Aikido belts - what do they mean? Description of the situation with colored belts in aikido Black stripe on an aikido belt how to sew

Traditionally, Japanese aikido does not use a belt system, much less colored belts. Color grading was first proposed in France to better motivate students. The colors and names of the stages in aikido are taken from judo.

A white belt can be worn by anyone who decides to engage in this type of martial arts. The white color symbolizes the birth of a new life, in this case the birth of a new aikido fighter. This stage in aikido is called the 10th kyu (hereinafter, the belt change sequence in the yoshinkan system is described, in traditional aikido there are only 6 kyu).

In some schools, representatives of 9th and 8th kyu also wear a white belt. In others, as you move up a step, first one and then two stripes are added to the white belt.

The yellow belt speaks of the long journey that a student needs to go through before becoming a master. The warrior has already been training for more than six months and has earned the right to change his white belt to a yellow one.

The orange belt is the 6th kyu. It does not exist in the Japanese tradition, so it can be considered transitional from yellow (the beginning of the path) to green (disclosure of one's potential).

If a student has a green belt in aikido, then he has been practicing this martial art for almost two years. During this time, the fighter worked out the main blows, learned not to be afraid of the opponent, imbued with the very philosophy of aikido. The green belt is the 5th kyu.

Blue belt - the next step, 4th kyu. The student rose in technique, but in the knowledge of the philosophy of martial art, he only saw new horizons, to which the teacher directs him.

The senior kyu are 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Usually all holders of senior kyu wear a brown belt. Sometimes at the 3rd level you can see red belts. The meanings of brown and red in this case are associated with nature. Red is a ripe fruit, or a fighter who is ready to devote his whole life to aikido. Brown is the color of wood. The student found roots in the traditions and culture of aikido and linked his life with it forever.

After the kyu comes the dans, from 1 to 10. Since dan is already a sign of a master, there is no division into colors here. Regardless of the dan number, they wear a black belt - a symbol of wisdom.

Many aikido masters consider the belt system to be detrimental to aikido. Since colors are mainly used for children and teenagers, as well as in sports competitions, this leads to the fact that aikido turns from a martial art into a spectacular sport, where the main thing is showiness, but not efficiency. An example is the style of Steven Seagal, a popular action hero of the 90s. However, if you wish, you can also learn "Segal's Aikido" in the Club18 combat aikido section.

How do they know the level of skill in a group without belts? It is enough at the beginning and at the end of the training to sit in a line for greeting bows. In the beginning - experienced masters, in the end - beginners.

Indeed, in modern aikido, with its division into sports, martial and traditional, there is a certain confusion with colors. Even experienced combat aikido trainers at Club18 sometimes get lost when they see the color scheme of belts from representatives from other schools. Some have patches, some don't. Somewhere, all senior kyu correspond to the brown belt, and someone allocates red and brown belts for this. Fortunately, which belt someone has in this martial art is not the main thing. Much more important is the desire to learn and comprehend the techniques and techniques of aikido.

You can get your first aikido belt by starting classes in our club - "18Fit" (

It is known that a kimono belt is not just an accessory for convenience, it not only keeps the jacket in a comfortable position, but also reflects the status of a fighter, sometimes even personal data. Watching aikido competitions will be more interesting if you learn to distinguish between belts. If you practice aikido, then the hierarchy of belts will show you what to strive for. From this material you will learn what belts are in aikido, what colors and stripes mean, how belts differ in different directions of aikido.

In martial arts, belts are not just an element of decorative and practical significance. Each such accessory carries information, you can learn a lot of interesting things about its owner from the belt. Each martial art has its own hierarchy, belts in aikido differ primarily in color. If you learn to read information from the belt, then watching aikido competitions will become much more interesting.

Why are the belts different colors?

Aikido mastery levels are divided into two types, the master's degree is called "dan", the student's degree is called "kyu". For each degree, a hierarchy and a system of different belts are provided. To find out the skill level of an aikido, you just need to look at the color of the belt he wears.

Even in the same dojo, belts of different colors can be presented - white, black, brown, blue and others. The color of the belt shows not only the level of skill, but also reflects the merits of the fighter, since a new degree comes only with certain achievements. The hierarchy of fighters and their belts is very clear and convenient.

