Our Members

The following is a representation of a member "rank board". In many traditional Japanese martial art Dojos, the members and students would have a small wooden slat with their name imprinted upon it. This slat would be hung on a special board in the Dojo which would show their rank and seniority. These are the members of the Roughrider Judo Club:
s
a
n
d
a
n
J
e
f
f
 
F
i
c
e
k
N
i
c
k
 
L
a
m
b
e
r
t
A
n
d
y
 
P
o
w
e
l
l
s
h
o
d
a
n
B
e
n
 
C
h
r
s
t
e
n
s
e
n
R
y
a
n
 
F
i
n
k
1
s
t
 
k
y
u
S
t
e
v
e
n
 
P
o
l
l
e
s
t
a
d
N
i
c
k
 
L
a
r
s
o
n
3
r
d
 
k
y
u
C
o
l
i
n
 
M
c
G
u
i
r
e
4
t
h
 
k
y
u
J
a
m
e
s
 
J
a
c
o
b
s
*
E
v
e
 
H
e
u
p
e
l
*
B
l
a
z
e
 
H
e
u
p
e
l
*
R
y
d
e
r
 
F
i
n
k
*
5
t
h
 
k
y
u
R
a
n
d
y
 
R
a
a
s
c
h
D
a
l
l
e
n
 
S
c
h
u
t
z
l
e
r
*
A
l
e
x
 
M
e
i
r
*
N
a
v
e
a
h
 
M
u
c
k
l
e
*
6
t
h
 
k
y
u
M
a
r
e
k
 
F
i
c
e
k
*
M
a
d
i
s
o
n
 
D
e
j
e
s
u
s
*
B
r
e
n
n
a
 
J
o
 
W
o
b
a
u
m
*
A
l
e
x
 
T
o
w
n
e
H
e
s
t
o
n
 
G
a
r
l
i
n
g
*
G
r
a
n
t
 
Z
i
m
m
e
r
m
a
n
*
H
e
a
t
h
 
Z
i
m
m
e
r
m
a
n
*
J
o
h
n
 
A
d
a
m
s
*
u
n
r
a
n
k
e
d
C
h
r
i
s
 
T
i
l
l
m
a
n
K
a
l
y
e
e
 
G
a
r
l
i
n
g
R
y
a
n
 
Z
i
m
m
e
r
m
a
n
The Origins of the belt ranking system in all martial arts started with Jigoro Kano and Judo. Originally, he created only two ranks, or kyu; white for beginners, and the familiar black for advanced. When Kano's students began exporting Judo to the Western world, they found that the cultural differences made the long period of "novice" too discouraging. Mikonosuke Kawaishi is generally thought to have created the color-belt ranking system in 1935. Various martial arts have different ranks and colors, including differing schools of Judo. Currently, Kodokan and USJA Judo have six ranks for pupils, or mudansha.
  • Unranked, or white belts, are new students.
  • Sixth rank, or Rokkyu, wears a yellow belt, or obi
  • Fifth rank, or Gokyu, wears an orange belt
  • Fourth rank, or Yonkyu, wears a green belt
  • Third rank, or Sankyu, wears a brown (or blue) belt
  • Second rank, Nikyu, wears a brown belt
  • First rank, or Ikkyu, wears a brown belt.
  • First Grade, or Shodan, begins the ten degrees of "Black Belt".
An * indicates Junior Rank, generally for those 16 years or age or younger. Contrary to the popular understanding of "expert", a black belt simply means that the student is ready to learn, having received enough instruction to comprehend the techniques.

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