Are belts the way to go (from a brown belt)?

[Yokozuna514]

Geez, I liked this.

Our belts were white, yellow, orange, blue, purple, green, brown and black. But green belt was what we made the first "real" belt. I used to joke that if I ran into you thirty years from now -"if you made green belt, I might remember your name."

Green belt was when you started to mentor lower belts, and you did so with only positive influence. And you helped them with sparring, gently. It was also the belt where you, yourself, were mentored by the brown belts. And kept in check. Because green belts were nuts.

If you were a green belt in our school, you treated all visiting black belts with the utmost respect, and if you sparred with them, you let them dictate the pace. I imagine that's done everywhere.

But with our own black belts, green belts had to go at them. Really go at them.

We had a TV and VCR at the front of the dojo. Used to watching training films or films of yourself training and fighting.

But everyone was shown this clip from the old film, The Yearling. They were told "The dog, Rip, is a green belt. The bear is a black belt."

Besides the entertainment value, it kept the black belts honest and sharp. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. The brown belts were the most entertained.

Osu, well said Buka.

In Kyokushin, green belt is typically the first 'advanced' belt. It's the 'decision' maker belt. It is the first belt where you are beginning to be recognized and pushed by the higher belts. The training is harder and the expectations are higher. Advanced belts are no longer going to go easy when it comes to sparring with you. Although lower belts typically set the pace for sparring, green is where advance belts are more prone to test your skills in combat. Strikes will come in harder and faster. Care is given to not demoralize a green belt but you will be pushed to make a decision. Is Kyokushin for you ? It will not get any easier from this point on so either you are in or you are out.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Geez, I liked this.

Our belts were white, yellow, orange, blue, purple, green, brown and black. But green belt was what we made the first "real" belt. I used to joke that if I ran into you thirty years from now -"if you made green belt, I might remember your name."

Green belt was when you started to mentor lower belts, and you did so with only positive influence. And you helped them with sparring, gently. It was also the belt where you, yourself, were mentored by the brown belts. And kept in check. Because green belts were nuts.

If you were a green belt in our school, you treated all visiting black belts with the utmost respect, and if you sparred with them, you let them dictate the pace. I imagine that's done everywhere.

But with our own black belts, green belts had to go at them. Really go at them.

We had a TV and VCR at the front of the dojo. Used to watching training films or films of yourself training and fighting.

But everyone was shown this clip from the old film, The Yearling. They were told "The dog, Rip, is a green belt. The bear is a black belt."

Besides the entertainment value, it kept the black belts honest and sharp. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. The brown belts were the most entertained.

I'd promote those dogs to brown belt on the spot! That's spirit!