Due to the presence of different belts, beginners in training know who to address the question to, the color of the belt will indicate that you have a more experienced aikidoka in front of you.

Aikido belt colors in order

In some dojos, you can see only two colors of belts, black and white, while others are diverse. Each branch of aikido, and even each school within the same branch, can adhere to its own hierarchy.

Even those who have never been interested in martial arts know what a black belt is, this is the highest degree of skill. Thinking logically, we can assume that the white belt is the most initial stage. This assumption will be correct, black and white belts are present in any of the schools. Brown belts are also common, they indicate that their owner is no longer quite a novice, he will soon acquire the status of a master. Otherwise, the correspondence of color and level depends on the direction of aikido.

Belt colors in Aikido Aikikai

• Black belt - this color is worn by masters whose status corresponds to the first dan or higher.
• Brown belt - 1 kyu degree, if this fighter will improve as diligently, then very soon he will receive the first degree of the master and a black belt.
• Blue belt - degree 2 kyu, a fighter with a belt of this color has a fairly high level in aikido, he has mastered many techniques;
• Green belt - Grade 3 kyu, an aikidoka student wears a green belt before progressing to blue.
• The red belt is the 4th kyu degree, this is no longer a beginner, the red belt indicates that its owner has already crossed three levels of mastery.
• Yellow belt - 5 kyu degree, a belt of this color is awarded immediately after white, but after a novice fighter can pass attestation for 5 kyu.
• The white belt is a 6 kyu degree, in traditional aikido directions this is an entry-level belt. The white belt is worn by the one who just came to train, then there is certification for the 6th kyu degree, after which the fighter also wears a white belt until he moves to the next level.

Belt colors in Aikido Yoshinkan

• White belt - everything is different in this direction, the first attestation of students is 10 kyu. A white belt is worn by those whose level corresponds to 8, 9 and 10 kyu.
• Yellow belt - this color indicates the transition to the level of 7 kyu, in traditional aikido schools there is no such level, the path starts from 6 kyu.
• Orange belt - in this direction, the level of 6 kyu is no longer the initial stage, so the belt is no longer white, but orange.
• The green belt is a higher level of skill in the Yoshinkan branch.
• Blue belt - in this case, the blue color corresponds to the level of 4 kyu, and here it is the last stage before moving on to the senior student qualification.
• The brown belt is the senior degree of the student, the brown color corresponds to the degree of 1, 2 and 3 kyu, which means the same as in the previous school - the student will soon become a master.
• Black belt - as in any direction, this is a master's degree.

Unspoken belt differences

According to the two schools given, it becomes clear that the gradations of colors can be very different, it is easy to get confused in them. In order to avoid confusion, unspoken principles have been developed; almost all schools adhere to them. If a competition or other public event is coming up, then for clarity, holders of junior degrees who wear a green, blue or yellow belt come in white belts. Black and brown belts come in, they don't have to change color.

Thus, many colors and grades may be present within a school, but at events the hierarchy is simpler. There are only three colors - white, brown and black, that is, three classes - junior and senior students, their masters.

Belt patches

The stripes on the aikido belts look very impressive, it seems that they give the owner of the belt some special status. One has a club logo sewn on the belt, the other has a third-party image, often hieroglyphs are sewn on the belts. Stripes are beautiful, aesthetics are their only role, the designations do not carry any meaning.

The only exception is the gold patch on the black belt. In order for the master, who has just acquired such a degree, and his new black belt to become one, the name of the master is embroidered with golden threads in Japanese characters on the black belt.

The goal of training is to stretch
weakened, strengthen the body and
polish the spirit.

Morihei Ueshiba

What does aikido training consist of?

Traditionally, a workout consists of three parts: warm-up, main part and final part. The warm-up includes warm-up exercises, stretching and learning ukemi (insurance). The main part is built in accordance with the teacher's methodological plan and includes the study of aikido techniques and techniques. The final part of the workout is breathing exercises, stretching.

Do gender, age and fitness matter?

In our club, everyone who wants to practice aikido, regardless of gender, age and physical fitness. Even if you assess your physical fitness as unsatisfactory, everyone involved will be happy to help you move towards your goal. Moreover, aikido simultaneously serves to maintain health, develop thinking, self-defense and, which is important for women, to improve the figure.

