Special Belt for Experienced Students From Other Schools/Similar Styles

[ap Oweyn]

But there’s a ‘6 month white belt’ and a ‘30 minute white belt’!

And then there's a BJJ white belt

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

And then there's a BJJ white belt

Well I think it’s awful that they beasted you in the way they didn’t. Nobody on this forum waould do such a thing to you…unless they’ve read your posts…

 

[Leam_Hall]

My rule has always been wear what you want. Doesn't matter at all. In my experience, people who transfer and want to wear their higher rank don't generally stick long. I think it's quite possible that they have too much ego involved.
For myself, I'd rather wear a white belt and have people wonder why, than my actual rank and have people wonder why.

I agree with this. I've practiced different arts over time, and no matter how close or different the new style was to something I knew, I want to start with a white belt. The white belt is for me. It reminds me to keep my head and heart clear, to be open to instruction. What other's think is their concern, not mine.

 

[Onna Bugeisha]

I agree as well. Regardless of a person's age, experience or style, IMO to wear a white belt is a sign of someone who has courage and humility. If they are then able to demonstrate any sort of proficiency, it should be immediately apparent.

As the old saying goes, cream always rises to the top.

 

[Matt4]

But there’s a ‘6 month white belt’ and a ‘30 minute white belt’!

There's also a 17 month white belt. In my school, if you join with rank, you can choose to wear it, but I'll put you with whatever experience level group I think you'll fit. When you've learned the material and display the traits for a further color, you'll be awarded that rank. This gets funny with arts that have the colors in a different order, but you can jump on the color scheme at any time.

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

There's also a 17 month white belt. In my school, if you join with rank, you can choose to wear it, but I'll put you with whatever experience level group I think you'll fit. When you've learned the material and display the traits for a further color, you'll be awarded that rank.

Perfectly logical.

This gets funny with arts that have the colors in a different order, but you can jump on the color scheme at any time.

Annoyingly, they all have different orders of colour, which is why belt colour is a worthless metric and kyu/Dan is more meaningful.

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

I agree as well. Regardless of a person's age, experience or style, IMO to wear a white belt is a sign of someone who has courage and humility. If they are then able to demonstrate any sort of proficiency, it should be immediately apparent.

As the old saying goes, cream always rises to the top.

Unfortunately the same came sometimes be said for poop (Dillman/Count Dante/Ashi Kim/Frank Dux/Joshua Fabia/James Hedrick/Charlie Zelenoff…)

 

[KenpoMaster8051]

well if they are transfer they should start as a white belt but if you have the same style and their a black belt then they should be a black belt

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

We can take this argument to its reductio ad absurdum by suggesting what would happen if Hirokazu Kanazawa (8th Dan Hanshi Shotokan) went to an Capoeira class. Would you make him wear an unbleached/white/green cordões? How about if he deigned to learn Yang-style Taijiquan (); what would you insist he wear?

(I think we all know what he would chose to wear; he was a humble man)

 

[isshinryuronin49 49]

Starting a new MA family, I'd go with white, as I did when as 3rd dan Isshinryu starting iaido. If an iai or judo blackbelt became my student, I would insist on white. But if a Goju shodan came to me, I would let him wear black (providing his karate wasn't crap). I think this is the most reasonable and respectful approach.

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

Starting a new MA family, I'd go with white, as I did when as 3rd dan Isshinryu starting iaido. If an iai or judo blackbelt became my student, I would insist on white. But if a Goju shodan came to me, I would let him wear black (providing his karate wasn't crap). I think this is the most reasonable and respectful approach.

Are there many crap black belts?

 

[Gyakuto159 168]

Are there many crap black belts?

I’m glad you said that I agree and would suggest that shodan is given out far too easily: grannies, little children, the uncoordinated and feeble. It seems that if you pay your training fee and some form of payment, anyone will inevitably receive shodan.