students delve deeper into the meanings of what was taught at the color belt level.
A plain black belt is worn by a student who has earned this rank in another style or someone who is a Probationary Black Belt in our style (a designation used by Professor Presas). First, Second, and Third Dan Black Belts are designated by the corresponding number of red stripes. Fourth Dan Black Belt is the Master Level. The Master's Belt is black on one side and red on the other side. Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Dan Black Belts wear the red and black belt with the black color on the outside. Seventh Dan Black Belt is the level of Grandmaster. Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Dan Black Belts wear a red and black belt with the color red on the outside. Tenth Dan Black Belt (Professor) is designated by a solid red belt. With this rank the cycle of the color spectrum is complete.
The term "kyu" ("gup" in Korean) is a numeric system corresponding to levels below Black Belt. This provides an objective measure between systems that use different color belts or a different order of color belts. Students start at White Belt and progress from 10th kyu to 1st kyu Brown Belt. This is followed by Candidate Black Belt and then Black Belt. The term "Dan" or Degree refers to levels of Black Belt. Eligible students who are under the age of sixteen will be awarded the rank of Junior Black Belt (designated by a plain black belt). As Junior Black Belts learn the additional required material for each level in the Adult Program, they will test for stripes corresponding to the appropriate level. After completing a "Transitional Black Belt Program," or upon reaching the age sixteen, a Junior Black Belt may be eligible to test for First Dan Black Belt in the Adult Modern Kempo Program.