At what age can a child be enrolled with you?

Not earlier than 5 years. Enrollment in the group is carried out after a conversation with the teacher.

Can aikido be harmful to health?

“... In daily practice, start with body movements, and then move on to more intense exercises. Never use force in an unnatural and illogical way. If this rule is followed, even the elderly will not harm themselves and will be able to train in a pleasant and joyful environment...”

Morihei Ueshiba. ”Advice for Aikido Students”

Can children and adults play together?

Usually adults and children are engaged in separate groups. It is possible to train a parent with a child in agreement with the coach.

How many people are in the group?

Depending on the area of ​​the hall, an average of seven to fifteen people are engaged in a group.

Private lessons and their cost?

Please check the schedule of individual lessons and their cost with the instructor or by phone (section CONTACT).

Can a newcomer join the general group?

We do not create separate groups for beginners. A newly arrived student masters the techniques and techniques of aikido much more effectively in an already formed group.

Equipment

Dress code is white aikido kimono. On the tatami they practice barefoot. To move from the locker room to the tatami and go to the shower after training, you must bring slippers (flip-flops). For advice on buying a kimono, see the Outfit section.

How many times a week is it preferable to practice aikido?

We usually offer three workouts per week, but you can choose a more intense schedule for yourself. If, due to being very busy, you can attend only one or two workouts a week, this will not be time spent in vain, and will bring good results.

How to get a black belt in aikido?

In aikido, there are six student degrees (Kyu) and several master levels of "black belts" - dans. Within three to four months, the student can achieve the first degree - the sixth Kyu. Promotion from 6th Kyu to 1st Black Belt (called Shodan) can take 3 to 5 years.
However, the most important thing in aikido is not the degree achieved, but the incessant continuation of training and the desire for self-improvement. It sounds quite simple, but it is actually quite difficult for many practitioners. Focusing only on degrees is a completely wrong attitude for aikido.

Our guide does not aim at a detailed analysis of Aikido. We just want to bring some clarity and help, especially beginners, to navigate the most common and most common issues. In this regard, we do not conduct an in-depth analysis and detailed reference on concepts and terms.

Due to significant phonetic differences between the Japanese and Russian languages, it is not easy to bring and reproduce the correct and unambiguous pronunciation of a particular concept, word, or sound. Without delving into linguistic depths, we note that we do not claim the absolute truth of translation and transcription. Variants of interpretation of Aikido terminology different from ours are quite acceptable and have the right to exist. However, we also reserve the right to offer the following interpretation.

Aikido - modern martial art

It is based on numerous traditional martial arts and, above all, Daito Ryu Aiki Jitsu by Master Sokaku Takeda. Aikido has gone through various stages on its way from Daito Ryu, a basic technique in the 1930s, to Aikido as we know it today.

It all started with the fact that Ueshiba Morihei, as a result of many years of searching and hard work in various martial arts, developed his own system, which he eventually called Aikido. His son Ueshiba Kisshomaru developed and systematized Aikido. Currently, the head of the Aiki Union is the grandson of the founder - Ueshiba Moriteru.

What is Aikido? Aikido is a way of harmonizing vital energy.

	Ai- Harmony, Love, Consistency.		Ueshiba Morihei (14.12.1883 - 26.04.1969) Founder of Aikido.
	Key- Vital energy.		Ueshiba Kishomaru (27.06.1921 - 04.01.1999) Second Doshu.
	Before- Path.		Ueshiba Moriteru (born 04/02/1951) Third Doshu.

In order not to get confused

Let's distinguish:

Ai - Harmony, Love, Consistency
Aikidoka - A person who practices Aikido
Bujutsu - martial art
Budo - Way of the Warrior
Jutsu - Skill, art
Do - Path
Kai - Society
Caen - Style, club
Ki - Life energy
Kobudo - Traditional martial arts
Kokyu - Vital breath

There are several styles of Aikido

The most widespread are:

Aikikai - a direction officially recognized in 1940 and continued by the Ueshiba family

Shin Shin Toitsu (Ki-Aikido) - a direction that master Toheya Koichi began to develop

Yoshinkan - a direction that master Shioda Gozo began to develop

Who is who?

