Viam Chao utilizes a belt ranking system to reward students, provide incentive, and help instructors easily gauge ability levels. There are 6 ranks currently. Belts may be worn with a traditional gi or with street workout clothes. As of September 2023, viam chao uses a white sleeve on all belt ranks. Any stripes on the sleeve are the color of the person's rank in Loricism.
- Grey Belt - the beginning rank. Grey signifies neutrality; students are an open canvas, and have not yet "painted" it with knowledge or their own style.
- Blue Belt - promotion to blue typically occurs around 1 year after beginning. Blue signifies a modest degree of dedication, unofficially the color of bruising (a student has been initiated into some degree of pain).
- Red Belt - promotion to red is typically 2-3 years after reaching blue. Red signifies that the concepts are "running through their veins", unofficially the color blood (a student has bled in pursuit of knowledge). Students may be start learning to teach as assistant instructors at this level.
- Green Belt - 2-3 years after red. Green signifies that the student has solid roots and is growing on their own, unofficially the color of leaves (a student begins to develop their own concepts and style). Certain students may begin teaching classes at this level.
- Brown Belt - 2-3 years after green. Brown signifies that the student has begun planting the seeds of knowledge within others, unofficially the color of earth (a student begins to share their own concepts and style).
- Black Belt - 2-3 years after brown. Black signifies that the student has "reached midnight" in their journey; but really they are simply preparing to start a new day.
There is no white belt, which students would normally begin in; instead there is simply no belt before grey.
Children[]
Children of any age are able to participate and learn. Unlike other systems, there is not a separate ranking system for children. Children who demonstrate sufficient knowledge and proficiency in the concepts and techniques are eligible to earn the same rank as adults. The only difference is that they cannot teach (as an assistant instructor) until the age of 16.
Teaching[]
Practitioners are eligible to start teaching as an assistant if they are both red belt and over the age of 16. This is not to say that anyone at this rank may teach, as it depends on each individual and whether an instructor thinks they have an aptitude for it. This is simply the minimum rank that may teach. One can become a full instructor after reaching green, and each teaching rank can only certify up to one rank below. (Green, for example, can only bestow up to red on their students.)
Stripes[]
Like some other systems, there are intermediate stripes to delineate progress within a belt color (viam chao uses 3 stripes between each belt). Stripes are also the same color as one's level in Loricism, which is the system used to develop spiritual and mental self-defense. (Viam Chao was actually developed to supplement Loricism as the physical self-defense portion.)
Past Variations[]
Red belt with Level III Loric stripes in the original system
Originally, white stripes were used to delineate Loricism level, as seen here with this red belt, and there were no intermediate rank stripes between viam chao levels. The second iteration featured a simple square on the end of the belt to show the Loricism rank, which was soon changed to a sleeve (similar to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) of the Loricism rank color, with stripes on the sleeve. This iteration proved to be too cumbersome logistically, as it required making belts of every color combination. The current system uses a white sleeve on all ranks, and any stripes are the color of the Loricism rank.
black belt with Level III Loric stripe, 2nd iteration
Black Belt Grades[]
The viam chao black belt grades.
There are 10 degrees in the system, called grades, and the time frames between each rank are listed below. It takes a minimum of 54 years after achieving 1st grade to reach 10th grade.
- 2nd Grade - 2 years minimum after reaching 1st
- 3rd Grade - 3 years min. after 2nd (5 years total)
- 4th Grade - 4 years min. after 3rd (9 years)
- 5th Grade - 5 years min. after 4th (14 years)
- 6th Grade - 6 years min. after 5th (20 years)
- 7th Grade - 7 years min. after 6th (27 years)
- 8th Grade - 8 years min. after 7th (35 years)
- 9th Grade - 9 years min. after 8th (44 years)
- 10th Grade - 10 years min. after 9th (54 years)