Gradings
How Gradings Work at Respect Judo
To grade, you MUST hold a full BJA license. At Respect Judo, we host biannual grading nights, offering 2 opportunities at each venue each year—6 in total! These thrilling nights will take place in the middle or end of each month and will rotate across our 3 venues, ensuring everyone gets a chance to grade every 6 months, (check out our events calendar!). All members are welcome to join any night at any venue! Each session kicks off with a 10-minute coached warm-up, followed by pairing with someone at the same or similar grade for practice. Our coaches will be there to observe and check your knowledge throughout! Once you receive British Judo full membership license, we’ll gift you fantastic syllabus book filled with everything you need to know to achieve that coveted brown belt! you can even track your progress at the back of the book. If your book gets lost damaged, no worries—you can grab a replacement from the club for just £5! Get ready for an exhilarating grading night, where belts tags and belts are awarded as soon as you pass! Remember, we kindly ask for payment on grading nights to keep your papertrail running smoothly with the BJA. And don’t sweat it—if you’t pass, no payment is needed! If you’re not ready to grade yet, no problem! Come down to practice for your next grade and cheer on your fellow judokas. At certain levels, randori is part of the fun, so join in! Just a friendly reminder that usual mat fees apply on grading nights. Let’s get ready to judo!
Your Grading Syllabus Book
Types of Grades
Grades differ across various age groups. Children aged 5-7 are classified sho grades. Those between 8-18 years under Mon grades. Adult grades are referred as Kyu grades. At age 14, can transition from Mon grades to the Kyu Grade System. Dan grades, representing black belts, can be earned at the earliest age of 15.5 years. Refer below for details on how sho grades, Mon grades, and Kyu grades are interconnected and can transfer.
Grading Video Links
Find below links to Educational Judos YouTube page who have good videos of the techniques you are required to preform for your Gradings. In the future we will be adding our own videos to the website with a more detailed breakdown of each individual technique required.
Red Belt
Yellow Belt
Orange Belt
Green Belt
Blue Belt
Brown Belt
Obtaining Dan grades
The Dan grade system is a unique aspect of judo that allows practitioners to advance through various ranks based on different pathways and accomplishments. Achieving a Dan Grade is one of the most prestigious qualifications for individuals in the sport of judo. This system is designed for judoka aged 15 and older who have progressed beyond the Kyu Grades. Judoka showcase their skills by participating in examinations within Dan grade system, where they must demonstrate their superiority over peers competing at the same level, ensuring that each successive Dan Grade up to 5th Dan consists of increasingly skilled athletes. For those seeking to advance beyond 5th Dan, an application must be submitted to British Judo, and the British Judo Board of Directors will make the final decision on the application.
Competitive Pathway
The Traditional way of achieving your black belt.
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Be a 1st Kyu (6 month time in Grade)
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Be 15 years plus.
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Pass a technical exam (competitive skills exam)
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Demonstrate a set from either Nage no Kata or Katame no Kata.
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Obtain 100 points at a level 3 competition or at an BJA area grading.
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10 points are awarded for every win by ippon.
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Winning a Line-up automatically gives you the full 100 points.
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A line up is where you defeat 3 opponents back to back with no break in between opponents.
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Line ups are only given at area gradings when you win 2 out of 3 possible fights.
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If you stop someone's line-up you receive 10 points.
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Once you start going up the Dan grades the time in grade increases and the amount of points you receive against lower dan grades is reduced thus making it increasingly difficult to obtain higher Dan grades.
Technical Pathway
The technical pathway is an alternative route to achieving your Dan grade, it was introduced to allow people either unable or unwilling to compete. It involves a technical assessment very similar to the competitive skills exam but the pass mark is set much higher and you will be required to do much more than a competitive pathway Dan grade. The Kata element is also a lot more difficult and whole katas will have to be demonstrated rather than just the sets. The time between Dan Grades is also set at a 5 year Minimum.