Minimum Training Required to Pass Grading Exams

Introduction
By Julian Forbes
CEO Karate Athlete, Inc.

It has always amused me when I heard people boasting about having achieved the rank of black belt (1st Dan) after only a year or less of training. Without wanting to go into the motivations and probable lack of expertise of the instructors who issued these belts, let me simply ask the question: "Does someone who has trained for 1 year know as much as one who has trained 3 and a half?" Perhaps, you say, if they are under super expert instruction... Regardless of the quality of instruction, which definitely plays a part in a student's level of expertise, certain things in Karate need to become motor skills - things that we are able to do without conscious thought. For example, we need to feel when an attack is a real threat in order to react appropriately and not leave ourselves open should the attack be a feint. This is embedded in our subconscious after seeing millions of attacks come at us in every shape and form over years of training. This is just one example. I could go on for pages with examples.

Below is a table borrowed from a friend who runs a huge Shotokan organization. I find it to be pretty accurate and standard. I myself started under the French Federation (FFKAMA) and they also required you to have a sports passport in which you needed at least 3 years of annual membership stamps before presenting yourself for a 1st Dan exam.

While different styles and federations may vary slightly from the below, it is pretty standard for most traditional Japanese style karate organizations.

10th Kyu

A minimum of 0 months

9th Kyu

A minimum of 3 months

8th Kyu

A minimum of 6 months

7th Kyu

A minimum of 9 months

6th Kyu

A minimum of 12 months

5th Kyu

A minimum of 15 months (1 year, 3 months)

4th Kyu

A minimum of 18 months (1 year, 6 months)

3rd Kyu

A minimum of 24 months (2 years)

2nd Kyu

A minimum of 30 months (2 years, 6 months)

1st Kyu

A minimum of 36 months (3 years)

1st Dan

A minimum of 42-48 months of training

2nd Dan

A minimum of 72 months (6 years) of training

3rd Dan

A minimum of 108 months (9 years) of training

4th Dan

A minimum of 156 months (13 years) of training

5th Dan

A minimum of 216 months (18 years) of training

6th Dan

A minimum of 288 months (24 years) of training

7th Dan

A minimum of 372 months (31 years) of training

8th Dan

A minimum of 468 months (39 years) of training

9th Dan

A minimum of 576 months (48 years) of training

10th Dan

A minimum of 696 months (58 years) of training

NOTE: 35 is the minimum age requirement for 5th Dan and above.