Putting the black belt on a pedestal

[Danny T]

The belt I tend to notice is the tattered grey belt. To me it denotes someone who has been active for many years. Individual abilities and school criteria aside, such dedication to training over the years is worthy of respect.

Gives me pause for thought. I've never look at it in that manner at all. Does the person who wears their belt in that manner also wear their other clothing, [uniform], the same; worn and tattered? What about the equipment they train with? I understand the comfort and something being a favorite but (and this is no slight on anyone we are all different) I have the belts that are most important to me displayed in my office for me. I have replaced my uniform belt several times over the years due to being worn. I require my students to wear a clean, in good condition and proper uniform. Their belt is a part of their uniform as well as is mine. As the leader in the school I will adhere to the same requirements of the school. The belt is but a sign of rank, with in the school and organization it was earned in. To me, and again I not slighting anyone, when I see one's worn and tattered belt the first thought I have is that person is making a statement of 'look at me, see I've been training a long time.'
Train your mind, body, and spirit. Let your skills and abilities show through your actual presentation on the floor or mats. Not through your clothes. For many years we had no belts in my school. When on the training floor it was obvious to all which individuals had been active for many years and what respect was deemed.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Danny T I respect your thoughts on old belts and cloths. Now my belt is well over 25 years old , it is worn but clean, my usual uniform is new but I do on occasion wear an old (30+ years) one if I know the action is going to get heavy and nasty. This uniform is worn,patched. and sewn in many places but If I have to enter certain situation I just like that uniform because it is what I wore back in the day when nasty fighting took place and training was much harder.
Heck most of my street clothing is well over ten years old I don't buy new stuff unless I need to. Hell I'm poor and can't afford to buy things unless I need them.
As to making a statement yes and no if I put on that old uniform it is a statement that play time is over and stuff is going to get serious. The belt is just because I don't feel like breaking in a new one.
I do see your thoughts on the subject and they are good ones. I actually never thought much about the subject of the wear on the belt as long as I kept it clean and not fully falling apart.

 

[RTKDCMB]

I know that's not what you ment but it was funny when I read that because my teachers had a white belt on for like 40 years

Maybe he kept it clean so that it didn't darken with dirt, blood and sweat soaking into it.

 

[donald1]

Maybe he kept it clean so that it didn't darken with dirt, blood and sweat soaking into it.

wax on wax off isnt just for cars ya know

 

[PhotonGuy]

There's quite a few MAs out there that don't have rank at all. Boxing and MMA immediately come to mind, and they're working out just fine.

Interestingly, one of the reasons I chose Bjj over MMA was the belt system.

Some boxing gyms do have rank that is in the color of the gloves that a boxer wears. Golden gloves is the highest.

 

[Reeksta]

One of the biggest regrets of my time studying judo is that I became obsessed with chasing belts instead of learning at a pace which was right for me and enjoying what I was being taught. Being honest this attitude killed my enjoyment of the art and once I got my 1st dan I practically stopped training there and then. I was burned out and having that black belt didn't feel nearly as good as I thought it would.
Something I love about what I train in now (freestyle wrestling) is that there's no grading structure. People rate you for what you can do on the mat, the knowledge you can share with the group . . . and that's it. It seems to create a much more honest and inclusive atmosphere too.
Not saying that everyone who studies in a system which uses the belt structure fall prey to the same mistakes I did. I've met many who haven't. For me personally though, a beltless life is the way to go.

 

[PhotonGuy]

One of the biggest regrets of my time studying judo is that I became obsessed with chasing belts instead of learning at a pace which was right for me and enjoying what I was being taught. Being honest this attitude killed my enjoyment of the art and once I got my 1st dan I practically stopped training there and then. I was burned out and having that black belt didn't feel nearly as good as I thought it would.
Something I love about what I train in now (freestyle wrestling) is that there's no grading structure. People rate you for what you can do on the mat, the knowledge you can share with the group . . . and that's it. It seems to create a much more honest and inclusive atmosphere too.
Not saying that everyone who studies in a system which uses the belt structure fall prey to the same mistakes I did. I've met many who haven't. For me personally though, a beltless life is the way to go.

