What is the term for the ranking system in many martial arts?

The term "belts" is widely recognized in many martial arts as a symbol of a practitioner's rank and level of proficiency in their chosen discipline. The belt system serves as a visual representation of a student's progress from beginner to advanced levels, with different colored belts indicating various stages of expertise and skills.

For instance, many traditional martial arts such as karate, judo, and taekwondo implement this system, where each color often signifies a particular set of skills, knowledge, and time spent training. This method of progression helps instructors assess students’ readiness for more complex techniques and teaches them the values of perseverance and discipline as they work towards achieving higher ranks.

The use of "grades" or "levels" might suggest a broader educational framework or a different context not specifically tied to martial arts, while "ranks" is a term that could also apply; however, it is less commonly tied to the specific and systematic color-coded progression that is emblematic of the belt system. Therefore, "belts" is the term that most accurately captures the recognized ranking system in martial arts.