Ever wonder what all those colored belts are about? Well there are several different explanations for the colors. White being the novice represents a student that is pure, one without an ego, one that has nothing to hinder his or her ability to learn. It stands for honor and virtue, a clean canvas. At this stage you are just beginning to learn how things work. Not all white belts free spar as they are still learning the basics.

Yellow, Gold and Orange, represent the beginning, like the colors of the suns rise. At this stage you are no longer a novice, but are still considered a beginner. Here these belts start to learn more about free sparring with the use of safety gear.

Green, Blue, and Purple represent growth and one reaching for the sky as they excel at learning more through the intermediate level. As Kermit the Frog once said “It’s not easy being green” and it’s at these belts that many students dropout. It’s at these levels that progress slows down.

The advanced ranks of Brown and Red belt represent hard work and danger. Brown belts dig out knowledge as if digging in soil and Red belts represent danger, fire and heat. Red belts have enough knowledge to hurt someone but not enough wisdom at times to use their skills wisely.

Black belts are the experts of their field. They are the leaders and teachers in the school sharing their knowledge with others and setting good examples. The true journey of knowledge and learning starts at Black Belt and this is the reason for the Dan’s or Degree’s at each of the ranks through master level. Even a master is only as good as the art that he teaches and a true master, like his students is still learning.