BELT LABELS

[Michael Hubbard]

I have a weird question. Does the label on a person's belt always have to match their style of martial arts? I ask because I love the shito-kai circular label on Tokaido or Hirota belts but my main style of karate is shotokan. I could wear a JKA label but the shito-kai label appeals to me more.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Urban Trekker]

I have a weird question. Does the label on a person's belt always have to match their style of martial arts? I ask because I love the shito-kai circular label on Tokaido or Hirota belts but my main style of karate is shotokan. I could wear a JKA label but the shito-kai label appeals to me more.

Any input would be appreciated.

That's dojo policy. Ask the kancho. The only thing you're going to get here are personal opinions (not your dojo's policy), so I'll start with mine: I love the Hayashi-ha labels. That's my favorite one. Would I wear it, seeing as how I don't train at a Hayashi-ha dojo? No. I don't belong to any style, organization, or association for which belt/gi labels are available. So I just get the manufacturer's label.

Even if it is allowed at your dojo, would you not feel out of place wearing it?

 

[Michael Hubbard]

That's dojo policy. Ask the kancho. The only thing you're going to get here are personal opinions (not your dojo's policy), so I'll start with mine: I love the Hayashi-ha labels. That's my favorite one. Would I wear it, seeing as how I don't train at a Hayashi-ha dojo? No. I don't belong to any style, organization, or association for which belt/gi labels are available. So I just get the manufacturer's label.

Even if it is allowed at your dojo, would you not feel out of place wearing it?

Actually, I would feel out of place wearing it. Which is why I posted this thread. I do appreciate your response because I feel the same way but needed to get a second opinion.

 

[Buka]

Ask your instructor, that's always the bottom line.

If a student of mine wanted a different brand of belt, I'd probably get it for them, depending on the student of course. As long as it was the correct color. And also, depending on the student, we might bust his chops for it until we tire of it.

I have plenty of belts. Once in a while I break out one of the fancy ones (given to me by one of my teachers, his belt) for a promotion or sitting in on a promotion.

Other than that I wear one with Japanese lettering - even though we do not do Japanese Arts. The lettering, loosely translated says "Rank is meaningless, Bushido is the one true path."

So....ask your instructor, don't worry about it, and have fun.

 

[Michael Hubbard]

I figured out how to make this work. I took the KI International label off of an old belt that I used and had my seamstress sew it on to my new Japanese belt and that ended my issue. I like the KI labels as well.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

My belt has no writing on it.

 

[MadMartigan]

1 has Adidas, another has Drako written on it... also have an old one that says Golden Arrow.
Couldn't care less who the manufacturer or distributer was. All I really care about is does the belt fit and stay tied shut when I'm fighting.