How long and hard does it take to get a 10th dan in Karate?

Is that effectively the

Pretty much every single valid 10th dan out there is an elderly person who has
spent decades training and studying their martial art. Now, because of their age,
they probably aren�t fighting machines capable of defeating hordes of ninjas, as I
imagine many people outside of martial arts imagine a 10th dan to be. The reason
pretty much only elderly people achieve a 10th degree black belt, is that in many
organizations, a period of several years has to pass before you are allowed to test
for your next dan. This period can be from 2 years up to 9 years between tests.

There is another way to get to 10th dan. Many martial artists have resorted to
creating their own martial art. Now, 10th dan has also been a rank awarded to a
system�s founder or creator, so many people who have created their own style
instantly award themselves a 10th dan. Many traditional martial artists frown on
this practice though, and being a young 10th dan Grandmaster is usually a sign of a
low quality or fraudulent school.

Awarding yourself a 10th dan belt upon creating your own style isn�t neccesary,
though.
Take Chuck Norris. When he finally created his own martial art called Chun Kuk Do,
he was told by his partners that he needed to be a higher rank than anybody else so
he could continue to award rank within his own system, so he gave himself a 7th
degree black belt instead of a 10th dan. Then he worked up from there, and now he�s
a 10th dan black belt in his own system. Bear in mind though, even Chuck Norris is
�only� a 9th dan both in Tang Soo Do (his base martial art) and Taekwondo.

Also, in some arts a 10th degree is in fact unreachable, as is the case in Soo Bahk
Do, where you can only attain a 9th dan belt, or reserved for the founder of the
system.

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Joshua Cohen
Joshua Cohen, Black belts in Goju Ryu and Kyokushinkai
Updated Jun 4, 2018
10th dan means you are the titular head of your particular style. It is not
something you test for. In most styles of karate, the highest dan that actually
means anything in terms of ability is usually about 3rd or 4th. These are the
highest ranks you normally have to really test for. Usually this level qualifies
you as sensei. Above this level (around 5th -6th dan) the tests tend to be somewhat
ceremonial in nature. meaning you are not really testing. The decision has been
made and you are going through the motions.
The first thing you need to understand is that a karate style is also an
organization. It is very common that higher ranks are not just given out based on
skill - they are basically ranks in the organization. Typically a 10th dan is the
head of the organization, like the CEO or commanding general. He basically decides
what rank to give which people below him in the organization, for example 5th-9th
dans. These decisions can be arbitrary. Usually not only is a person�s overall
skill considered, but dedication and service to the organization is as well. For
example, how long you have been part of the system, have you done much to promote
the system, do you have your own dojo or many dojos, how many people you have
brought to black belt level, etc.

How the 10th dan is chosen varies between styles (organizations). Some inherit the
position. Not necessarily genetically - normally the current 10th dan will select
someone to succeed him after his death or retirement.

Another way is to simply give yourself the title. I have seen more than one
instructor who decided that he wants to break away from his parent organization,
create his own style and instantly proclaim himself as 10th dan. This may sound
shady but actually many of these are totally justified. Its just not unusual that
after you get to a certain level of skill you might decide that you would like to
develop your self and your art in ways different from what you were taught. There
are many prominent karate senseis, Japanese and otherwise, who have done precisely
that.As an example, there have been several senseis who broke away from
Kyokushinkai and created their own styles, such as Seido, Enshin, Oyama Karate,
etc. All of these are very viable styles in their own right and the people who
founded them were very senior masters in the Kyokushinkai organization at the time
they broke away. No one can argue that their system heads don�t deserve their 10th
dans.

However I have also seen people who just made shodan or nidan who did the same
thing, suddenly call themselves 10 dans. These should be looked at a bit
skeptically.

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Mikhail Strogov
Mikhail Strogov
Answered May 23, 2018
In kyokushin for example, everything above 5th dan is more or less political rank,
not fighter rank. Though my shihan went to Japan for 5th dan, took 50 man kumite
test, a proper test, as a fighter and a master. No small feat in his 50 years.

Vladimir Putin for example is 8th dan in kyokushinkan, although he never did a day
in his life in kyokushin dojo, but belt was given to him for impressive Kyokushin
improvement in Russia.

Another easy way that was taken by some of the not so honest individuals is to
start your own school and award yourself 10th dan. Thats probably the quickest,
most realistic way.