I think people can sometimes become too obsessed with belts but there is nothing wrong with at least wanting to make it to 1st dan. Maybe you shouldnt've stopped after making 1st dan, maybe you should've kept with it and focused on just getting better in general without chasing belts. I've known people who might get to a certain belt such as brown and then they'll stop pursuing belts, they will keep coming to class and keep training and keep wanting to get better but they won't care to advance in belts anymore. That's how I am with 1st degree black belt. But like I said, maybe you should've stayed with Judo. After you make black belt it doesn't get easier it gets harder. Now its time to learn the "real stuff" and for the real training to begin is what lots of martial artists will say about when you make black belt.

 

[Reeksta]

I think people can sometimes become too obsessed with belts but there is nothing wrong with at least wanting to make it to 1st dan. Maybe you shouldnt've stopped after making 1st dan, maybe you should've kept with it and focused on just getting better in general without chasing belts. I've known people who might get to a certain belt such as brown and then they'll stop pursuing belts, they will keep coming to class and keep training and keep wanting to get better but they won't care to advance in belts anymore. That's how I am with 1st degree black belt. But like I said, maybe you should've stayed with Judo. After you make black belt it doesn't get easier it gets harder. Now its time to learn the "real stuff" and for the real training to begin is what lots of martial artists will say about when you make black belt.

To be honest, by the time I reached 1st dan the IJF had managed to turn judo into something I didn't enjoy training any more. No offense to anyone who continues to practice it, but judo with it's current ruleset isn't something that appeals to me. Hence why I made the move to freestyle in the first place and it's a decision I'm very happy with. If anything I believe I should have made the move earlier but, as I say, I was seduced by the idea of getting that black belt

 

[donald1]

its okay to want a black belt. heck i got a purple belt in goju and kobudo(2 purple belts) would sure like one of those to be black belt! but regardless it is not my main concern i am in those styles to train and get better, not wear belts. as long as you focus on priorities (earning a black belt fosnt count as one)if you want a black belt good for you but remember training and improving comes first

 

[PhotonGuy]

its okay to want a black belt. heck i got a purple belt in goju and kobudo(2 purple belts) would sure like one of those to be black belt! but regardless it is not my main concern i am in those styles to train and get better, not wear belts. as long as you focus on priorities (earning a black belt fosnt count as one)if you want a black belt good for you but remember training and improving comes first

Of course training and improving comes first. If you go to a place where you would actually have to earn a black belt, not have it handed or sold to you, you wouldn't get a black belt if you don't train hard and if you don't improve yourself up to that level.

 

[Balrog]

My $0.02 worth.....

The journey from White Belt through whatever series of colored belts your style uses to 1st Degree Black Belt is very much like the journey from 1st grade to 12th grade. Making 1st Degree means you just graduated from high school and it's time to go to college and get some serious studying done.

I respect anyone who does that. Put them on a pedestal, not so much. Now....the guys teaching them who have been doing it for forty-lebbun years and who have probably forgotten more that I will ever know....somewhat different story. The deserve some pedestal time.

 

[Shai Hulud]

Depends on the art really...

In Bjj it can take over a decade to reach a black belt, and you're fully expected to be able to demonstrate the skill of your rank constantly. Needless to say, black belts in Bjj are put on a pedestal, and its well deserved.

From a Confucian standpoint perhaps, in the sense that a black belt holder should conduct himself in the manner socially entrusted to him by the immediate community around him, but even then black's just a color signifying that you have the fundamentals of that style down and you're solid with the basics.

