# How do you tie your belt?



## purplekenposkunk (Jul 10, 2003)

I take the belt and square up the endes. I then place the middle of the belt at my belly button. I then loop the belt around behind me, then bring the ends around, then cross them in the middle. The left end goes downward.The right end crosses the over the left and comes up from underneath.

There are several different ways, What do you do?


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## Tigerkrim (Jul 10, 2003)

I've always started with a short end on the left and wrap around counter-clockwise then knot. 
That way you don't get the overlap at the back of your waist.


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## Elfan (Jul 10, 2003)

I do it like Tigerkrim as well, that way the belt looks nicer with no corsses.


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## Old Fat Kenpoka (Jul 10, 2003)

http://www.stanford.edu/group/kenpo/belt-tie.shtml


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## jeffkyle (Jul 10, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Elfan _
> *I do it like Tigerkrim as well, that way the belt looks nicer with no corsses. *



Ditto!  Except the corsses part...I was thinking Crosses myself.


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## Kempojujutsu (Jul 10, 2003)

I start on right side and wrap it clock wise 2 times. Again so you don't get the overlap at the back of the waist. This is more of a Jujutsu style of wrapping the belt. So when you break fall the belt doesn't drive into your back, hurting yourself.
Bob :asian:


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## purplekenposkunk (Jul 10, 2003)

Yeah Kenpoka, that's what I do.


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## Iron Dog (Jul 10, 2003)

Since Ju-Jutsu was my first and longest art, I was taught, and still tie my belt similar to KempoJutsu, etc. by not crossing the back, for reasons mentioned. We also did not have the ends hanging down in front since anything was fair game for control, and would weave them into the belt.Now being back in American Kenpo I tie it the more traditional way (ends hanging) but still using the wrap around rather than the crossing method. Unless I am doing Ne-Waza. This is rumoured to be the method Okazaki Sensei preferred it...
Patrick


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## Kempojujutsu (Jul 10, 2003)

Usually use the bottom of the gi top as how far down the belt can hang. Nothing done at the thighs or knees. I have seen some styles let this happen.
Bob :asian:


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## Michael Billings (Jul 11, 2003)

Do you have a site or reference that shows how Sigung ties his belt?  I liked the look for grappling, when I don't want the ends hanging down.  It was clean and better than my just tucking it.


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## Kempojujutsu (Jul 11, 2003)

I believe the ends that hang down take them loop them from the topside of the belt that is wrapped around your waist? I have seen old picture of swordsmen who wore their belts on the outside do this. Don't know if that is correct or not?
Bob:asian:


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## roryneil (Jul 11, 2003)

While we are discussing that nasty overlap, the sure sign of a novice, I was wondering: does the ties on the sides of your gi drive anyone else nuts? They seem to be right at belt level, so they are always pulling my belt up, or making my gi ride high, or the knots are digging into my sides. I was thinking of ripping them off, sewing my gi together and just wearing it as a pull-over. Any thoughts?


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## Turner (Jul 11, 2003)

I started in Goju-ryu Karate and use the method I was taught there, which is the same as described by Kempojujutsu.

I have always cut the ties off of the gi because I tend to do a lot of joint manipulation and grappling. If you pull too hard on someone's lapel there is a good chance that something is going to rip if it's all tied together. I'd rather the gi come loose than having a hole in it.


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## twinkletoes (Jul 11, 2003)

I tie the way others are describing it.

We have a funny phenomenon that I call "growth rings."  We've noticed that beginners often tie the belt really high up (often I think it's just too tight).  This gives a look sometime of having tied it up around the armpits.  As the students progress, they wear it lower and lower.  Some of the black belts wear them literally about to fall off because they are so loose.  I remember one instructor from when I was a young student who could almost never keep it tied.  The knot was never complete, it just hung there.  I have no idea how it stayed on.  

Is anyone else familiar with this phenomenon?

~TT


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## roryneil (Jul 11, 2003)

Yes indeed. A fellow student and I noticed at camp that all the Seniors looked the same: they had their belt slung low, and stood with their hands tucked in their belt palm-down. Al Bundy style.


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## Blindside (Jul 11, 2003)

> Do you have a site or reference that shows how Sigung ties his belt? I liked the look for grappling, when I don't want the ends hanging down. It was clean and better than my just tucking it.



This will be rather hard to explain....

Ok put on your belt (wrap or whatever) just as you would normally, and stop after you fold the top belt under the bottom two layers.

