Shotokan Karate has a system of grades or levels of ability (kyu) from 10th kyu (beginner) to 1st kyu. The next level up from 1st kyu is Black Belt or Shodan (1st Dan). When a student reaches a certain level, he or she may try for a grading and if successful the student is entitled to wear a coloured belt, which denotes the grade...
| 10th Kyu | White belt |
| 9th Kyu | Orange belt |
| 8th Kyu | Red belt |
| 7th Kyu | Yellow belt |
| 6th Kyu | Green belt |
| 5th Kyu | Purple belt |
| 4th Kyu | Purple and white belt |
| 3rd Kyu | Brown belt |
| 2nd Kyu | Brown and white belt |
| 1st Kyu | Brown and white belt |
| 1st Dan | Black belt |
KUGB Grading Syllabus:
| Kihon | Kata | Kumite |
|---|---|---|
| Orange belt: Jodan oi tsuki Chudan oi tsuki Jodan age uke Chudan soto uke Chudan uchi uke Jodan mae geri Chudan mae geri |
Kihon Kata | Sanbon or Gohon Kumite |
| Red belt: as previous plus:Chudan shuto uke Yoko geri keage Yoko geri kekomi |
Heian Shodan | Sanbon or Gohon Kumite |
| Yellow belt: as previous plus:Sanbon tsuki Age uke, gyaku tsuki Soto uke. gyaku tsuki Uchi uke, gyaku tsuki |
Heian Nidan | Sanbon or Gohon Kumite |
| Green belt: as previous plus:Age uke, gyaku tsuki, gedan barai Soto uke, empi uchi Shuto uke, nukite Mae ren geri (changing legs) |
Heian Sandan | Kihon ippon kumite with jodan and chudan oi tsuki attacks from right and left sides. |
| Purple belt: as previous plus:Soto uke, empi uchi, uraken Uchi uke, kizame tsuki, gyaku tsuki Shuto uke, front leg mae geri, nukite |
Heian Yondan | As previous grading plus mae geri attacks |
| Purple & White belt: as previous plus:Soto uke, empi uchi, uraken, gyaku tsuki Shuto uke, front leg kekomi, nukite |
Heian Godan | As previous grading plus yoko geri kekomi attacks |
| Brown belt: as previous plus:Soto uke, empi uchi, uraken, gyaku tsuki, gedan barai Uchi uke, kizame tsuki, gyaku tsuki, gedan barai Ushiro geri Mawashi geri |
Tekki Shodan | As previous grading plus mawashi geri attack |
| Brown & White belt: as previous plus:Kizame tsuki, oi tsuki, gyaku tsuki Mae geri, oi tsuki, gyaku tsuki Yoko geri, uraken, gyaku tsuki Mawashi geri, uraken, gyaku tsuki Ushiro geri, uraken, gyaku tsuki |
Bassai Dai | Ju ippon kumite with jodan and chudan oi tsuki, chudan mae geri, and chudan yoko geri, jodan mawashi geri and chudan ushiro geri attacks |
| Brown & White belt: as previous plus:Mae geri, yoko geri, mawashi geri, ushirc, geri, uraken, gyaku tsuki. |
Bassai Dai | As previous grading. |
