Over the years different styles of Karate have adopted different approaches to their grading system and consequently the stages in the journey to and beyond Black Belt. In some styles you may have to complete 10 or 12 steps prior to Black Belt and then have 10 Black Belt grades to follow. In our style their are 9 steps prior to the Dan (1st Black) grading and our Sensei Trevor White is currently a 8th Dan Black Belt.
Achieving your 1st Black Belt is not easy (if it was everyone would do it), it takes some years of constant training and commitment to progress through the grades and then the completion of the Dan grading itself. The Dan grade does not mean you have overnight become an expert in Karate, rather it means that you have become proficient in the basics and understanding of our style of Karate, after which you begin to further develop. The Japanese call the 1st Dan Shodan and the Koreans call it Il Dan "The shodan black belt is not the end of training, but rather as a beginning to advanced learning: the individual now "knows how to walk" and may thus begin the journey" The structure of Black Belts gives rise to a number of titles and names connected to the relative belt obtained. In some styles you cannot be called Sensei 先生(Teacher or one that went before) until you have achieved 3rd Dan, lower ranked Black Belts may be referred to as Senpai 先輩(senior student).
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