Purpose of Color Belt Advancement
Color belt advancement at White Karate reflects consistent attendance, effort, safe behavior, and demonstrated understanding of age-appropriate skills. Requirements provide guidance for development, not a rigid checklist. Instructors evaluate readiness holistically, taking into account maturity, control, safety, and individual progress.

White Karate’s technical roots are influenced by Karate and Taekwondo, particularly in kicking, movement, and training structure. Instruction also incorporates classical karate terminology and techniques, reflecting the shared history and cross-influence of traditional striking arts. Historical knowledge is taught to provide context and understanding, not to require affiliation with a specific national system.

White Belt

History

Karate - Is a Japanese word meaning “empty hand”. It can be broken down into Kara (empty) and Te (hand). Karate originated in Okinawa, Japan, as a fusion of Japanese fighting techniques and Chinese martial arts.

Taekwondo - Taekwondo is a Korean word meaning “way of the hand and foot”. Tae (foot) Kwon (hand) and Do (way). Taekwondo was created in the 1950s in South Korea. General Choi Hong Hi systematized it by merging traditional Korean martial arts with influences from Japanese karate, and promoted it as a national martial art.

Terminology

Ready (Stance): Position fists in front of belt facing each other

Attention: Knife hands at sides with feet together

Salute: From the attention position bow at the waist

End: Same as ready stance

Relax: Feet apart, hands behind back

Stances

Fighting Stance (Left/Right/Change)

Hand strikes

Backfist

Punch

Foot strikes

Front kicks (back/front leg)

Side stomp

Additional

Must be able to tie belt with the stripes on the right side.

Gold Belt

Sparring is introduced at Gold Belt and is a required component of advancement. All sparring is supervised and adjusted for age, experience, and safety.

Stances

Back Stance

Front stance

Classical Techniques

Sudo block

Classic punch

Hand strikes

Palm Heel

Foot strikes

Side kick

Round kick

Wheel (Crescent) Kick

Additional strikes

Knee

Elbow

Sparring techniques

Jab

Punch

Round kick

Action drills

Block and counter punch

Green Belt

Hand strikes

Hammer Fist

Foot strikes

Thrust Kick

Offensive side kick

Defensive side kick

Sparring techniques

Side Kick

Thrust Kick

Action drills

Escape bear hug

Purple Belt

Form

Beginner Form* - Complete on own

*As students advance, previously learned forms are evaluated for increased precision, balance, control, and understanding, not merely memorization.

Classical Techniques

Low block

High block

X-Stance

Knife hand strike

Hand strikes

Ridge Hand

Foot strikes

Turn side kick

Sparring techniques

Jam

Counter

Blue Belt

Form

Beginner Form - Complete on own

Classical Techniques

Outside forarm block

Inside forearm block

Hand strikes

Jab

Punch

Hook

Uppercut

Foot strikes

Hook kick

Axe kick

Spin wheel kick

Sparring techniques

Hook Kick

Action drills

Sweep single leg from clinch position

Red Belt

Form

Beginner Form - Complete on own

Advanced Form - Walk through with instructor

Techniques

Double kicks (hook/round)

Multiple side kicks

Foot strikes

Slide side kick

Sparring Techniques

Turn/Spin side kick

Turn/Spin hook kick

Action drills

Front leg sweep

Block strike and move for a double leg takedown

Brown Belt

Form

Beginner Form - Complete on own

Advanced Form - Complete on own

Foot strikes

Spin hook kick

Spin side kick

Tornado kick

Techniques

Triple kicks (hook/round/side)

Multiple side kicks

Multiple Tornado Kicks

Sparring Techniques

Hand grab/punch

Spin side kick

Action drills

Punch block to arm takedown

Defend takedown

White Karate Youth and Adult Color Belt Requirements