There is a certain hierarchy in Aikido:

O-Sensei - Founder of Aikido Ueshiba Morihei (literally "Great Teacher")
Doshu - Head of School
Shihan - Supervising Instructor (6th Dan and above)
Sensei - Teacher (4 - 5 Dan)
Senpai - Senior student
Kouhai - Junior student
Dohai - Equal students
Yudancha - Dan degree holder
Dojo cho - Senior in the dojo
Uchi deshi - A student who lives in the master's house (close student)
Dan - Highest student and master ranks
Kyu - Beginning student ranks

Degrees of "kyu" in Aikido there are only 6 for adults and 8 for children. The youngest degree of kyu is the eighth, the oldest is the first. Each degree has its own name.

Degrees "Dan" in Aikido 10. Unlike "kyu", the level of "Dan" increases according to its serial number; the youngest "Dan" is the first, the oldest is the tenth:

Hachi-kyu - 8 kyu Shichi-kyu - 7 kyu Rock-kyu - 6 kyu Go-kyu - 5 kyu Yong-kyu - 4 kyu San-kyu - 3 kyu Ni-kyu - 2 kyu Ik-kyu - 1 kyu

Sho-dan - 1 Dan Ni-dan - 2 Dan San-dan - 3 Dan Yeon-dan - 4 Dan Go-dan - 5 Dan Roku-dan - 6 Dan Shichi - Dan - 7 Dan Hachi-dan - 8 Dan Ku-dan - 9 Dan Ju-dan - 10 Dan

Where?

Aikido training takes place in the dojo:

Dojo - Place where martial arts classes are held (literally: "Place of learning the way")
Tatami - 1) Traditionally - a mat of rice straw about 1m x 2m (currently, as a rule, made of foam rubber);
Tatami - 2) Modern. - all space covered with mats and intended for training
Kamiza - Main Wall
Shimoza - Place opposite to kamiza
Shikhandai - Shihan's Place

In what?

On the tatami, for reasons of hygiene, safety and comfort, everyone wears special clothes:

Keikogi (Dogi) - Tracksuit (the common name "kimono" is a misnomer and refers to a different type of clothing)
Obi - Belt
Hakama - Wide trousers (as a rule, for practitioners from 1st Dan and above)

What are we talking about?

Since Aikido is practiced exclusively by polite and well-mannered people, an atmosphere of friendliness and cooperation reigns in the classroom:

Ohayo gozaimas - good morning
Konnichi wa - Good afternoon
Komban wa - Good evening
Sayonara - Goodbye
Dozo - Please, I beg you
Arigato gozaimashta - Thank you for studying with me
Domo arigato gozaimashta - Thank you very much (especially polite form)
O-negai shmas - A polite form of invitation to any joint actions (classes)
Otskare samadeshita - Gratitude for joint work, work
O-tagai-ni rei - Mutual bow

What are we doing?

Teams used in class:

Kiritsu - Get up!
Matt - Wait!
Mokuso - A team to create an internal mood at the beginning and end of a workout
Ray - Bow!
Seiza - Sit up straight!
Hajime - Start!
Yame - Stop!

How do we fall?

Insurances:

Ukemi Waza - Belay Technique
Mae ukemi - Overhand somersault belay
Ushiro ukemi - Back somersault belay
Yoko ukemi - Belay somersault through arm to side

Where and how?

Directions, sides and levels:

Hidari - Left
Migi - Right
Mahe - Front
Ushiro - Rear
Jodan - Upper level (above shoulders)
Chudan - Intermediate (shoulder to waist)
Gedan - Lower level (below the belt)
Irimi - Entry, entrance
Tenkan - Rotation
Omote - Facial, front
Hooray - Reverse, rear
Soto - Outside
Teach - Inside

How do we stand?

Body positions and stances:

Kamae - Ready position: legs slightly bent, arms in front of you
Hanmi - Positioning the body in a half turn (45°) towards the attack
Migi hanmi - Right hand stance
Hidari hanmi - Left side stance
Aihanmi - Opponents are in relation to each other in the stance of the same name
Gyakuhanmi - Opponents are in relation to each other in opposite (mirror) stance
Maai - Distance in space and time. Simply put, the distance between opponents

How are we moving?

