Adult Belt Ranks - Jacksonville Judo Training Center | Adult & Youth Judo Classes

6th Kyu

Rokkyu

White Belt

Program age: 14+
Attendance: Starting rank
Time-in-grade: Starting rank

White Belt expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Enter the adult judo program as a student of good moral character who is prepared to learn safely, consistently, and respectfully.

General requirements

Be accepted as a student in a recognized judo club or class.
Follow dojo etiquette, instructor directions, hygiene standards, and safe-training practices.
Participate respectfully and begin developing ukemi, movement, posture, gripping, standing technique, and groundwork.

Junior Kyukyu Requirements

Kyukyu

Yellow Belt

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 30 classes
Minimum TIG: 3 months

Yellow Belt expectations and complete Kyukyu requirements

Rank expectation: Improve all previous skills while demonstrating better posture, movement, control, knowledge of scoring and referee calls, and a growing understanding of how judo techniques work.

Posture, movement, and gripping

Shisei: Hon-shizentai, Migi-shizentai, and Hidari-shizentai.
Shintai: Ayumi-ashi, Tsugi-ashi, and Suri-ashi.
Tai-sabaki: 90-degree and 180-degree body turns.
Kumi-kata: Migi and Hidari gripping positions.

Vocabulary, rules, and history

Know and apply the terms O, Ko, Soto, and Uchi.
Recognize Ippon, Waza-ari, Waza-ari-awasete-Ippon, Osaekomi, and Toketa.
Know judo’s original school, founding year, founding city, and country.

Ukemi and techniques

Ukemi: Demonstrate improved Mae-ukemi and retain all previous falling skills.
Tachi-waza: Uki-goshi, O-soto-gari, and O-uchi-gari.
Ne-waza: Makura-Kesa-gatame, Ushiro-Kesa-gatame, and one escape from Kesa-gatame.

Personal development

Demonstrate good moral character, respectful class behavior, consistent participation, and safe practice.

Junior Nankyu Requirements

Nankyu

Orange Belt

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 40 classes
Minimum TIG: 4 months

Orange Belt expectations and complete Nankyu requirements

Rank expectation: Connect movement with technique, begin using combinations and opposite-side attacks, identify common penalties, and demonstrate controlled escapes from hold-downs.

Movement and contest procedure

Shintai: Ayumi-ashi and Tsugi-ashi.
Tai-sabaki: 180-degree turn, Mae-sabaki, Ushiro-mae-sabaki, and Mae-mawari-sabaki.
Demonstrate the proper procedure for entering the shiai-jo.

Vocabulary and rules

Know and apply the terms Mae, Ushiro, and Waza.
Name and explain two actions that receive a Shido penalty.

Ukemi and techniques

Ukemi: Show improved proficiency in all previous falling requirements.
Tachi-waza: Tai-otoshi, Koshi-guruma, Ko-uchi-gari, one opposite-side throw, and one combination.
Ne-waza: Kuzure-Kami-shiho-gatame and Tate-shiho-gatame; escapes from Kata-gatame and Kami-shiho-gatame.
Shime-waza: Okuri-eri-jime and Kata-ha-jime. Chokes are taught and practiced only under qualified instructor supervision.

Personal development

Demonstrate good moral character, respectful class behavior, consistent participation, and safe control of every technique.

5th Kyu

Gokyu

Green Belt

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 60 classes
Minimum TIG: 6 months

Green Belt expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Demonstrate correct etiquette and hygiene, safe falling, sound movement and gripping fundamentals, and introductory throwing and pinning skills.

Fundamentals

Correct sitting, kneeling, and standing; judo etiquette and basic hygiene.
Kumi-kata; shisei—hon, migi, and hidari shizentai and jigotai.
Shintai—ayumi-ashi, suri-ashi, and tsugi-ashi; tai-sabaki and ukemi.
Throwing fundamentals: kuzushi, tsukuri, kake, and happo-no-kuzushi.

Techniques

Nage-waza: O-soto-gari, O-goshi, Deashi-harai, Ippon-seoi-nage, Uki-goshi.
Osaekomi-waza: Hon-Kesa-gatame, Makura-Kesa-gatame, Kuzure-Kesa-gatame, Kata-gatame.
No shime-waza, kansetsu-waza, kata, tournament, or referee requirement at this rank.

4th Kyu

Yonkyu

Blue Belt

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 65 classes
Minimum TIG: 7 months

Blue Belt expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Improve all previous skills, understand key judo principles, add combinations of throws and pins, and demonstrate introductory submissions and defenses.

Knowledge

Explain the difference between judo and jujitsu.
Explain Seiryoku Zenyo: maximum efficiency with minimum effort.

Techniques

Nage-waza: Sasae-tsurikomi-ashi, Hiza-guruma, O-uchi-gari, Ko-uchi-gari, Morote Seoi-nage, O-soto-gaeshi.
Osaekomi-waza: Kami-shiho-gatame, Hon-Yoko-shiho-gatame, Kuzure-Yoko-shiho-gatame, and one escape from Kesa-gatame.
Shime-waza: Hadaka-jime, Okuri-eri-jime, and defenses.
Kansetsu-waza: Juji-gatame and defense.
No kata, tournament, or referee requirement at this rank.

