1st Degree Black Belt
(Instructor; Black Belt 1 Stripe)
- Achieve a certain level of physical expertise
- Considered a strong fighter, Kata practitioner, self-defense technician
- Demonstrates knowledge of requirements for this rank
- Improvement in ability to communicate/teach
- Minimum 3 years training in our style
2nd Degree Black Belt
(Instructor; Black Belt 2 Stripe)
- Improved teaching ability
- Teaching has resulted in a richer understanding of physical skills required for degree
- Re‑evaluation of physical skills with improvement in abilities
- Demonstrates knowledge of advanced techniques/forms
- Demonstrates responsibility
- Minimum 2 years after last promotion or 7 years of training
3rd Degree Black Belt
(Instructor; Black Belt 3 Stripes)
- Improve teaching ability of advance students
- Teaching contributes to improved efficiency and execution of techniques
- Viewed an authority in school
- Begin to learn aspects of another style or a weapon
- Minimum 2 years from last promotion or 10 years of training
4th Degree Black Belt
(Instructor; Black Belt 4 Stripes)
- Demonstrates ability to teach lower rank Black Belts
- Displays responsibility in running karate school/program
- Active and able to coordinate organization functions (i.e, seminars, etc.)
- Demonstrates incorporation of another style to physical skills/advance skills using a weapon
- Offers Black Belt level techniques/forms to be added to the style
- Minimum 3 years since last promotion or 14 years of training
5th Degree Black Belt
(Master; Black & Red Belt)
- Demonstrates advanced teaching ability to Black Belts
- Ability to individualize teaching to fit person’s strengths & weaknesses
- Sought for guidance and direction by students in life matters
- Has possibility to expand style beyond particular school or program
- Provides input toward organization’s direction and function
- Has achieved successes in one’s personal life beyond martial arts
- Minimum 4 years since last promotion or 18 years training
6th Degree Black Belt
(Master; Black & Red Belt)
- Thorough study of other styles/weapons, begins to reformulate the art’s concepts and principles
- Sought for guidance and direction from within and outside school or program
- Through teaching, encourages people to challenge themselves
- Continues to achieve success in one’s personal life beyond martial arts
- Demonstrates ability for leadership roles within the organization
- Minimum 4 years since last promotion or 22 years of training
7th Degree Black Belt
(Master; Black & Red Belt)
- Noticeable change in the understanding of the art and initiates a process of refinement
- Respected for teaching ability outside the organization
- Demonstrates ability to tailor teachings to people of diverse minds, cultures, and agendas
- Through teaching has the ability to help individuals significantly change their lives
- Minimum 4 years since last promotion or 26 years of training
8th Degree Black Belt
(Grand Master; Belt with Red/White Squares)
- Demonstrates physical mastery not demonstrated in the past; movements appear instinctual and embodied by this individual
- Demonstrates significant re‑formalization of concepts and principles of the art
- Has significantly contributed to the advancement of the art
- Through teaching has the ability to help groups significantly change their lives
- Minimum 4 years since last promotion or 30 years of training
9th Degree Black Belt
(Grand Master; Belt with Red/White Squares)
- Demonstrates a level of expertise reaching a super conscious level, whereby choreographing techniques become automatic
- The contributions are many and one has risen to a level of achieving community leadership status
- Minimum 5 years since last promotion or 35 years of training
10th Degree Black Belt
(Professor; Red Belt with Gold Outline)
- Represents a life-long commitment to help all human kind and promotion of the art
- One is so well-respected that one has the ability to influence the course of the art and the martial arts community
- Minimum 5 years since last promotion or 40 years of training
