What is Dan Ranking?

How can you keep improving beyond black belt?

After receiving all your colored belts and moving on to a black belt, you leave the kyu class and enter the dan class.

Dan Ranking

Dan means “step” or “stage” in Japanese. When you first receive a black belt, you are at shodan - first dan - rank. 

Shodan - 1st Dan

Nidan - 2nd Dan

Sandan - 3rd Dan

Yondan - 4th Dan

Godan - 5th Dan

Rokudan - 6th Dan

Shichidan - 7th Dan

Hachidan - 8th Dan

Kudan - 9th Dan

Judan - 10th Dan

Not all martial arts use all 10 dan, and for some arts, the belts might change. For most martial arts, black belts are worn for all dan rankings, but in judo, 6th-8th dan may wear a red and white belt and 9th-10th dan may wear a solid red belt. 

What do the different dans mean? If you’ve received shodan rank, you’ve mastered the basics of the style. At sandan, you can start teaching with your sensei’s supervision. At godan, you can get your full teaching license. The higher the dan, the more leadership and teaching experience you’ll need to be promoted.

Learn more about the ranking system.

Measure Your Growth - Martial Arts in Ann Arbor

Do you want to increase your strength, speed, and balance while working toward new belts?

Practicing martial arts in Ann Arbor has many non-physical benefits too! You will increase your confidence, focus, and self-discipline, all while having fun.

If you’re ready to get started, contact us today!

Why Are Colored Belts Used in Martial Arts?

Wondering what belt colors mean?

The majority of martial arts use a colored belt system to show your rank. It wasn’t always like this though. In 1883, judo founder Jigoro Kano founded the dan system which had students wear white belts and teachers and advanced students wear black belts. This system was adopted by numerous other martial art styles across different countries.

The colored belts came along when judo master Kawaishi Mikonosuke was teaching in France. Mikonosuke found multiple colored belts helped his students see their progress and gave them something to work toward. 

The exact order and number of belt colors depends on martial art or school. The general color order is:

• White
• Yellow
• Orange
• Green
• Blue
• Purple
• Brown
• Red
• Black

Learn more about the history behind the dan system.

Measure Your Growth - Martial Arts in Ann Arbor

Do you want to increase your strength, speed, and balance while working toward new belts?

Practicing martial arts in Ann Arbor has many non-physical benefits too! You will increase your confidence, focus, and self-discipline, all while having fun.

If you’re ready to get started, contact us today!