Your Belt

[Wey]

When you are not training, how do you leave your belt? Do you tie it a certain way, wrap it up, throw it in a random location (with no care of its shape), or some other ritual?

Beyond that, why do you leave your belt that way?

For me, I tie my belt like this:

I never let my belt touch the floor or ground. My belt represents my hard work and I do not want to disrespect myself by letting it get walked all over. And because it represents me, when I tie it, I keep it nice and tidey in a respectable fashion.

What about you?

 

[Tez3]

It gets folded and put on the chair in the club where I keep my kit. Impossible for my belt not to touch the floor when grappling, for the same reason it gets messed around. It has literally been walked on...while I was still wearing it too but then we do train realistically lol!

 

[dancingalone]

I simply fold mine up into eighths and then store it away into my bag for transport if outside of my home. While I do not treat my belt in a disrespectful fashion, I am not concerned if it momentarily touches the floor. It's just a belt - it is not my sensei. I will also wash my belt when it needs it.

I have 6 different black belts at this time. Some are 'nicer' or more expensive than the others. A few are embroidered with kanjii stating my name, rank, and style. That said, my favorites are the two cotton belts I purchased for less than $10 each. They are unadorned and they have lasted for years, looking no worse for wear. I am not a fan of the worn belt look. I will replace them if needed.

 

[Tez3]

My belts too short to tie up like that, I'm not very big lol!

 

[seasoned]

With all due respect toward this thread. My belt does not define me, but I define my belt. Although I have trained very hard, and respect my art, the Gi hangs on a hook in the locker room along with the belt.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

If it stays in the dojo it gets hung up otherwise its folded and stored in my bag.

 

[Steve]

After class, I fold my gi up along with the tshirt I wore and tie it all together with my belt. When I get home, I throw the entire lot of it into the wash. The gi gets folded up and put in the closet. The belt gets hung on the coat rack in the laundry room.

I end up having to replace the stripes occasionally, as they're just strips of white athletic tape. The wash takes them off after a while.

As for disrespecting myself, how I treat my belt has as much to do with self respect as how I treat my toaster.

 

[Blindside]

Folded up in my bag, but nowadays I mostly train without it.

I wish my belt never touched the ground, that would be sweet, it means I would be the ultimate anti-grappler. Unfortunately I'm not there yet, as it and me has met the ground on many many occaisions.

 

[terryl965]

It hangs on a hook in the dojaang, when I travel it is folder and put in a duffle bag.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Well for Iaido, my belt is there only to hold my sword in place, nothing more. At the end of class it gets rolled up, and dropped in my bag, ready to go for next time. I treat my sword with more respect, but again, it is still just a tool, not a thing to be worshipped.

 

[Wey]

Thank you all for the different perspectives!

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Mine is folded and left in my bag when not in use. My school is very strict about how students treat their belts.It is considered our trophy. If we are not wearing our belt it is not to be dragged along the ground or flung around the place or anything else. One of the funniest things Ive ever seen was a white belt walking out of grading using his belt as a skipping rope , the senior instructors and GM were so angry they could barely speak , they were basically trembling with anger and the white belt just skipped out the door completely oblivious. His instructor copped a massive serve from the seniors once they could compose themselves.

 

[Balrog]

I hang it on a peg in the dressing room. When I go to tournaments, it gets packed into my gear bag for transport.

 

[IcemanSK]

My belt gets folded & put into my bag after class. If it's a particularly strenuous class (like tonight's sparring class) I hang it over a closet door in the room where I store my things.

I too come a tradition that said, "don't let your belt touch the ground." I teach it to my students as a tradition. I then ask them "what happens when we do push-ups?" It touches the ground. I then tell them the idea behind that tradition is to treat your belt (& uniform) with respect. Not that's it's a holy object, but simply that one should take care of it. For the kids in Scouts, I point out how they care for that uniform...treat it as if it means something to you. They seem to understand that.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I just fold it in eights and put it in my bag. I undestand the argument of respecting your equipment. But a belt is not more important than my weapons (which we have to treat with respect) or my tabi. I certainly don't regard it as a trophy. We have the same green belt through all kyu levels. I treat my belt with the same respect as the rest of my equipment.

The belt itself is not important. The belt itself does not imbue wisdom or skill. It is just 1 part of the uniform, and the only purpose it serves is to make it easier to order the buffet line at large gatherings and to hold the keikogi in place.

As for being livid with anger when someone disrespects their belt: we don't all share the same values and principles. Especially in western societies, there is often a disconnect between what is perceived as respect / disrespect in eastern societies. If a kid uses his belt for rope skipping, explain to him or her that that is not proper and explain the basic etiquette. Most people don't do those things out of disrespect, but because they are not aware of the etiquette.

It may seem silly, but in Genbukan, a big part of the first exam is dojo etiquette. All the basic rules and guidelines are written down in our curriculum. This gives people an opportunity to learn, and insures there is a common understanding of how people should generally behave in the dojo.

 

[Korppi76]

I tie it up like in that picture in first post and then leave it either to training bag or to closet.

 

[Cirdan]

I just toss it in my bag then hang it up to air once I get home. The belt is part ot the uniform and hence worn properly. However I still use it as a skipping rope and in a lot of other ways in class, including some where it is put on the floor and stepped on. "Belt worship" is just silly. However there is a bit of mild discouragement towards washing the belt and a worn belt is in a way seen as the mark of experience and dilligent training. Doesn`t mean it won`t be cleaned if it gets really dirty or starts to smell.

My old belts hang in the attic, tied up like the pic in the first post.

 

[Stac3y]

I tie it like in the picture and keep it in my gear bag. I don't wash it, but if it gets really stinky I will. In my school, when you rank up, your previous belt is "retired," and is not to be used again, so it's tied the same way and never untied.

I have 3 brown belts. I lost my first one when it fell out of my bag at a tournament, so I bought another one. My instructor looked thought the replacement looked too short, so he gave me another. Then I managed to recover the lost one, which was my first. Given a choice, I ONLY wear the first one, even though its stitching is coming loose and needs to be repaired. I feel very attached to it--I was terribly upset when I lost it for those few weeks. It's also a nicer, wider, heavier belt than the others, but the main reason I prefer it is emotional attachment. Weird.

 

[Steve]

I noticed when I got my blue belt in BJJ that the BJJ belts are much thicker, wider and generally heavier than my other belts. I trained in another style for about 3 years before switching over to BJJ and the belts were much thinner.

The only problem with it is that the belts just don't stay tied. Just about every round, my belt is on the floor within a minute or two.

 

[Stac3y]

I noticed when I got my blue belt in BJJ that the BJJ belts are much thicker, wider and generally heavier than my other belts. I trained in another style for about 3 years before switching over to BJJ and the belts were much thinner.

The only problem with it is that the belts just don't stay tied. Just about every round, my belt is on the floor within a minute or two.

The thicker belts take a long time to break in, but once they are, they stay tied better, IMO. Try wetting it down before tying it a few times, so it will stay on long enough to get good and sweaty. That should help.