poll for black belts..

how long do you wear your black belt.

  • I keep the original and add stripes for each (rank/degree) dan i go up

  • I get a new one for each dan (rank/degree).

  • I get a new one ever month or when it gets dirty, wich ever comes first

  • I have worn out too many to count


Results are only viewable after voting.
I don't plan to change my belt until I require a new one (at 4th Dan in our style). Although I have one black and one Midnight Blue (one was given to me in Korea and one is used here in the States....same style). I imagine that once this belt gets worn enough, I may get another for "special occassions" or events where I won't be competing.
 
I chose the first option, because it's about as close as I could come to my reality...I've changed out belts for different reasons...I started with my original belt, then I bought a new one when I was promoted to 2nd Dan. On that one, I kept adding new stripes until my most recent promotion to 4th dan. That particular belt I keep hanging on my wall because, really, it has too much embroidery for my tastes these days. As for my original belt, I had nidan stripes put on one end, but was promoted in TKD so I started wearing that association's belt that I was presented with. When I went home, I would wear my original belt.

When I was teaching in Iraq, I purchased a simple Tokaido black belt, no embroidery, no stripes, nothing but belt. That's the one I wear when I'm not wearing my kenpo colored belt(green right now)... once I eventually earn my black belt in Kenpo, I'll probably go back to wearing that Tokaido belt in kenpo as well.

By the way...I trimmed the stripes off of my original belt, hemmed it up professionally and put it into storage in hopes of presenting it to my son in about 15 years (or in fairness, my daughter in about 18 years).
 
I've changed my thoughts & what I wear a bit in the year + since I answered this thread.

Our organization has us wear rank stripes on our belts. I gladly wear that for official occassions along with my dress uniform.

For every day wear, I wear a belt with only my name on one end & style on the other (both in Korean) with no stripes. That's my preference at my school.
 
My belt is worn, and threadbare and I like it that way!
 
My belt is worn, and threadbare and I like it that way!
 
At my school, when we test for the next degree, we earn a new belt...So, when I test for 2nd Degree, I'll earn a new belt with 2 stripes and continue from there...the previous belts I have earned, I'll keep forever.
 
We're given new belts with each promotion.


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Same original belt. I do not plan to add stripes of any kind nor do I plan to ever change belt. Once I was told by a Taekwondo GM (Kang Shinchul) that a worn out belt shows the effort and work that the person has made through out his life. He wears a belt that's really in bad shape and already turning gray from use. It is however, something spiritually inspiring. Considering my belt has a high meaning on itself, alongside this idea, it's enough for me to never intend to part with it. It represents who I am, regardless.
 
In our school, you can wear a plain black belt or you have the option of getting an embroidered one with your name, school name and Dan stripe on it. I haven't actually earned mine, but I've thought that when that day comes I'll more than likely just wear the plain black belt for training and order an embroidered one to put in a display box. The embroidered ones are nice, but then comes the problem of getting new ones for every Dan you eventually earn.
 
Well I got my black belt in 2009, still very recent and going for my Nidan in the next year or two. I prefer to wear the same black belt for a life time and add stripes for every dan rank I receive. I feel like doing that because recieving your black belt after going through a 4-7 hour testing should be memorable and be a trophy for life which can never replace tournament trophies.
 
I find the wearing of old discollered falling apart belts to imply a very senior black belt amusing if not ingenuous not for people 60 or older but people in 30's so to speak its the other side of needing to put stripes on a black belt to tell your rank? I get a new one with each rank advancment but also as soon as the gold threads on name start to unravle seems hard to find quality embroidery that lastes?? but just my name is fine in english and Korean I keep one just for demonstrations like demo uniforms also but cannot quite get around to the silk tops some of the Korean demo people wear to close to Victoria secret for men?
 
I do not add stripes to my belt, but I do not change belts every time I promote....which is not very often anyway. :)
 
In the arts I practice, the belt is there to hold up your sword. So, whenever it gets too worn to properly hold my swords, I get a new one. No belts are given or worn for rank.
 
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