When I first started kickboxing I thought it would be fun and motivating to try to earn different colored belts. So I called a local kickboxing club and was discouraged to find out that they didn’t use belts. Then I wondered if there were actually belts in kickboxing and if so, how long it would take to move up the ranks. After a lot of research, this is what I discovered.
Although competitive kickboxing does not use a standard belt system, kickboxing schools often do employ belt levels. Because there is not a universal grading structure, the belt order and skills required to advance will vary among schools.
Most kickboxing schools that do use a grading system use the following order of 8 colors:
1. White
2. Yellow
3. Orange
4. Green
5. Blue
6. Purple
7. Brown
8. Black
Now, who doesn’t want the dignity and honor of reaching the top level belt? Let’s take a look at how long and what it takes to attain each belt grade, and to accomplish the ultimate goal of acquiring that prestigious black belt!
First- The White Belt
If the kickboxing school you choose uses a belt system, the white belt will always be the color you will start with. The white belt represents purity and a beginning. It alerts the teachers and other students in the school that you are vulnerable and must be treated with a bit of caution at this point.
But what most of us really want to know is, how do we get out of that beginner stage? First, you will need consistent weekly trainings. You will also need to focus on learning each of the techniques taught, and work in and out of the gym on improving your overall fitness and kickboxing skills. Concentrating on these areas over a period of a few months will get you to that next level…the yellow belt.
How Long Will it Take to Get to Yellow Belt?
This is where it gets tricky. As discussed earlier, competitive kickboxing does not have a belt grading system so each school sets its own standards for moving up in belt ranks. Therefore the time it might take you to earn a yellow belt at your particular school can range widely.
Based on a survey of 25 American kickboxing schools, on average, you can expect to move to yellow belt anywhere from 12 to 24 weeks, training two times a week. Typically you can expect a training session to last about one hour. Of course the more often you train, the quicker you can earn your yellow belt.
Time Required to Earn Belts Between Yellow and Black
Here again, we are looking at a very wide range of standards and grading systems. Based on training 2 times a week, the average time to move up each belt level will be 12 to 24 weeks just as we saw with the yellow belt.
The following chart illustrates the total summative time it will take to work through each belt. Keep in mind, this chart is based on averages that can vary quite a bit between schools.
| Belts | Total Average Time to Next Belt |
| White | 12 weeks- 6 months |
| Yellow | 6 months – 1 year |
| Orange | 9 months – 1.5 years |
| Purple | 1 – 2 years |
| Blue | 1.3 – 2.5 years |
| Green | 1.5 – 3 years |
| Brown | 1.8 – 3.5 years |
| Black | 2 – 4 years |
Kickboxing Belt Testing Requirements
In order to advance to the next belt you will always need to pass your school’s required exam. These tests and the specific elements of each test will differ between schools but will almost always include:
- Demonstration of ability in specific punches and kicks
- Combinations
- Bag work
- Self defense moves such as blocking, locks, and holds
- Physical fitness testing for endurance, speed, and strength
- Sparring
How Long Will it Take to Get a Blue Belt?
The blue belt is the 5th ranking belt in most kickboxing schools. If we take the average 12 to 24 weeks to move up to the next belt grade, training at least 2 times a week, you will be able earn a blue belt anywhere between a year and a half to 2 years from when you begin.
Bump your trainings up to three times a week and that next belt will be yours even sooner. Just remember not to over train. If you spend too much time kicking and punching the bag, you’re bound to get hurt and end up backtracking on your progress.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Black Belt?
A black belt represents perseverance, grit, and self discipline. It is a symbol of many years of dedication and hard work. The qualifications required to earn a black belt in kickboxing vary from school to school. With an average of 12 to 24 weeks per belt level, a black belt can take from 2-4 years to achieve.
“A black belt is a white belt who never quits.”
Renzo Gracie, Mixed Martial artist
But friends lets be honest, most who go on to earn a black belt take much longer than “the average” because- well, life gets in the way. Overtraining, injuries, burnout, family, and work obligations are just a few of the obstacles that can slow down your progress. It’s a long, hard road, but most say the feeling of accomplishment is well worth the struggle!
Black Belt Requirements
Since there is not a universal grading system for kickboxing, the specific requirements to pass black belt testing will differ from school to school. Some of the more general expectancies leading up to testing include:
- Attending regular trainings
- A positive helpful attitude
- Assisting in the classes
- Ongoing continual education
- Excellent technical knowledge
- Etiquette- treating others with respect and courtesy
- Exceptional fitness and endurance level
- 100% effort at all trainings
What Are Black Belt Degrees?
Your first black belt, also called a dan belt, is considered a 1st degree black belt. After earning your 1st degree black belt, some kickboxing schools will have an opportunity for you to go beyond this to higher degree black belts.
There are 10 dan levels, therefore the highest ranking belt is a 10th degree black belt. To earn a 10th degree black belt is incredibly rare. This would often take upwards of 20 years to achieve, with continual training and dedication.
What Are the UK Kickboxing Belt Levels?
Kickboxing in the UK and many other European countries often go by a similar but slightly different belt grading system from those generally used in the US. In American kickboxing, the yellow belt is most often the 2nd step up from a white belt. In the UK, one must earn a red belt before the yellow belt, and the colors between yellow and brown differ slightly in that the purple belt is earned after the blue belt.
Most UK kickboxing schools will use the following order of 9 belt grades and colors:
- First Grade- White
- Second Grade- Red
- Third Grade- Yellow
- Fourth Grade- Orange
- Fifth Grade- Green
- Sixth Grade- Blue
- Seventh Grade- Purple
- Eighth Grade- Brown
- Ninth Grade- Black
Should You Get Belts in Kickboxing?
There are many camps in the martial arts arena that will tell you that “there are no belts in kickboxing”, and technically they are correct when it comes to pro kickboxing. But for those of us that have worked our tails off for years, the belts that we earn are real. They represent all of the blood, sweat, time, and energy we have put in to our passion.
Kickboxing belts can give us the ambition to strive for more, and they motivate us to keep going. If earning belts in kickboxing helps you to push your limits and keep your eye on the prize then by all means, go for it! Don’t let the cynics stop you from achieving your goals!