Rank Stripes or no Rank Stripes?

[Carol]

It's an option at my school. At graduation, the owners award a student with a belt that has their name and rank stripe embroidered on it. Not all of my instructors wear their rank on their belt.

There are three ladies in my class that are 2nd degree. The stripes can be inspiring, especially on a rough day when my instructor is kicking all of our collective butts with his drills. To get a visual indication that my "sister" and counterpart has gotten through many of those drills is an extra reminder that everything I am doing is possible...even though it is difficult.

 

[bignick]

I think Tae Kwon Do schools do this a lot more because of it's history with the Korean military, and the obvious stress that is put in on rank and respecting your seniors in that type of enviroment.

Also, in Japanese martial arts, they often use different methods to mark rank at the dan levels. Like black for 1st -5th dan, red and white for 6th - 8th, and red for 9th - 10th. I guess it's kind of interesting for judo and jujutsu people seeing a bunch of tae kwon do people walking around with red belts after just a few years in. My buddy summed it up by saying it's like the difference between being a captain in the other military branches...and being a captain in the navy....

 

[kroh]

I am of the no stripe camp myself, especially in the realm of today's martial arts in America. My personal belief is that we should not even call them ranks. In this country, the only groups that should use ranks in martial arts are those that use them for order (police and military). Rank denotes a type of privillage at higher levels. Grade merely states that you know a certain thing at a certain level. I've heard all the arguments for and against stripes, patches, and funny titles. There are many groups that do without them (traditional Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and many other systems do not use colored sashes to denote rank). Me personally, I would much rather work out in a pair of BDU trousers and a t-shirt (modern training uniform with real pockets and a real belt...buckle and everything) instead of a pair of Japanese underware made to look like a NASCAR uniform.

I've heard people say that they were proud of their uniform or proud of their belt or proud of their stripes. In my own opinion it makes a piece of clothing into just another trophy. My ego is plenty big enough without being stroked by the number of stripes I could or couldn't wear around my waiste, collar, etc. If some one wants to know what i can or can't do, let them train with me. It will readily become apparent whether I suck or am the man. I've heard the argument that it helps the school owner know which students are at what levels. I thought that was what conversations were for.

The same goes for the school owner. Do we really need a patch, stripe, funny belt or some other form of self glorifying badge to say that, "I'm the chief!"? Imagine how funny it would be if Donnald Trump walked around the board room cheering, "You must call me Donald SOKE!" and wore a red and white pin striped jacket so that every one knew it was him.

I can see the reasons for the stripes and what not, but it is just not for me.

I would rather wear a plain keikogi either all white or all black (including belts to match the color of the uniform regardless of rank) or wear modern clothing.

But then again, this is only an opinion and it is worth as much as a cup of air.

Regards,
Walt

 

[stone_dragone]

I have several belts that I used to wear. I started out with a plain BB and red 1/2 inch bars embroidered on the tip (my choice...) At my instructors school, "everybody knows who can dance" so its not an issue. My instructor wears his 4th dan belt even though he's a 5th...its more comefortable and everybody knows...

I had a "Dress belt" made for "those special occasions" with my rank on it, style in kanji and name in english and rank bars, all in gold. I wore that belt to a seminar once and the instructor (Imoto Sensei) congratulated me on earning my 10th dan (he explained that on Okinawa in his organization, three gold bars = judan...he obviously knew that I wasn't a judan, but wanted to make the point...we laughed and then he taught me some more).

My school in Tennessee wears red tape (1/degree) on the left tip. Since coming to Iraq and teaching here, I just wear a plain tokaido black belt...no stripes, not excess fraying (I ordered it over here). If you need to know my rank, ask my teachers; If you need to know how I am as a teacher, ask my students.

My belt story...

 

[kroh]

That was funny about Imoto Sensei...cool Story.

Who are you teaching in Iraq?

Regards,
Walt

 

[stone_dragone]

That was funny about Imoto Sensei...cool Story.

Who are you teaching in Iraq?

Regards,
Walt

Teaching soldiers, airmen and whoever else shows up (KBR civilians, Third Country Nationals, etc)for class at Balad Airbase, west side.

That seminar was the last time I've worn that belt, too! Just another reason why I went to the plain black belt...less confusion there.

