Motivation time :)

[louipax]

Guess there might be other people who need some nice belt motivation

(found it at Celebrities Who are Actually Black Belts in Martial Arts - BookMartialArts.com )

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

For Shuai Chiao, there are from white -> blue -> black. There are no green and purple.

 

[louipax]

Maybe it depends on the club? Just searched in Google and found this club with green and purple belts: The Shuai Chiao Kungfu Club at OSU -- Belts

 

[Danny T]

Unfortunate...
Belts should not be the motivator.
Interesting in how the original 2 belt colors of white and black first used by Kano to distinguish students who could be thrown for practice has grown into motivation and a symbol of supposed expert skill.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

In many forms of Okinawan karate, three gold stripes on a black belt does not signify 3rd Dan. Lol.

 

[JowGaWolf]

If I was good enough to teach in a belted system. I would revolt. My first belt would be black belt and the highest belt would be no belt. I would do that just to mess up the minds of other belted systems.

 

[Headhunter]

Unfortunate...
Belts should not be the motivator.
Interesting in how the original 2 belt colors of white and black first used by Kano to distinguish students who could be thrown for practice has grown into motivation and a symbol of supposed expert skill.

Why shouldn't they be? To some people they are motivation to keep training what's wrong with that? At least they're training and getting better whatever the reason why

 

[Mou Meng Gung Fu]

If I was good enough to teach in a belted system. I would revolt. My first belt would be black belt and the highest belt would be no belt. I would do that just to mess up the minds of other belted systems.

Some systems of CMA do actually use a similar belt system to the one you described. One of the arts I practiced quote unquote, "starts with no belt and ends with no belt." In some systems, black is the first belt and red or gold is the last belt. Just depends on the system you train in. My current system has no belts at all or inbetween.

 

[Buka]

I gotta' get me some belts. Need belts, want belts, got to have belts! Yum, yum, eat em' up!

 

[Paul_D]

Why shouldn't they be? To some people they are motivation to keep training what's wrong with that? At least they're training and getting better whatever the reason why

Because quite often when those sort of people reach black, they stop training.

 

[jobo]

Why shouldn't they be? To some people they are motivation to keep training what's wrong with that? At least they're training and getting better whatever the reason why

no there is nothing wrong with it in principal, but it leads to the situation where belts are provided at set intervals or they become demotivated and give up

 

[drop bear]

Why shouldn't they be? To some people they are motivation to keep training what's wrong with that? At least they're training and getting better whatever the reason why

I am with you on this.

It is nice to have some goals. It is also nice to get some recognition for hard work and achievement.

There seems to be this don't strive for anything vibe. Which I dont think is very helpful.

 

[Headhunter]

Because quite often when those sort of people reach black, they stop training.

And? If they do then that's their business

 

[Danny T]

No problem on goals and even to get recognition. If the belt is the goal what happens when there are no more belts? In most (meaning not all) belt systems the Black Belt has become the ultimate goal. Even in those systems where it is acknowledged that the BB is only a milestone of having learned only the basics and you are now ready to really learn, the goal is the Black Belt and then people quit. What is the advantage of having motivated people to the belt? The belt comes from the individual being motivated to be a better martial artist. Had a discussion with a few students last week asking why don't we spend more time training only the material required for the next test. My answer was I'm teaching you a martial art for developing your body, mind, and spirit not for taking a particular test. I want you to strive to know yourself, to know your limitations, to set reasonable goals for personal growth & satisfaction, not for a certificate or a piece of colored cloth but it seems the belt is the goal for many.

 

[Headhunter]

No problem on goals and even to get recognition. If the belt is the goal what happens when there are no more belts? In most (meaning not all) belt systems the Black Belt has become the ultimate goal. Even in those systems where it is acknowledged that the BB is only a milestone of having learned only the basics and you are now ready to really learn, the goal is the Black Belt and then people quit. What is the advantage of having motivated people to the belt? The belt comes from the individual being motivated to be a better martial artist. Had a discussion with a few students last week asking why don't we spend more time training only the material required for the next test. My answer was I'm teaching you a martial art for developing your body, mind, and spirit not for taking a particular test. I want you to strive to know yourself, to know your limitations, to set reasonable goals for personal growth & satisfaction, not for a certificate or a piece of colored cloth but it seems the belt is the goal for many.

Well if the belts all they want then that's up to them who cares what the reason is as long as they turn up and train they can do it for whatever reason they want and if they choose to stop at black then that's up to them

 

[Paul_D]

And? If they do then that's their business

It is, but they think they have reached the end of their journey, when all they have done is reached the beginning.

 

[Headhunter]

It is, but they think they have reached the end of their journey, when all they have done is reached the beginning.

Well good for them that's their business no one else's. if someone believes that then that's on them it doesn't make any difference to me

 

[Danny T]

Well if the belts all they want then that's up to them who cares what the reason is as long as they turn up and train they can do it for whatever reason they want and if they choose to stop at black then that's up to them

???
Sure...and if they want to stop at yellow or green or whatever color they can and many do.
Is disappointing but is reality.

 

[BuckerooBonzai]

I think that the belts get a lot of people in the door and then a few, through their journey, who were initially only motivated to achieve the next belt, start to gain a deeper understanding and then the belts do not matter so much to them anymore.

BUT, and this is the important part, they would never have started without the idea of the belts and getting the next one.

For me, I have seen this so many times that I think it justifies the belt system.

 

[Midnight-shadow]

I'm really not a fan of any belt system, which is why I'm glad my school doesn't use them.