Are you supposed to wash your karate belt?

[Sapper6]

don't wash it!!!! you'll wake up the next morning having forgotten everything you ever learned!!!!

 

[Kacey]

If you do wash it, be careful where you dry it... my ex-husband washed his red belt (trying to get the excess dye out; it was bleeding dye onto his dobak) and left it to dry on a brick fence where it wouldn't stain the bathtub, and someone stole it... which he then had to explain to our sahbum, as belts were harder to find 15 or 20 years ago than they are today, especially as we didn't have a car at the time, and he needed a replacement.

 

[Jimi]

I learned years ago that when a color belt was new, you should wash it with a great deal of salt in cold water to help remove excess dye and set the remaining dye. It may take several washings. I have done this for colored uniforms (Dobok/Gi) as well, red tops seem to bleed a great deal. If any instructor asks you to honor his word (myth or not) and not wash your rank, obey him. Who are we to say KILL THE MYTHS! Next you will tell me I must tie the knot of my belt as you do and not how I was instructed. If someone follows what you see as myth, how does it hurt you? KILL THE MYTH KILLERS.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Given a clean enviroment and a well cared for belt even when very dirty it shouldn't be terrible. I have worn my obi for 9 years and I have not ever washed it. Its torn and nasty looking but isn't so offensive it needs to be washed. I have always gone by teh tradition that the obi is never washed. never

 

[eyebeams]

You are supposed to wash your belt as often as you would wash any other piece of cloth. The belt system originally comes from colour-coding in Western physical culture and was adopted by Jigoro Kano for Judo. One distant relative of the belt system is the coloured grades given for swimming skills in some countries.

In point of fact, it is not uncommon to train outdoors in a dogi/dobok in Japan and Korea. Jacketed wrestling in China and Mongolia (which also uses belts) also take place outdoors. Thus, the subject does come up. Hell, it's even common to have spare belts, especially in sports like Judo where the belt takes a lot of direct wear. Many arts have exercises that use the belt, so you want to keep yours clean and free of excessive wear.

Thre main thing to watch out for is colourfastness and to avoid the dryer. Black belts are often made to fade to cater to the Western idea of wearing the belt out. Plus, the belt may shrink in the dryer or get all wrinkly because of shrinkage differences between the belt material and the stitching.

In my experience Korean arts tend to be a bit more formal about the dobok and belt, with prescribed ways of folding it and caring for it. Japanese arts often treat them more like straight up gym clothes.

 

[Andrew Green]

The story is probably myth - but if you ever train in Japan or Okinawa, you sure don't want your sensei to find out that you washed your belt...

I dunno, everyone I've met that has trained there said they wash their belts. The ratty old distgusting belt seems to be more of a western thing

 

[Robert Lee]

Washing is a thing that should be done. But have you noticed in the past and today. people getting new belts washe themover and over to bleach them out to look older. Seen that new blackbelt that had there trest a month before. And now there belt is old looking . So belt it often to hard looked at. And people want to show off there time and rank. But I guess if thats what they think M/A is about its there life. Skill shows time most often.

 

[Touch Of Death]

OMG you bunch of belt washing blasphemers! what is next?

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Here is a picture from the Shorinkan dojo in Okinawa. I would not say the old belt thing is just a western thing.
http://www.haleys.biz/_mod_photo/content/___/Black_Belt_Class__-_Minoru.jpg

Photo is property of Haley's Martial Arts Center Chico CA Kyoshi Patrick Haley,

 

[TimoS]

Here is a picture from the Shorinkan dojo in Okinawa. I would not say the old belt thing is just a western thing.
http://www.haleys.biz/_mod_photo/content/___/Black_Belt_Class__-_Minoru.jpg

Photo is property of Haley's Martial Arts Center Chico CA Kyoshi Patrick Haley,

Wow! Nice picture! Never seen so many candy striped belts in one picture. There's only one guy with a regular black belt (of those that can be seen)

Anyway, as you can see, none of those belts are really frayed. Couple are somewhat faded

 

[Brandon Fisher]

In the Shorinkan organization those candy striped belts as you like to call them are 7th and 8th dans. There is a lot of people that just wear the belts out by hardcore training but the point is it is not uncommon to see old belts being worn in Okinawa and Japan.

