Belts that look old but are not

[rupton]

I know there are many stories pertaining to why or why not to wash the obi. The one I like the best is this; start with a white belt, years of sweat, blood etc., eventually turn it black. Once the belt turns black, further years of study eventually cause the belt to wear and fade to the point it starts turning white again brining the practitioner full circle. If you look at a lot of the JKA masters their belts look as they've been through a battlefield. Whether the story is myth or the masters buy theirs in that state is inconsequential to me, I just really like the symbolism.
:ultracool

 

[shesulsa]

Whether the story is myth or the masters buy theirs in that state is inconsequential to me, I just really like the symbolism.
:ultracool

Symbolism is more important than many of us wish to admit. Our country's flag is a symbol. A wedding ring is a symbol. A man's necktie is a symbol. The olympic torch that travels the world to it's host location is a symbol. Fireworks are a thrilling symbol of terrifying events.

What we do with no meaning is meaningless. What we do with meaning and honor is paramount.

 

[Sam]

what's a mans necktie a symbol for?

???

 

[shesulsa]

what's a mans necktie a symbol for?

???

Virility, hence power, hence elevated position.

 

[Floating Egg]

Symbolism is more important than many of us wish to admit. Our country's flag is a symbol. A wedding ring is a symbol. A man's necktie is a symbol. The olympic torch that travels the world to it's host location is a symbol. Fireworks are a thrilling symbol of terrifying events.

What we do with no meaning is meaningless. What we do with meaning and honor is paramount.

Why is symbolism important?

what's a mans necktie a symbol for?

???

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_155

 

[Shaolinwind]

:jedi1:
Hey every one Last weekend I was at a tournament in Ohio I meet this one guy who has been in karate for only 4 years his black belt looked like it was 30 years old. Now I am wondering do they make or sell belts that look old or fall apart if so WOW. That is almost as bad as the vilciro belts awma sells. Or as bad as the pre tied belts

I studied along side a rather skilled person in TSD who didn't wash his uniform. It looked like it was soaked in wesson cooking oil. I thought he was either a slob or too cheap to buy a new one, later as we became friends I learned what was filth to me was a symbol to him. Suprisingly enough he didn't smell bad.

Obviously, wearing a tattered & smeared belt or uniform symbolizes hard work and achievement to some, and I am hip to that. Still, I think faking the appearance of hard work sounds like a mental stepping stone to worse similar self-deceptions.

For me, maintaining a clean and sharp image symbolizes my personal dignity, my self respect, and my respect for my school. Having said this I must admit at least once a week I have to settle for the cleanest dirty uniform in the laundry hamper, lol.

 

[Simon Curran]

Having said this I must admit at least once a week I have to settle for the cleanest dirty uniform in the laundry hamper, lol.

Sounds disturbingly familiar...

 

[Matt Stone]

Gotta love that anonymous drive by negative reputation point assigning thing...

Whoever negatively "dinged" me, please have the backbone to either leave your name, or stand up and say what it was I said you disagreed with. Apparently I touched a nerve...

 

[Simon Curran]

Gotta love that anonymous drive by negative reputation point assigning thing...

Whoever negatively "dinged" me, please have the backbone to either leave your name, or stand up and say what it was I said you disagreed with. Apparently I touched a nerve...

Don't think that's gonna happen mate, usually they just hide behind their keyboards...

 

[jkdhit]

most belts will fall apart if you wash them continuously. most of my belts have only received 1 or 2 washes ever. my black belt has never been washed. i dont really see the need to wash them considering they're not soaking up sweat

my current tkd uniform however, the school logo is starting to fade a bit in the black outlines. but if you were to look at it, you wouldn't think it was fading, you'd actually think it was part of the design trying to be 3 dimensional lol

 

[Ronin Moose]

A man's necktie is a symbol.

I have worn a suit and tie to work for the past 28 years. I can only hope that the fool who invented the men's necktie was eventually hung from a tall tree by his own creation.

 

[arnisador]

We're advised in BJJ To wash them each time because of the concern of ringworm. I do do that.

 

[zujitsu]

Reason why I don't wash my obi(belt) is not due to the fact of me believing in myths is false in fact the one myth mattstone touched upon I never even heard of before. The reason I don't wash my obi(belt) is because my teacher said it represents your hard work and washing it (which does make it look like its been used more) just doesn't seem right..but I do wash my gi regularly and my obi(belt) has never smelt(sp?) wierd or like it needs to be washed.

 

[searcher]

I appreciate your candor, but you really don't expect a person to believe that washing a dirty piece of clothing will detract from the work a person has done while wearing it do you?

If I wash my "building the wall" clothes, is the wall any less built for having done so? Does having clean "building the wall" clothes take away from the effort I expended in building the wall? Not at all on either count.

I don't apply this ideology to the belt area. It is simply what was told to me in the past, but I do ask my students to not wash their belts.

On the second part. I do enforce cleanliness and proper hygiene with my students and their uniforms. Clean uniform and clean belt are two different things IMO. Whereas you do wash your close everyday, I am almost positive that you do not wash the belt of your "building the wall" clothes. I guess it kind of goes like this, you buy your gi, but you EARN your belt.

This is all just my humble two cents worth.

 

[Floating Egg]

My belt gets pretty dirty, especially with Ukemi on dusty floors and when I train outside.

 

[jkdhit]

ringworms? you only get them if you touch a person, object, or animal thats infected by them. sometimes you can get them from soil but it's RARE

 

[Sam]

when you train dont you usually touch other people? or your uniform touches their uniform, which is enough...

 

[Matt Stone]

I think Arnisador brings up a good point. Hygeine is what it is because of its obvious benefits.

If you haven't sweated into your belt during a workout, I'd offer this:

a) You aren't really working out, but dancing without music;

b) You aren't working out hard enough;

c) You are working out hard enough, but you are already dead, so you don't sweat anymore...

I wash my belt maybe every dozen or so washings of my uniform, but only if I can see the salt stains from sweating. If there are no stains, I'll judge by the slightly oily feeling the cloth develops. Before I lost it, I'd had my other belt for the better part of 5 or more years, and it wasn't "falling apart" or showing significant signs of fading... It was very slightly greying at the edges and high points, and that was due to the fuzzing of the fabric at those points, not the wearing through of it.

If your belt is being laundered too much, back it off some. That'll extend its lifespan. If you aren't sweating into your belt, train harder.

Other than that... :asian:

 

[jkdhit]

when you train dont you usually touch other people? or your uniform touches their uniform, which is enough...

yep thats true but your belt touching them? small chance your belt will pick anything up. picking up ringworms needs some sort of skin or hair contact to get it from people or animals. also, getting ringworms is very uncommon unless you have a weak immune system

 

[shesulsa]

If you haven't sweated into your belt during a workout, I'd offer this:

I've sweated plenty into my belts.

I'd like to ask ... how is your personal hygeine BEFORE you go to class?

A friend of mine told me about a construction worker that was in his class that would work and sweat out in the dirt and sawdust and sun all day, then come to class and get right into his uniform without showering. Apparently the thought was, 'I'm going to sweat again anyway, why should I bathe or shower beforehand?' This is disgusting.

If one maintains proper hygeine and comes to the gym with a clean body, clean and trimmed nails and wears a clean uniform to a clean gym, the obi should be absorbing clean sweat and should not smell. Most germs and worms die after a certain amount of time exposed and without a host, so hanging the obi/sash to dry in the open should suffice.

I know no one with a smelly obi or wringworm - sorry.