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Fitness Classes

Gradings

How Gradings Work at Respect Judo

  • Not applicable for 5-7 years old (sho Grades)

  • You MUST hold a full BJA licence to grade.

  • Respect Judo hold Bi annual grading nights so 2 per venue per year. (6 in total)

  • These will be held in the middle/end of the month.

  • The grading nights will rotate between our 3 venues, so every one gets a chance to grade every 6 months if they cannot travel to the other venues. (see events calendar)

  • All members are welcome to attend any grading night at any venue.

  • Players will get a 10 minute coached warm up and then paired up with someone working towards the same or similar grade.

  • At this stage they will be left to go practice with their partner/partners and continually observed and knowledge checked by our coaches.

  • After a member receives their British Judo full membership licence, Respect Judo will supply them with a syllabus book for free with everything they need to learn to get them up to brown belt.

  • These books also hold their record of achievement in the back so we can check off their knowledge and skills on grading nights.

  • GRADING BOOK AND BJA LICENCE TO BE BROUGHT ON A GRADING NIGHT.

  • If the book is lost or damaged a replacement can be purchased from the club for £5.

  • Belts and tags will be awarded on the night after passing your next grade.

  • Payment for grades expected on the night after you have passed, so we can process with the BJA quicker.

  • If you are unsuccessful on the night no payment is expected.

  • If you do not want to grade on the night but still want to train. come practice for your next grade and help other people grading out.

  • At some grades randori is expected so you can still come for a pull around.

  • Usual Mat Fees still apply to Grading Nights.

Your Grading Syllabus Book

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How Gradings Work
Types of Grading

Types Of Grade

  • Grades vary between age groups.

  • 5-7 year olds are called sho grades.

  • 8-18 year olds are called Mon grades.

  • Adult Grades are called Kyu grades.

  • At the age of 14 you can switch from Mon grade to the Kyu Grade System.

  • Dan grades are black belts which cannot be obtained before the age of 15.5 years old at the earliest.

  • See below for how the sho grades, Mon Grades and Kyu Grades all link and transfer over.

Grading conversions
Grading Videos

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 grades system is a distinctive feature of judo with promotion to different ranks based on a variety of different pathways and achievements.

Obtaining a Dan Grade is one of the highest qualifications available to individuals involved in the sport of judo.

The Dan grade system is aimed judoka who are 15 years of age and older who have moved on from completing the Kyu Grades system.

Judoka test their ability, by entering for an examination within the Dan grade system. For that examination players are required to demonstrate superiority over a cross-section of other players competing at the same level. This ensures that successive Dan Grades up to 5th Dan are populated by increasingly skilful players.

For grades higher than 5th Dan judoka wishing to move up a grade must apply to British Judo. A decision is then made on their application by the British Judo Board of Directors.

Competitive Pathway

The Traditional way of achieving your black belt.

  • Be a 1st Kyu (6 month time in Grade)

  • Be 15 years plus.

  • Pass a technical exam (competitive skills exam)

  • Demonstrate a set from either Nage no Kata or Katame no Kata.

  • Obtain 100 points at a level 3 competition or at an BJA area grading.

  • 10 points are awarded for every win by ippon. 

  • Winning a Line-up automatically gives you the full 100 points.

  • A line up is where you defeat 3 opponents back to back with no break in between opponents.

  • Line ups are only given at area gradings when you win 2 out of 3 possible fights.

  • If you stop someone's line-up you receive 10 points.

  • 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.

Dan Grades
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