 

[TimoS]

In the Shorinkan organization those candy striped belts as you like to call them are 7th and 8th dans

Yep, I know that those are really high-ranking teachers. I don't think I've ever seen so many in one picture

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I know Nakazato Sensei has a lot of them. The thing that amazes me is the loyalty his students have for him and thats why they have been around long enough to achieve such high dan grades. I can't even imagine having what he has but maybe one day god willing I will.

 

[Grenadier]

The martial arts is not about what you're wearing. It's about the person inside. The way I see it, washing a belt isn't going to diminish the skills or spirit that you have within you.

If someone's belt smells very badly, then that person poses a distraction to the others when it comes to training. Yes, I do realize that martial artists should be able to discard something as "trivial" as an offensive body odor smell, but at the same time, there is an old saying that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Also, most martial arts styles do emphasize an element of courtesy that is expected amongst all of the students.

If your belt starts smelling badly, then it does NOT hurt to simply toss it into the washing machine using a cold wash cycle with a mild detergent, on the gentle cycle. Let the belt drip dry, and the odor should be removed. This way, you haven't damaged it.

Now, where I will frown, is where I see some individuals who just got their black belt, dump it into the washing machine every day, on a strong cycle, using harsh detergents (yes even ones with bleach), and then dump them into the dryer on high heat, just to create that "aged" look.

Sorry, but I simply don't approve of this. Some of these folks will even take a rasp or emery boards to their belts, just to create more wear and tear...

 

[Jimi]

The martial arts is not about what you're wearing. It's about the person inside. The way I see it, washing a belt isn't going to diminish the skills or spirit that you have within you.

If someone's belt smells very badly, then that person poses a distraction to the others when it comes to training. Yes, I do realize that martial artists should be able to discard something as "trivial" as an offensive body odor smell, but at the same time, there is an old saying that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Also, most martial arts styles do emphasize an element of courtesy that is expected amongst all of the students.

If your belt starts smelling badly, then it does NOT hurt to simply toss it into the washing machine using a cold wash cycle with a mild detergent, on the gentle cycle. Let the belt drip dry, and the odor should be removed. This way, you haven't damaged it.

Now, where I will frown, is where I see some individuals who just got their black belt, dump it into the washing machine every day, on a strong cycle, using harsh detergents (yes even ones with bleach), and then dump them into the dryer on high heat, just to create that "aged" look.

Sorry, but I simply don't approve of this. Some of these folks will even take a rasp or emery boards to their belts, just to create more wear and tear...

I agree, I have also heard tale of some taking their belt and rubbing them on river or creek stones, and even old fashioned washing boards to make the belt seem old and well worn. As someone else pointed out in some other thread, seeing a 19 yr old in a belt that looks 100 yrs old just dosen't seem right.

 

[hongkongfooey]

\

In my experience Korean arts tend to be a bit more formal about the dobok and belt, with prescribed ways of folding it and caring for it. Japanese arts often treat them more like straight up gym clothes.

This how I also feel. My uniform is just something I have to wear in class. There is no mystical power that comes from my uniform or my belt. When class is over I throw it in my gym bag and go home. The only thing I do that would be considered a ritual is to hang the thing up so it can dry, and won't grow mildew before I can wash it.

I agree kill the myths.

 

[karateka]

traditionally no. (especially if your belt is silk like mine! TRUST)

however some people choose to do so to make thier belt look more aged so to look more experience. this is wrong and should not be done! karate is in your head and in your heart, but never around your waist.

if you wash a belt it wont last as long, i know one of the seniors in my club has worn the same black belt for 23 years.

 

[Haze]

I washed colored belts when I first got them so the color did not bleed on to my gi. Same with my BB. I also buy a new belt when my BB gets real raggy looking. I don't wear an old ripped up worn out gi so why wear an old faded out torn up belt? ( I do still have the BB my Sensei gave me after my shodan grading tucked away, worn out some)

 

[ajs1976]

I learned to wash my colored belts when I fast get them to remove the excess dye. I almost ended up with a stain on my dobak because of my blue belt.

I guess I sweat more during training then some of the others here, so my belts start to smell after a while. I will wash them then, but I let them air dry.

 

[John Brewer]

Wash your belt? Not me!