As in many traditional martial arts, a series of colored sash belts indicates your training progress. Licensing begins with three initiate levels that are awarded as you move through the "Essentials of Self-Protection" course. Following the Essentials course is a series of levels offering intermediate and advanced material leading to Black Belt. Beyond Black Belt are 10 "degree" levels of mastery.
Please note that, unlike many other schools, The Portland Quest Center provides training that is very personalized, allowing each training member to progress at their own rate. Different members may take varying lengths of time to become comfortable with the instructional material being offered at any given level. Advancement should not be seen as some sort of competition with other students, but rather a commitment on the part of each student to develop him or her self as fully as possible. Little Dragons aged 4 through 7 years have a unique belt ranking system that leads to placement in the Youth and Adult Program.
Earth (Chi)
* White
* Yellow
* Yellow/black stripe
Water (Sui)
* Blue/white stripe
* Blue
* Blue/black stripe
Fire (Ka)
* Red/white stipe
* Red
* Red/black stripe
Wind (Fu)
* Green/white stripe
* Green
* Green/black stripe
Void (Ku)
* Brown/white stripe
* Brown
* Brown/black stripe
Black Belt Ranks
* Black - shodan 1st degree student
* Black - nidan 2nd degree student
* Black/bronze stripe - sandan 3rd degree student
* Black/bronze stripe - yondan 4th degree student
* Black/silver stripe - godan 5th degree student
* Black/silver stripe - rokudan 6th degree student
* Black/gold stripe - nanadan 7th degree student
* Black/gold stripe - hachidan 8th degree student
* Bronze - kyudan 9th degree student
* Silver - judan 10th degree student
* Gold - An-shu headmaster of To-Shin Do