Movements in space:

Thai sabaki - Ways to change body position
Tsugi ashi - Side step
Ayumi ashi - Step with change of foot
Tenkai - 180° turn on the spot
Tenkan - Leaving the line of attack and turning 180 ° with a step back
Irimi tenkan - Consists of two movements - irimi (entering with a step forward) and tenkan
Shikko - Moving on your knees

How are we being attacked?

Dori kata - Grip technique
Katate dori - Grasping the opponent's wrist with one hand
Aihanmi katate dori - Grip by the hand of the same name
Gyaku hanmi katate dori - Opposite hand grip (mirror grip)
Ryote dori - Two-handed grip of two hands in front
Kata dori - Shoulder Grab
Ryokata dori - Front two shoulder grab
Kakae dori - Body grab (grip with two hands in front)
Morote dori - Holding one hand with two hands
Hiji Dori - Elbow Grab
Muna dori - Lapel grab
Eri dori - Goal grab
Soda dori - Grab by the sleeve (in the elbow area)
Kubi shime - Grab by the throat (choke)
Ushiro dori - Holds from behind

How are we being beaten?

Beats:

Atemi Waza - Strike Technique
Atemi - A distraction, usually applied before or during a technique.
Tsuki (tsuki) - Straight poke, stabbing hand strikes
Jodan tsuki - High level punch (head)
Chudan tsuki - Middle level punch (in the torso)
Learn - Chopping punches
Shomen uchi - Downward punch
Yokomen uchi - Side punch
Suhei uchi - Punch through the chest
Geri - Kicks
Mae geri - Forward kicks
Yoko geri - Side kicks
Ushiro Geri - Back Kick
Mawashi geri - Side kick

How do we protect ourselves?

Aikido Techniques:

Nage waza - Throwing moves
Juji-garami nage - Throw with entangled arms
Irimi nage - Throw taken in oncoming traffic
Kaiten nage - Spinning Throw
Kokyu nage - Throw coordinated with the partner's movements, "breathing throw"
Kote gaeshi nage - Wrist twist throw
Koshi nage - Waist Throw
Tenchi nage - Sky-to-Earth Throw
Udekime nage - Elbow Impact Throw
Shiho nage - Throw to the "Four Directions of the World"

What's happening?

Types of techniques:

Vase - Technique, work, method, section
Kihon no waza - Basic Techniques
Henka vase - Additional techniques
Tachi waza - Standing moves (both opponents standing)
Suvari waza - Kneeling techniques (both opponents on their knees)
Hanmi handachi waza - Techniques performed by a seated person against attacks from a standing person
Jyu waza - Random execution of various techniques from one specially stipulated attack
Buki vase - One of the partners is armed
Randori - Free work against one or more opponents, when the methods of attack and defense are not specified in advance
Kata - Performing a reception strictly according to the classical scheme
Tori (Nage) - Hold, thrower
Uke - Accepted, thrown

How do we control the situation?

Ways to hold and control the enemy:

Osae Waza - Holding techniques
Ikkyo (ude osae) - First control or control by pressing the hand
Nikyo (kote mawashi) - Second control or forearm rotation control
Sankyo (kote hineri) - Third control or forearm twisting control
Yonkyo (tekubi) – Fourth control or wrist pressing control
Gokyo (ude nobashi) - Fifth control or arm extension control
Hijikime Osae - Elbow Hold

What will help us?

Working with weapons:

Buki vase – Weapon technique
Bokken - wooden sword
Tanto - Dagger, knife
Jo - Stick, armpit length
Kumitachi - Dual Sword Technique
Kumijo - Pairing jo technique
Tachi dori waza - Technique of working against an opponent armed with a sword
Tanto dori waza - Technique of working against an opponent armed with a knife
Jo dori waza - Technique of working against an opponent armed with jo
Zen age waza – A jo defense technique against attacks (jo grips) from an unarmed attacker

And in Japanese?

When working out a technique or individual elements, during a warm-up and when performing preparatory exercises, the score is kept in Japanese:

1 - Ichi 2 - Neither 3 - San 4 - Shi (young) 5 - Go 6 - Roku 7 - Shichi (nana) 8 - Hachi 9 - Ku (kyu)

10 - Ju 20 - Ninju 30 - Sanju 40 - Yeonju 50 - Goju 60 - Rokuju 70 - Shichiju 80 - Hachiju 90 - Kyuju 100- Hyaku

Reviewer: S.V. Kiselyov
Compiled by: I.A. Novikov, D.S. Sapozhnikov
The compilers are especially grateful to Elena Sosnovskaya for her help in working on the dictionary.