 

[Grenadier]

I've been in a couple of schools that used them, and most of which, did not use them.

Even two schools in the same system (both Shotokan) differed. The first used white stripes to differentiate brown and black belt ranks, the second did not use stripes.

Some of my schools would use different belts for those who earned Renshi / Kyoshi / Hanshi titles, but those special red and white, or solid red, belts were used only for formal events, such as examinations, or demonstrations. Normally, the ones who had those titles would use their regular black belt.

Personally? I prefer plain black, and would accept the embroidery of one's system. Personal names aren't too much of a concern to me, but after that point, is where I think things start to get a bit crowded.

I've never really been one to want extra stripes on a belt. The students who stick with the program eventually know which yudansha is which rank, and that the new students should be more concerned with learning the fundamentals, instead of worrying who is what rank.

 

[Cirdan]

I consider stripes a bit showy but I am no BB either. They are generally not used at the clubs I train at and the two exceptions I have seen have either been modest narrow golden stripes or red tape. Some of the teachers have their name embroidered in japanese (or is it okinawan?) on their belts wich I think looks just nice, not gaudy. The 5th dans sometimes wear red and black veritcally striped belts.

 

[RBaddorf]

In our organization, 1-3 wear a plain black belt, 4-6 wear a belt that is black on the side that is out and red on the side that is in toward the body, and 7-9 wear a belt that is red on the side that is out and black on the side that is toward the body.

 

[jfarnsworth]

What type of martial art is that?

 

[bushidomartialarts]

In our organization, 1-3 wear a plain black belt, 4-6 wear a belt that is black on the side that is out and red on the side that is in toward the body, and 7-9 wear a belt that is red on the side that is out and black on the side that is toward the body.

that's a new one on me. what art is that? pretty cool idea...

 

[searcher]

Stripes are fine with me. I no longer wear a belt with stripes(block style). I do still have a belt that has my rank stripes on it from in the past.

 

[masherdong]

I believe that the stripes are ok. All of the embroidering of japanese characters and all are to me showy.

 

[chinto01]

Our dojo leaves it to the individual black belt if they want to have the stripes or not. Personally I do not wear stripes on my belt. I would rather have people respect me for my knowledge rather than the number of red pieces of tape on my belt. I guess my thought on the issue has alot to do with the environment that I came from where at black belt you stripes were based more on time in grade rather than actual knowledge and ability. In the long run you ended up having alot of 5th dans who had "rank" but no knowledge to back it up.

In the spirit of bushido!

Rob

 

[bydand]

In the schools I have had the honor of training with, it was left up to the individual weather or not they wore a belt with or without stripes. Most of the time the BB's just wore a plain belt with no stripes or anything else. One school they never wore stripes when just training at our "home" dojo, but would generally break out the ones with their rank on them when they went somewhere for a seminar or such. I think they look good with small white band/s at the end if it is kept very narrow, but that is just my taste. I think it looks classy and not showy.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

We do not use stripes on the black belts in fact we don't even mark any rank on them. Here is digital sample of what our typical belt looks like. The embroidery can be done in gold though.

www.seijitsushindo.com/misc-pics/beltdesignweb.jpg

 

[Korppi76]

We dont use rank stripes.
In any of martial arts I have trained there hadnt been any rank stripes.

 

[Slippery_Pete]

Our school uses stripes for black belts except for 1st dan. I like them, it lets the students know who is high rank. We don't seem to have an ego issue in our school so that doesn't apply. Plus I think it looks cool too, just an opinion from a red belt.

On an off topic, we also use stripes (colored electrical tape) on our color belts. The idea is once you learn your material for your next belt test, you "challenge" (prove it to the instructor) and you get a stripe. It helps the instructors know what everybody stands and what everybody needs to work on.

Hmmm...it almost seems like we go to the same school...

 

[TChase]

I personally don't wear any stripes. I'd rather let my actions speak for me and people can judge me based on that. I have no problem with others wearing their rank but it doesn't influence me at all. I don't assume anything until I've seen them get down to business. That's what counts in my opinion.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I nver wore rank stripes till I lived in Calif. and found so many snobs would not even talk to me unless they saw enough stripes. It was amasing to see who talked to me after I put them pn when they would not even look in my direction till I wore them.

I prefer no stripes but still wear one bel that has them