Senior Grades
The senior grades are split into Kyu and Dan grades. Those who hold kyu grades are collectively called the Mudansha (literally person without dan) and those who hold dan grades are collectively called the Yudansha (literally person who has dan).
Kyu
The 6 kyu grades apply to seniors from age 16 (and possibly juniors from age 14.)
| Grade | Belt Colour |
|---|---|
| 6th kyu | Red |
| 5th kyu | Yellow |
| 4th kyu | Orange |
| 3rd kyu | Green |
| 2nd kyu | Blue |
| 1st kyu | Brown |
Updated British Judo Kyu Grade Syllabus Oct 2023
The theory content for all coloured belts, whether mon or kyu grades, is the same, so the following single page pictorial guides show everything you need to know :-
Dan
There are 10 dan grades, with 1st through 5th dan being gained through either competitive or technical promotion and are awarded by the British Judo Association.
The ‘High Grades’, 6th dan and above, are awarded by the British Judo Association (6th), the European Judo Union (7th) and the International Judo Federation (8th, 9th and 10th).
| Grade | Belt Colour | Japanese Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st dan | Black | Shodan |
| 2nd dan | Black | Nidan |
| 3rd dan | Black | Sandan |
| 4th dan | Black | Yondan |
| 5th dan | Black | Godan |
| 6th dan | Red and white blocks | Rokudan |
| 7th dan | Red and white blocks | Shichidan |
| 8th dan | Red and white blocks | Hachidan |
| 9th dan | Red | Kudan |
| 10th dan | Red | Judan |
Dan Grade Promotion Syllabus.pdf
Competitive Dan Grade Theory Sheet.pdf
Technical Dan Grade Theory Sheet.pdf