How much aikido does it take to get a dan/belt? Are dan and belts related? and got the best answer

Answer from Ѐuslan Surin[guru]
The system of colored belts and dans exists in many oriental martial arts: Japanese jujutsu (jiu-jitsu), aikido, karate; Chinese kungfu and many others.
In Japanese martial arts, there is also the concept of "kyu" - the level of the student.
There are 6 kyu and 10 dan in aikido. Belts - 7:
White belt (the first year of study, in many schools a student who has not yet received a white belt is not considered a student of the school, an exam for him is taken somewhere after 2 months, where after six months from the start of training) - 6th kyu
Yellow - 5th kyu
Orange - 4th kyu
Green - 3rd kyu
Blue - 2nd kyu
Brown - 1st kyu
Once upon a time, there was no such a coherent system, just a student who passed the exam for obtaining a white belt had to wash a kimono for classes, but never a belt, and the belt gradually turned from white to black (in Chinese martial arts in some places, for example. in the Shaolin Monastery, such a system has been preserved to this day) so now every next color is darker.
In some schools, not the 6th kyu is considered primary, but the 10th kyu (those there the level of education and requirements are much lower), but also the first white belt. It takes a year to get the yellow and orange belts, then several years for each color.
Next comes the BLACK BELT. Black belts are divided into 10 dans. Most often, trainers have 2-3 or 4 dan. 5.6 are already, as a rule, very famous warriors. I don’t know much about the owners of the 10th dan, but I heard that in the entire history of Japanese martial arts there were only 3 of them (I don’t know if this is true). As a rule, every few years each of them tries to meet the standard and qualify for the next dan. To assign a new belt color to a student, the opinion of his coach (if the coach has a black belt) is enough that the student has complied with the standards, and to assign a new dan, you need the opinion of a commission of several people, each of whom has a black belt and a dan of a similar level. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine a commission that awarded 10 dan to someone!
P.S. My personal amateurish opinion is that Chinese wushu is more interesting, more effective, more universal in general and specifically in terms of healing and fighting scoliosis, much more useful for a person than aikido and karate.

Answer from GABEN[guru]
if you're just doing it to get a "belt" this sport is not for you!

Answer from Edward Wolf[newbie]
there are different schools and everywhere they train differently, so ...

Answer from Grigory Timofeev[active]
About two months

Answer from Luba K[newbie]
I have been doing aikido for two years and two years later I got a yellow belt

Answer from Andrey Khanin[newbie]
Before answering, carefully read the question - this is a test for your personal concentration and understanding of the essence of the issue:
"How long does it take to do aikido to get a DAN/BELT? Are Dan and belts related?"
1. Dan - a master's degree, upon receipt of which it is recommended to wear a black belt.
The terms of obtaining a black belt are affected by the length of time, the intensity of practice, the lead coach, and the school.
1.1. Work experience. Aikikai Hombu Dojo - The Aikido World Center recommends 365 days of practice from the date of receiving 1st kyu in aikido.
1.2. Intensity. 365 days of practice take into account three workouts a week without missing classes (exception: illness, force majeure). There are an average of 12 lessons per month. It is possible to participate in six training sessions per week, which serves as the basis for consolidating the material covered and acquiring skills faster, all other things being equal.
1.3. Lead coach. At the Aikikai International Aikido Center, classes are taught by shihan - teachers from the 6th dan and above. In a peripheral Russian city, classes can be conducted by an instructor who does not have a master's degree, at best, 1st dan. Obviously, the degree of presentation of the material and the correction of errors under the guidance of a worthy master is faster and better initially.
1.4. School. As a consequence of the above, at the Aikikai Center one can pass the black belt exam after 3.5 years of intensive practice. In Russia, it may take you 5 years or more to pass the black belt exam.
2. Dan grades from 1st and above suggest wearing a black belt, but do not oblige to do so. It is good practice, when attending another aikido school, to wear a beginner's white belt regardless of your skill. It is always good to become a disciple and humble your ego.