Gradings to determine rank are held in a panel of black belts who evaluate your level based on your technical ability, your age, your length of practice, special circumstances, the number of Special Trainings you have attended, and your training mentality. Whether and how much your rank increases at a grading is not as important as using the feedback from your seniors to improve your level in the future.
All bkja students begin with a White Belt (unranked) and may advance through different levels from White through Brown, and Black. The ultimate rank achievable is Godan (5th degree Black Belt), the highest rank ever awarded by Master Funakoshi. bkja students should not confuse or compare this ranking system, maintained by bkja out of respect for Master Funakoshi, who maintained only white, brown, and black unlike various other groups that award different color belts or higher black belt degrees.
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