And that's what I believe you ought to put on a pedestal - actual skill, as opposed to social stature (in this case a belt). If you've been working at an art for a while, I honestly believe that you should be valuing the actual combat performance over what color you happen to wear around your waist, or how many patches/stripes you have on your gear. Be proud of your ability to win matches, and make sure to walk that talk. Any tosser can go into a McDojo and come out with a black belt if he throws enough money at it, but only a committed martial artist/athlete/fighter will develop his or her skill to such a high caliber.

 

[Buka]

Some boxing gyms do have rank that is in the color of the gloves that a boxer wears. Golden gloves is the highest.

I'm not familiar with this. The only differing of gloves in boxing that I can think of is to delegate different corners in competition, sometimes.

I'm not doubting what you said, I just got to get out more.

 

[Danny T]

I'm not familiar with this. The only differing of gloves in boxing that I can think of is to delegate different corners in competition, sometimes.

I'm not doubting what you said, I just got to get out more.

Not familiar with the color of gloves as to ranking in boxing either.
Golden Gloves is a state, regional, and national amateur boxing competition held yearly in the U.S. There is also the Silver Gloves amateur boxing tournament for ages 10 to 15 years old. In the USA Boxing association there is not ranking by color of gloves. It may be a particular boxing gym or club that is doing it with their fighters.

 

[Blindside]

Some boxing gyms do have rank that is in the color of the gloves that a boxer wears. Golden gloves is the highest.

First I have heard of this, usually "Golden Gloves" refers to a set of amateur regional and national competitions:
Golden Gloves - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Can you give an example of a gym using these as "rank?"

 

[jks9199]

Not familiar with the color of gloves as to ranking in boxing either.
Golden Gloves is a state, regional, and national amateur boxing competition held yearly in the U.S. There is also the Silver Gloves amateur boxing tournament for ages 10 to 15 years old. In the USA Boxing association there is not ranking by color of gloves. It may be a particular boxing gym or club that is doing it with their fighters.

I believe savate uses colored gear to differentiate skill levels, though I'm not 100% certain.

 

[Tez3]

I believe savate uses colored gear to differentiate skill levels, though I'm not 100% certain.

I'm pretty sure they do, I've never heard of boxing using different gloves though as I've never heard of them having rankings similar to anything in martial arts.

 

[Zero]

I believe savate uses colored gear to differentiate skill levels, though I'm not 100% certain.

Also, the better you get, the tighter the spandex body suit you get to wear, culminating with the off-lemon mankini with matching gloves.

 

[Hanzou]

From a Confucian standpoint perhaps, in the sense that a black belt holder should conduct himself in the manner socially entrusted to him by the immediate community around him, but even then black's just a color signifying that you have the fundamentals of that style down and you're solid with the basics.

And that's what I believe you ought to put on a pedestal - actual skill, as opposed to social stature (in this case a belt). If you've been working at an art for a while, I honestly believe that you should be valuing the actual combat performance over what color you happen to wear around your waist, or how many patches/stripes you have on your gear. Be proud of your ability to win matches, and make sure to walk that talk. Any tosser can go into a McDojo and come out with a black belt if he throws enough money at it, but only a committed martial artist/athlete/fighter will develop his or her skill to such a high caliber.

Well, a black belt in Bjj is a BB because of their skill, unless they go to a fraudulent Bjj school. In Bjj you're promoted based on your mat time and other things. So you're not getting that black belt until you're ready, and your readiness is completely dependent on your instructor, and probably your instructor's instructor. I've heard of people getting denied black belts for all sorts of reasons. Getting a black belt in Bjj is a pretty big deal, since many Bjj schools are judged by the quality of their black belts. And like I said earlier, you don't want to be the Bjj school or affiliation that's producing soft black belts.

As Tony said, there's some guys who are stuck at brown belt for years before they're promoted. Just the nature of the style.

 

[Tez3]

Also, the better you get, the tighter the spandex body suit you get to wear, culminating with the off-lemon mankini with matching gloves.

You aren't far out! Equipment London Savate

I also liked on one of the other pages where it said 'will it hurt' meaning the boxing, the answer was no......