Degrees awarded in Oyama Karate for children under 14 years

• 10 kyu - white belt
• Junior 9 kyu - white belt with a red pagonem
• 9 senior kyu - white belt with two red epaulettes
• Junior 8 kyu - white belt with three red epaulets
• 8 senior kyu - blue belt
• 7 junior kyu - blue belt with red pagonem
• 7 senior kyu - blue belt with two red epaulettes
• Junior 6 kyu - blue belt with three red epaulets
• Six senior kyu - Yellow belt
• 5 junior kyu - Yellow belt with a red pagonem
• 5 senior kyu - Orange belt
• 4 junior kyu - orange belt with a red pagonem
• 4 senior kyu - Green belt
• 3 junior kyu - Green belt with a red pagonem
• 3 senior kyu - Green belt with two red epaulettes
• 2 junior kyu - Green belt with three red epaulets
• Two senior kyu - Brown belt

Student Grades for youth 14 years and adults

• 10 kyu - white belt
• 9 Kyu - White belt with blue pagonem
• 8 Kyu - Blue belt
• 7 kyu - blue belt with a yellow pagonem
• 6 kyu - Yellow belt
• 5 kyu - Orange belt
• 4 kyu - Green belt
• 3 kyu - Green belt with brown pagonem
• 2 Kyu - Brown belt
• 1 kyu - brown belt with black pagonem

Master's degrees

• 1 Dan - Black belt with a gold pagonem
• 2nd Dan - Black belt with two gold epaulets
• 3 Dan - Black belt with three gold epaulets
• 4 Dan - Black belt with four gold epaulets
• 5 Dan - Black belt with five gold epaulets
• 6 Dan - Black belt with six gold epaulets
• 7 Dan - Black belt with seven gold epaulets
• 8 Dan - Black belt with eight gold epaulets
• 9 Dan - Black belt with nine gold epaulets
• 10 Dan - Black Belt and its ten gold pagonów

The importance of the various stages and colors of belts

White belt - purity
In addition to white black belt is the most important in the life of karate.
The color white contains all colors of the light spectrum. In this way, white symbolizes the potential of a new student, who can achieve any goal. All you need is already in itself - Training will help you get it. It is like a diamond hidden inside skaty that you need to exfoliate chisel determination and faith.
White symbolizes in this case, lack of skills and experience in the art of karate new student.
His heart is full of hope, from which springs the first enthusiasm for training and learning. The initial training consists of careful listening to the teacher and the proceedings in accordance with his instructions.
From the first exercise integrity in the white band disappears forever.
White belt absorbs sweat and gradually becomes more and more dirty, until the black color.
When you enter the path of karate, do not hurry, concentrate on learning the labels and regular training dojo. Do not be ashamed of white belt - wear it with pride. Prove to yourself that you are able to carry out the effort required for mastery of the art of karate. Nobody expects from you is not a valid exercise of individual techniques, but if you show your commitment, everyone will be happy to help you. The key point is to give our all.

"On the one hand, man is able to bring heaven to completely destroy the other, however, have unlimited capacity development and improvement. Success depends on the designation of purpose and tenacious resolve to achieve it." (Mas Oyama)

(10 and 9 kyu) - white belt
Good, stable stance - that, according to Mas Oyama, the first essential step in the martial arts.
Through training we learn to sense the center of gravity, allowing you to maintain balance and control the body. Developed is the basic sensitivity of the feet and legs. Fudo! Power and progress are built on strong foundations.
A student preparing for an exam for an initial white belt should know the etiquette and rules prevailing in the dojo, because they are based on the training of karate and life. It should also be aware of general terms in karate and to some extent to know your body.
At the beginning, we learn the following techniques simply knowing where to find individual body parts and where they should be found. The power of technology comes later, when we know the different parts of the body and come over coordination between them.
In this way we create the foundations of a strong and straight roads, which are necessary if one wishes to achieve the ends. Miyamoto Musashi compares the karate way of life to live cabinet-maker, who must have good tools, continually sharpened if it wants to do their jobs.
Pending receipt of the record the basic habits of the belt and are working on physical fitness. Accepted a new, ambitious, full of gratitude, perseverance and vitality of life. Overcome internal inhibitions, which prevent the desire to improve himself.
The holder of a white belt should be approached with enthusiasm for training and to their dreams of big things.

