Belt or Sash (or both)
- Thread starter Wilde
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- belt sash uniform item
I wear a black leather belt, for my pants/shorts because my top is a t-shirt.
kuniggety
2nd Black Belt
In BJJ (gi), we wear belts. In no-gi, you're not wearing a belt but some schools use color coded rash guards. I've studied Kung fu before where they've used sashes and Taiji where they didn't.
Danny T
Senior Master
Wing Chun training we don't wear rank
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali we don't wear rank
Muay Thai we don't wear rank
Combat Submission Wrestling we don't wear rank
BJJ we wear a belt to keep the top closed; it just happens to be the color of whatever the last grading one has passed.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
I'll be honest and say I don't understand the question itself… you wear what the system dictates you wear… there's nothing to do with "personal preference" at all… sure, there can be practical reasons for particular aspects of the uniform (my kaku obi for my Iaido keeps the sword nice and securely held, for example), but the reality is that the reason I wear a belt or not is because that's what the system says is worn… whether I like it or not is irrelevant.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's a safe bet people wear whatever their system says they should wear.
- Thread Starter
- #8
I completely understand, better phrasing may make my question easier to understand, but I've seen styles that wear both, going as far to tie a sash on the belt to denote rank. I was just curious and wanted to see what people think.
Better question: What do you personally prefer to wear negating style, a belt or sash?
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
No, sorry, it still doesn't make much sense… I mean, we're not talking about fashion sense here… you don't put these items on to go out to the local club, after all. So I don't envision any context where it would be even a question outside of a school in the first place… in which case we're back to "you do what the school says you do".
I have not seen a sash tied onto the belt. Just belt colors.
Our system as practiced in our dojo has the following adult belt ranks:
White
Orange
Green
Blue
Brown
Black
That is all. There are three degrees of Brown Belt, and ten degrees of Black Belt. We do not wear additional signifiers with the belt; so you would not know by looking at a Black Belt wearer if he or she is a Shodan or a Judan.
Our system does permit Black Belt holders above a certain rank to wear a red-and-white panel belt or at the very top two ranks, a solid red belt. They are all, however, still considered Yudansha, or Black Belt holders. Those who can wear the red-and-white or the solid red may do so if they wish, it is not mandatory. At their rank, they can wear whatever they wish and no one can say they are incorrect.
We do not put stripes on belts as some styles of karate to in order to indicate what degree of a certain belt color we are if we are adults. Kids yes, it keeps them motivated. Adults no.
My guess is that most folks' preference will be whatever they're most used to. All of my formal training has been in styles that used colored belts. When I was defining the uniforms for Shojin-ryu, I had the choice of whether to use traditional gi, whether to wear hakama, and whether to have any rank denotation on the uniform. With the exception of the color of the uniform, I simply went with what I was most used to: a traditional gi, with colored belts to denote rank, and hakama (optional).
OK, to use Chris's term "fashion sense" ...that would only apply if you belonged to a system, probably a modern one, that provided options or alternatives. Or if you are breaking away and starting you own system and looking for the coolest way to go. Good luck with that!
In the arts I study (Wing Chun and Eskrima) we do not wear either belts or sashes. In WC we have the option of wearing a more formal uniform with the school T-shirt, baggy black "kung-fu pants" and traditional leather-soled Chinese house slippers, or a more informal attire consisting of the school T, black gym shorts and athletic shoes.
It's hot in Arizona, so for WC, unless I'm testing I favor the informal attire with shorts and tennis shoes. For eskrima, we wear loose gym clothes or sweats, that's all. If students or visitors can't figure out who the instructor is, I seriously need to train harder!
In the arts I study (Wing Chun and Eskrima) we do not wear either belts or sashes. In WC we have the option of wearing a more formal uniform with the school T-shirt, baggy black "kung-fu pants" and traditional leather-soled Chinese house slippers, or a more informal attire consisting of the school T, black gym shorts and athletic shoes.
It's hot in Arizona, so for WC, unless I'm testing I favor the informal attire with shorts and tennis shoes. For eskrima, we wear loose gym clothes or sweats, that's all. If students or visitors can't figure out who the instructor is, I seriously need to train harder!
My preference is no gi, no belt. In Jeet Kune Do I have the option to wear anything I want. My "go to" outfit is a JKD t shirt with shorts and shoes.
Even back in the days when I was training in systems that had belt ranking, I only wore the gi and belt when I had to. I've always preferred to train in street clothes and shoes, since that is most likely what I will be wearing if I'm confronted on the street.
Even back in the days when I was training in systems that had belt ranking, I only wore the gi and belt when I had to. I've always preferred to train in street clothes and shoes, since that is most likely what I will be wearing if I'm confronted on the street.