There is one other layer you have to consider, everyone with higher ranks can
attest lower ranks, and there is money in there. One can start to see politics
there.

For 99,9999999% percent of Karatekas proper 10th dan is unattainable, and one
shouldnt even think about it. As they say - belt is not an indicator of skill, it
is measure of responsiblity.

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Gee Wheeler
Gee Wheeler, Practiced Kyokushinkai, Judo, Aikido and Ninjutsu since 1976
Answered May 23, 2018
To be honest, 10th Dan is a political grade. It is usually for services to Karate
and often awarded posthumously. It isn't a level of ability as such. We know this
because a 10th Dan is awarded by a panel of 8th-9th Dan's. There is no 'test'.

In the USA you can become a 10th Dan by a simple use of PowerPoint. A quick
internet search showed several Karate 10th Dan's over there. And in the Bujinkan
you need to go to Japan or a Taikai 10+ times. There is no test there after 5th Dan
either.

Sadly, a sign of the times. But you shouldn't train for grades. You should train
because you love the art.

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Jaime Gonzalez
Jaime Gonzalez, Shito Ryu 2nd degree karate black belt
Answered May 30, 2018
How many years have you been training?

I�m 95% sure that you haven�t even begun, or are a beginner.

After some time has passed, you get to a point where:

Ranks are meaningless, knowledge is meaningful

Degrees are meaningless, exercise and camaraderie are meaningful

Acknowledgements are meaningless, training is meaningful

A common misconception is that people believe that a black belt is a master and
that reaching �yudansha� or Black belt, is the end of the journey; on the contrary,
reaching a black belt signals the beginning of the journey.

With mudansha, or colored belts you�re learning how to walk, with yudansha you
already know how to walk and you begin your journey.

Don�t concern yourself with reaching 10th Dan, concern yourself with walking the
path

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Wayne Irvine
Wayne Irvine, Director
Answered May 23, 2018
How long? A life time. How hard? Very hard.

The reality is, unless you devote your whole life to karate you won�t get there.
Not even close. At least not in a legitimate style.

And asking about �10th dan� is really not the right attitude for a karateka. Maybe
worry about your yellow belt first.

As for �mastery of the sport with no higher to go�, damn, you really don�t
understand karate. It�s not a sport if you�re talking about high dan grades. It�s a
way of life. And there is always further to go.

Now here�s the reality of the only legitimate 10th dan I have met. He is an old
man. 70-odd. And probably not as spritely as he was in his youth but tough as nails
and hard as concrete. Physically he probably didn�t improve above 7th dan (although
mentally is a different story). He was awarded 10th dan as head of his style and
you could argue it is more of an honorary rank (although I suggest you don�t argue
with him. Being physically outdone by and old age pensioner doesn�t look good on
the resume).

What I�m saying is, don�t get into karate for �10th dan�. Don�t even get into it
for black belt. Just get into it for self improvement. The belts and the awards
will come with time and effort.

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Michael Bloom
Michael Bloom, Training for 40+ years Shihan & Kyoshi
Answered May 23, 2018
Hi Andre:

10th dan is the highest level that a person can achieve in a Japanese martial art.

It is traditionally reserved for the head of the style or founder of the style
(�soke�). It takes 40 or more years of continuous training and teaching.

Start training now - who knows in 40 years you might be a tenth dan too!

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Mark Stevens
Mark Stevens, works at Chaplaincy
Answered May 23, 2018
That is really a hard question to answer, I studied Martial Arts from the age of 10
to 30 ( I got severely Ill and had to stop) I received my 1st Dan at the age of 21
and 2nd Dan at the age of 24, however I was consumed with the art, I went to class
6 days a week and because I was close friends with my instructors, I even practiced
with them after class. Too often belts are not really earned but paid for in some
dojos. I studied in Korea 2 years and their standards are MUCH HIGHER than in the
USA.

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Dwight Woods
Dwight Woods, Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, Muay Thai Instructor (1985-present)
Answered May 23, 2018
It takes a very long time with many years of practice�

Teruyuki Okazaki, the head of the International Shotokan Karate Federation is an 86

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Sean Tremblay
Sean Tremblay
Answered Feb 16
it takes a life time of commitment, 10th dan in most styles is awarded more for
contributions to the art rather than martial prowess

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