"I understood that the target must be the biggest and the highest as possible. I realized that the persistence and progression, step by step is the only way to achieve this goal."
(Mas Oyama)

(8 and 7 kyu) - blue belt
The degree of liquidity and the ability to adapt. Blue refers to the second chakra (Svadhisthana). located in the vicinity of the sacrum, which is the element of water - the symbol of liquidity and ability to adapt.
"The world does not exist. nothing more humble and weaker than water. But if it comes to the attack, which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it. "(Tao Te Ching)

As water adapts its shape to the vessel in which it is located, so thanks kumite karate develops the basic ability to adapt and smooth response. Is it a calm and soothing a narrow stream, waterfall and furious all-powerful wave, the element remains the same - water.
Also in life, karateka must learn to perform all operations, both at rest and during a battle with the unchanging spirit and immovable mind (heijoshin).
The fight is a mental operation. Lack of control leads to anger and fear, which means that the fight becomes a physical act. The most dangerous man is one who does not show any emotion, standing face to face with fear.
At this stege start karate adapt to their physical strengths and weaknesses, establishing their independence. First of all, we should focus on the skills of proper clenching his fists and coordinating the operation with the correct heading. "Nigiri sannen, tacu sannen, tsuki sannen." (Three years after clinching his fists, the position three years, three years blow).
A student preparing for an exam to blue belt, he should perpetuate the habit of exercise flexibility through stretching, flexibility to achieve both physical and mental, and learn to overcome the gripes and train without feeling discouraged.
Karate course in life can also come times when the enthusiasm wears off, and sometimes turns up in despair. It is important then to recognize and accept them as an integral part of training.
Moments of weakness affecting each at different stages - may be, however, by the time when we treat them as an indication of our way of development.
Adept with a blue belt should know their limitations and give realize how much is still to learn.


(6 and 5 kyu) - yellow / orange belt - the level of bare
Yellow refers doczakry słonecmego plexus (Mampura), whose element is fire - a symbol of creativity and energy and physical.
A student preparing for an exam on the yellow stripe, all of your attention should focus, at a place called hara (the center of power, the center of gravity naszegociała).
During training, we learn that the power of strikes and kicks do not arise in the foot or hand, only in the hara.

"Feel as if you were rooted in the earth by invisible forces. Focus on the hara and feel the energy flowing from the center. Your ability to rise strongly."

Develop a belt before each workout should be treated as a ritual, recalling at this point, a symbolic combination of body and mind at this point:
the student with a yellow stripe requires not only focus on physical training, balance and coordination, but also on the psychological aspects of training: perception, self-confidence, awareness and strength of will.
The unification of body and mind!
The first step - an exercise of physical and mental bases of correct techniques, recording the basic position, balance and coordination.
The second - the increasing speed of technology without losing form. Helpful in this are exercises and vigorous makiwarze kumite. Increases our awareness of the body in motion and its dynamic nature

"Intensive training is more for the spirit, and resolutely overcome yourself than to develop a strong body." (Mas, Oyama)

You have to face weaknesses: fear, revenge, pessimism, wyolbrzymianiu, cunning, and do everything to control them without forgetting the development of a strong and athletic body!

"We should realize that this body speaks your mind. The strength of the human mind is great. His body was supported by a great mocąjest mysterious and beyond the reach of science. This is why karate should not be used with aggression and bad intentions. The essence of karate is therefore searching for something deeper than only training the body. "(Mas Oyama)

Orange belt is the last step of the beginners group.

(4 and 3 kyu) - green belt - the degree of emotion and sensitivity
Green color is created by mixing yellow (fire element) and blue (ether element).
Refers to the heart chakra (Anahata), located at the height of the heart, and Air - a symbol of emotion, sensitivity and feelings.
This is the first with advanced degrees. At this level, learning karate, played by the mind and feelings in karate and in life. Karate opens and begins to share with others, instead of being greedy and selfish. It is not tricky, but fair, honest and caring.
Learns the true meaning of love. Is aware that there is always something more than we see. In this way, it becomes more balanced and mature. I realize that the force without wisdom and compassion is destructive, dangerous, and soulless.
Sosai argued: "Power without justice is violence, justice without force is the inadequacy"

It is worth stressing that the essential features of adult karate, in addition to gravity and mindfulness, a sense of humor and ability to laugh at myself.
The most important thing in science at the level of green belt is humility and patience.
Adept is mainly focused on proper breathing and refinement of basic techniques, ways to move and mandatory kata. He learns to combine technology, speed and strength. Begins to feel a state of mind known as "zanshin" where the body works perfectly without any conscious effort.
"Green belt" is the maturity, wisdom and love, without excessive intelektualizowania.
Classical Zen poet, ZENRIN Kushu said: "You can not get through the thoughts. You can not look without them."

