For most martial arts students, advancing to another level is a source of pride and accomplishment, often signified by the awarding of a new color of belt worn in training. For many martial arts, novices wear white belts and experts wear black ones, with various other colors representing intermediate skill levels. The martial art and combat sport of kickboxing has its own levels, but does not rely on a system of colored belts. In kickboxing, you win belts in competition, not for advancing in your training.
Identification
The Thai Boxing Association of the U.S.A., the national board for the Thai sport of Muay Thai kickboxing, states that the sport does not use a belt ranking system like those used in karate, kung fu and other martial arts. In Muay Thai, belts are what champion fighters win in the ring.
Types
The Duke Roufus Academy in Milwaukee, Wis., identifies five levels in Muay Thai kickboxing: beginner, followed by levels one through four. The Double Dragon Kung Fu Academy in Canada outlines a four-level system for kickboxing: entry, novice, intermediate and advanced, with instruction at each level building on the knowledge and skill acquired at the previous level.
Features
Beginner-level kickboxing emphasizes fundamental techniques and cardiovascular conditioning. After about four weeks of training, students can advance to level one, which focuses on defensive tactics, combination techniques and ring strategies. Level two involves sparring skills. The third and fourth levels focus on high-level training and advanced techniques for competitive fighting. For levels two through four, students must pass a skills test to advance to the next level.
Effects
As you advance in your kickboxing training, instruction increases in complexity, with each level building on the knowledge and skill acquired at the previous level. The more basic levels emphasize foundational techniques and physical conditioning, while advanced levels involve advanced skills and prepare you for competitive fights.
Considerations
Although kickboxing generally does not use a colored belt system to signify skill levels, some individual schools opt to use such a system. Connecticut Martial Arts in Danbury, Conn., for example, uses the traditional belt system in which beginners wear white belts and advance through yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, red and brown before advancing the black belt, the highest skill level in most martial arts.
Posted in: Kickboxing