Judo players wear different coloured belts. These ranks are called kyu grades in senior judo, and mon grades among juniors. As a beginner in the UK you wear a white belt. After a few months, you will be graded, and if you can show that you’ve learned specific throws and holds, and understood proper etiquette, you will be promoted to red belt, or 6th kyu. You continue to do this, moving on to be a yellow, orange, green, blue and then brown belt, which is called 1st kyu. Once you’ve achieved this rank, you will want to take the next step and get your black belt — and become a 1st Dan. And then, many judo players say, the real learning begins…

More information about the kyu grades: www.britishjudo.org.uk/my-judo/grading/grades/kyu