In the martial arts, belt exams test a student’s ability to meet certain qualifications. The belt exam motivates students to improve their skills through hard work and continued training.

Many years ago, when Karate was practiced in Okinawa, the birthplace of Karate, the belt was simply a way to keep a student’s pants from falling down. Basically, the same reason we wear belts today. However, Kano Jigoro, a teacher of Judo in Japan, started to use belts to distinguish between students’ ability levels. Eventually, many other types of martial arts in Japan saw the benefits of this system and adopted the practice. As a result, the system became commonplace in the martial arts.

At many martial ats school they use a three-step process: 1) The student identifies the skill that needs improvement. 2) The student practices until the skill is perfected. The length of time this takes varies by student. 3) The student takes a test demonstrating proficiency in the skill.

One of the most important parts of this process is that the tests are not unchallenging. There should be a level of difficulty that requires sustained practice. If there is no struggle involved or no obstacles to overcome, there is no value to what is achieved.

Our students are motivated to keep training and improving upon their disciplines, which in turn builds fortitude, resilience, and confidence.

(Source https://kenzendo.com/the-purpose-of-a-belt-exam/amp/)