With regular attendance, students normally test for 1st Degree Black
Belt at the end of their 3rd year of training. Once registered, students are
guided by our Program Manager through the curriculum.
Year 1:
Belt
Duration
White 1st Degree
3 Weeks
White 2nd Degree
3 Months
Yellow 1st Degree
3 Months - Pure
Yellow 2nd Degree
3 Months
Green 1st Degree
3 Months - Beginning to Grow
Year 2:
Belt
Duration
Green 2nd Degree
3 months
Blue 1st Degree
3 Months - Growing
Blue 2nd Degree
3 Months
Red 1st Degree
6 Months - Danger
Year 3:
Belt
Duration
Red 2nd Degree
6 Months
Probationary Black Belt
6 Months - Beginning
Colored tape is used to track our students' progress. Stripes are added to
the tips of the belt. There are 3 stripes for adults and 5 for children. As
students progress through each belt, they earn stripes along the way.
Why Striping?
Earning a Stripe is a Motivator.
Accomplishment is the number 1 motivator
The instructors
know a student's current skill level at a glance
Many Schools employ a 3 stripe system.
Each stripe color represents a particular skill set
White - Proficient in Form
Green - Strike, Block and
Kicking Techniques
Blue - Board Breaking
Technical Skills are important. At Palm Beach Martial
Arts, we believe that building character in our students is equally
important as technical skills
We have an additional 2 stripes, for children, on the
other tip of the belt- "Character Stripes"
Yellow - Outstanding behavior
Red - Outstanding academics
Testing
Tests are
conducted every 3 months. The first week of:
January, April, July and October
At Palm Beach Martial Arts testing is a time to recognize and re-enforce our students'
achievements and build self-confidence. Testing is a completely positive
experience- for the students as well as their guests. Form and
Self-Defense moves are tested in class while Board Breaking is performed
during the graduation ceremony. The ceremony lasts about 1 hour. The day's
of marathon testing are over. Each student's endurance is challenged in every class.
Transfer Students
Students entering from another school are allowed to keep their documented
rank. Many times schools do not follow the same belt coloring schemes and a
Brown belt at one school, for example, may equate to a Blue belt at our
school- Same Rank.