At the level of green belt to take care of fitness and health should no longer enter into habit. Moving this question leads to considerations about diet and its effect on the body.
There is no diet that would be good for all people. However, some general principles should include: Avoid processed food - it is devoid of any valuable natural ingredients, eat in moderation! remember that your body is a temple, so treat them with respect. If karate decides to use stimulants such as drugs, alcohol, doping substances or products containing caffeine, it is his choice. Reason dictates, however, fully familiar with the consequences and risks to the body (which is obvious), for the mind - which are less obvious, but make major changes) and spirit (which is almost unknown).
Use your mind and do not experiment with this type of transportation! If you need to be "rauszu", then search for it in a healthy, happy and peaceful heart! The combination of physical, mental and spiritual forces developed during the training consistently makes the view of the world, it becomes sustainable and harmonious.
The road is a martial arts battle in the heart. All things come from self-control.
"Bathed in sweat, totally dedicated to what I was doing this during training, is better than life and death."
(Mas Oyama)

(2 / 1 kyu) - brown belt - the level of practice and creativity
Brown is a mixture of three colors: red (physical), yellow (intellectual) and blue (spirit). Brown color is a sense of balance of body, mind and soul. At the brown belt stage approach to training is serious and mature. Does some karate techniques and powerful at the same time not forgetting to further improve their skills.
While sparring at all times exercise control over themselves and over an opponent through speed, sense of distance and sensitivity. Exercising is experimenting with the movements of kata kata standard, there is one or two that will be studied with particular attention, until they become his own. With karate
brown belt enjoys the authority and is worthy of trust by honesty, integrity and loyalty. By learning, uses his own experience and traditions. Clearly and accurately expresses various physical and psychological concepts and spiritual potential karate-.
Brown belt control their negative emotions: anger, dependence upon one another, jealousy (features orange belt), pride, discouragement, ignorance (characteristics of a blue belt), exaggerating, malice, cunning (features yellow belt), avarice, deceit and prejudice (features green belt). We are constantly looking back looking at each other, to make sure that he is in control of emotions and not vice versa. He has the courage, iron will and a belief in the beauty of the unknown, which is before him. An objective comparison with other schools, including the dojo and students are very important, but you can not lose the true value of these comparisons. Your own strength you can learn by understanding the weaknesses of others. One method of fair comparison with others to improve their skills is to participate in competitions. Adept brown belt, with an open mind, learn to respect the power of others. He knows the capabilities of their own weapons and appreciates the potential of the enemy - both physical and psychological.
Japanese sword - it is not only dangerous weapons designed to kill efficiently, but also a beautiful work of art. So it should be with karate.
Everyone has a choice: whether using martial arts to transform the power of the beautiful work, and the devious and destructive weapons. Brown belt teaches how to live and how to kill.
Too often this is that after winning karate brown belt becomes a self-confident, myself, feeling usatysfakcjonowanym achievements. Such a person is not ready to take on the challenge to gain yudansha. We must abandon the "student's mind and take on a truly mature attitude, the necessary transformation yudansha. This is a major step forward.
Brown belt is in a convenient situation. It is respected by all the while remaining a student. However, do not realize the size of the gifts that lie before him and like a bird ranges on the threshold of his well-known cage before it was ready to take tentative step to freedom.

(1dan) - black belt - Kingdom Yudansha

Step, which make going from brown to black belt, is the most important in the life of karate. The desire to have a black belt is the most common objective of most karate. However, its requirements are enormous. Many who wanted to get it meekly remains at a lower level of proficiency and understanding. Not enough willpower to them to meet the demands yudansha.
Starting with first-degree black belt, the principles of Budo roads should become second nature. Exercise technique is aimed at their improvement: the study of science and observation data and the current champions is very useful for the self-improvement.
Black belt closely related to the fifth energy center, or throat. This is the fifth bowl Vishuddha whose element is ether, and black is just the color of spirit. It represents a kingdom that lies beyond the physicality and therefore in itself is not reachable by the color degrees.
Black best reflects the spirit of karate, it contains within itself all the colors. If exposed to sunlight will absorb light waves so that after a while become "too hot to touch him." His training also reflects the attitude.
Black is the color of strength, is as much saturated pigments, it is very difficult to cover it with another color. The holder of black belt karate strongest of all and none of another color of the belt can not surpass it. Receiving a black belt does not finish, however, travel - it is only the beginning of a new road on which there is no room for pride and selfishness. The great folly to think that by the time we reached the top.
Kingdom black belt is composed of ten levels and each has its own symbolic meaning.
If yudansha coaching continues, even until late years, as white has become a black belt, black belt now fading, fraying at the edges, until the result once again become "white." Then the circle will inevitably be closed, the master shall be a student again yet. The whole process repeats itself, but it becomes in the kingdom, which goes further than technology, more than than the mind can understand the average person.

This is the kingdom YUDANSHA.