Belt Ranks: The Journey to Black Belt (and Beyond)

The karate belt rank system was borrowed from Judo when karate was first introduced from Okinawa to mainland Japan. Different styles of karate — and even different schools of the same style — have different color belt orders, but generally there is a progression from White Belt (a beginner student) to Black Belt (a student who is proficient…

Dojo Etiquette: What is the Culture of the Dojo?

The karate dojo (school) is a unique environment with its own rules, expectations, and culture. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself (and, if you are a parent or caregiver, your children) with the below information prior to attending classes. Before Attending Class: 1. Make sure you have everything you need for class — your…