3rd Kyu

Sankyu

Brown Belt 3

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 75 classes
Minimum TIG: 7 months

Brown Belt 3 expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Demonstrate dependable intermediate judo, understand the rank system and training methods, begin formal kata, and gain competition or service experience.

Competitor time-in-grade: 5 points—3 months; 10 points—no minimum time.

Knowledge and techniques

Know the names, colors, and order of the kyu ranks; explain kata, randori, and Jita Kyoei.
Nage-waza: Ko-soto-gari, Tsurikomi-goshi, Sode-tsurikomi-goshi, Harai-goshi, Okuri-ashi-barai, Ko-uchi-gaeshi.
Osaekomi-waza: Kuzure-Kami-shiho-gatame, Tate-shiho-gatame, Ushiro-Kesa-gatame, and one escape from Yoko-shiho-gatame.
Shime-waza: Nami-juji-jime, Kata-juji-jime, Gyaku-juji-jime, and defenses.
Kansetsu-waza: Ude-garami, Ude-gatame, and defenses.
Kata: Non-competitor—first three sets of Nage-no-kata as uke.

Experience

Continue contest experience. Non-competitors should referee in the club, assist beginners, or work as scorekeeper, timekeeper, or match recorder.

2nd Kyu

Nikyu

Brown Belt 2

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 85 classes
Minimum TIG: 8 months

Brown Belt 2 expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Display broader technical range, both-sided attacks, combinations and counters, strong submission defense, kata progress, and continued competitive or service involvement.

Competitor time-in-grade: 5 points—6 months; 10 points—3 months; Batsugun/20 points—no minimum time.

Techniques

Nage-waza: Koshi-guruma, Tai-otoshi, Uchi-mata, Tomoe-nage, Tsubame-gaeshi, O-uchi-gaeshi, Harai-goshi-gaeshi, one opposite-side throw, one combination, and one counter.
Osaekomi-waza: Sankaku-gatame; escapes from Kami-shiho-gatame and Tate-shiho-gatame; tori leg extraction from leg scissors.
Shime-waza: Sankaku-jime, Kata-ha-jime, Kata-te-jime, and defenses.
Kansetsu-waza: Hiza-gatame, Waki-gatame, Hara-gatame, and defenses.
Kata: Non-competitor—first three sets of Nage-no-kata as tori; competitor—first three sets as uke.

Experience

Continue contest experience. Non-competitors should develop club/local referee, club coach, beginners’ teacher, or local/regional tournament-official experience.

1st Kyu

Ikkyu

Brown Belt 1

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: 95 classes
Minimum TIG: 12 months

Brown Belt 1 expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Show increased proficiency across all lower-rank material, multiple attack directions, combinations and counters, advanced groundwork, complete kata preparation, leadership, and service.

Competitor time-in-grade: 5 points—9 months; 10 points—6 months; 15 points—3 months; Batsugun/20 points—no minimum time.

Techniques

Nage-waza: Ko-soto-gake, Kata-guruma, Hane-goshi, Uchi-mata-sukashi, Uchi-mata-gaeshi, Hane-goshi-gaeshi, two opposite-side throws, two combinations, and two counters.
Osaekomi-waza: Increased proficiency in all lower-rank holds and additional escapes.
Shime-waza: Sode-guruma-jime, Sankaku-jime, and defenses.
Kansetsu-waza: Te-gatame, Sankaku-gatame, and defenses.
Kata: Non-competitor—all five sets of Nage-no-kata as uke; competitor—first three sets as tori.

Experience

Continue contest experience. Non-competitors should develop referee, coach, teaching, and local/regional tournament-official experience.

The classical form of Kata-guruma is not permitted under current competition rules.

1st Degree

Shodan

Black Belt

Minimum age: 14
Minimum attendance: Instructor review
Minimum TIG: 2 years as Ikkyu

Black Belt expectations and requirements

Rank expectation: Demonstrate mature character, leadership, service, and increased proficiency in all lower-rank requirements. Shodan is the beginning of advanced judo study—not the end.

Competitor time-in-grade: 5 points—1 year; 10 points—9 months; Batsugun/15 points—6 months.

General requirements

Know terminology and demonstrate increased proficiency in all lower-rank requirements.
Good moral character and maturity; assistant-teacher, teacher, or coaching certification is suggested.
Complete applicable SafeSport and CDC HEADS UP requirements.

Techniques and kata

Nage-waza: Yoko-otoshi, Ashi-guruma, O-tsuri-goshi, Ko-tsuri-goshi, Harai-tsurikomi-ashi, Morote-gari, Kuchiki-taoshi, Kibisu-gaeshi, three opposite-side throws, three combinations, and three counters.
Osaekomi-waza: Increased proficiency in all lower-rank holds and additional escapes.
Shime-waza: Tsukkomi-jime, Ryote-jime, and defenses.
Kansetsu-waza: Improved understanding and ability in all prior joint-lock requirements.
Kata: Non-competitor—all five sets of Nage-no-kata as tori; competitor—all five sets as uke.

Experience and service

Continue tournament experience. Non-competitors should gain experience as a club/local referee, club/local coach, beginners’ teacher, or local/regional tournament official.

Techniques prohibited under current competition rules must not be used in shiai.