1) Take the end of the belt that is sticking out of to top and loop it under the top layer so that it points downward, but to the inside of the end of the belt that is sticking out of the bottom.  Do not tighten this yet, you need a loop.   

2) Take the end of the belt that is sticking out of the bottom, and pass it through the loop created in step one. Pass the end of the belt through the top belt layer so that it is point downard.

3) Pull from both ends to tighten the knot.

4)  The belt ends are now sticking downwards from between the top and bottom layers of your belt.  Slide the belt ends between the two belt layers, and voila you have a belt that is knotted, but has no visible ends.

I really like this knot system, it almost never comes untied and it presents a very neat image.  I also like that it hides the belt ends, so that the rank doesn't show, but that is my personal thing.  I usually wear my belt that way now, it is just a personal preference.  Thanks to Mr. Sipes for showing me this knot. 

Lamont


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## tonbo (Jul 11, 2003)

I am firmly in the camp of those that start off on the right side and wrap the belt around.  I haven't had a problem with my belt coming undone in a long, long time.

Okay, let me qualify that.....I haven't had my belt come undone through non-grappling in a long, long time.  When the grappling starts, I think a loose belt is bound to happen.

I've been wearing my belt like this for years.....I have always thought it looked cleaner and, well.......cooler.

Peace--


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## Iron Dog (Jul 11, 2003)

First of all, I am not a student of Mr. Labounty's, but have done several seminars with him. I was interested in the way he ties his belt, this was the way I was taught. Lamont's explanation is correct and BRAVO! for being so clear. I would still be writing. I am recently returned to American Kenpo and have no formal instructor. I would like to train with Mr. Sepulveda, but am an old guy on limited funds, and I'm moving to Colorado at the end of the year. Once at Speakman's camp I met one of Mr. Sepulveda's students Dave Coppock(?) nice guy , well informed and is game to do anything. He is in Colorado so I hope to train with him.
I was hoping to go to the Homecoming in Pasadena, but what little work I do has to come first.
I love AK and am happy to see the inclusion of a variety of methods to make it even greater. 
As far as tying the belt. What works for me is the knot that doesn't keep coming loose. And by the way, my belt is sinking lower on my ever disappearing hips.
Patrick


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## Michael Billings (Jul 11, 2003)

I use my hands!  My feet wouldn't reach

WAIT - I had a Ricardo moment.


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## Michael Billings (Jul 11, 2003)

I appreciate your taking the time to go through the knot tieing for me.  I will endeavor to get it right.

Mr. Sepulveda will be here in Austin on July 26th.  I am really looking forward to that, then his 9th annual spirit camp is August 10th in Idaho.  I have not been to that yet, but am looking forward to it.  Hope everything works out in Colorado for you.  Get ready for it to be cold.  My nephew moved there last year.  It is beautiful & he loves it, but hates being cold.  (Wrong place to live was my thought) 

Oss:asian:


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## Sigung86 (Jul 12, 2003)

Basically I'm lazy... I use the Okinawan method with cross in the back... Used to do the double wrap (originally a Tae Kwan Do thang)... But it takes too much time, doesn't really add anything to the experience, and mainly teaches you how to ... tie a belt.


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## Kenpomachine (Jul 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Sigung86 _
> *Basically I'm lazy... I use the Okinawan method with cross in the back... Used to do the double wrap (originally a Tae Kwan Do thang)... But it takes too much time, doesn't really add anything to the experience, and mainly teaches you how to ... tie a belt. *



And the cross in the back doesn't mean either the belt is not neat in the end. You can do the cross and have one part of the belt going under the other side.


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## progressivetactics (Jul 13, 2003)

I start on the right, as most others that posted have.  I was taught from my Jujitsu Soke, that Beginners were taught the same way most karateka does, with the middle at the navel, and wrap around (with the crossover in the back).  Once they achieved 1st dan, they showed them the wrap around method, for a more cleaner appearance.  Who knows if it is true, but Since I was a hard fist dan when I started with him, he converted me when I started in Jujitsu.


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## KenpoTess (Jul 13, 2003)

Without a thought.. 


with a thought.. I start on the right hip.. wrap twice.. Tucking tail in left hand push it from top down under both wraps, pulling from bottom the tucked end..on the right side... then right over left knot.. females in our school wear the knot on the right.. the guys... on the left 

If you want to know some really wild ways to tie a belt.. ask Mr. C.
*he tied mine at one of the seminars.. it was really cool*


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## Ender (Jul 14, 2003)

I use a knot...*G


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