Whats a black belt to you

[kingkong89]

I have always wondered what does a black belt of any belt mean to you. Many people i have met take there belt seriously, they dont let it touch the ground dont leave it anywhere where they cant grab it fast. Others believe its just a piece of material that holds your gi top together or holds your pants up. I was just curious what everyone else thought

 

[Mimir]

To me it is a symbol of the acomplishment that means the world to me. I want to treat it with kid gloves. It is also a reminder that while I am wearing it, the other students are looking up to me and that makes me very aware of how I should act. It also reminds me that I am still a student because I know that while I have the belt, and don't get me wrong, I earned it, I also know that I still have a whole lot more to learn about my art.

 

[Kreth]

It's a piece of cloth. I place more stock in the skill (or lack thereof) of the person wearing it.

 

[thesandman]

It's a piece of cloth in the same way a bronze star is just a piece of metal, a diploma is just a piece of paper and tombstone is just a piece of concrete.

 

[terryl965]

It means that my instructor thought enough of my skill to award me one with his name on it, It means the same as always an since of knowing enough and also that I have after 45 years in the Martial Arts that I have alot more to learn.

 

[Big Don]

A symbol of dedication.

 

[tko4u]

While I may lay my belt on the counter, I do not lay it on the ground. I have always been told you never let a black belt hit the floor. Kwanjang has always been big on that. But I do believe that the belt doesnt define the person, it merely is a symbol of an accomplishment.

 

[pesilat]

Depends specifically on the system and/or instructor but in general I equate a 1st degree BB with a high school diploma.

It is an accomplishment - and an important one from one perspective. For someone who keeps training in MA, though, it's just a stepping stone. From that perspective a 3rd degree might be considered an Associate's Degree, a 5th = Bachelor, 7th = Masters, 9th = Doctorate.

Like I said this comparison varies from instructor to instructor, school to school and system to system.

Further, it's important to remember that the only place your rank has any real significance is in your school and usually within your system (i.e.: visiting a sister school or whatnot). Sometimes it can carry weight within the larger art. For clarification I use the terms art, system and style like this:

An art is a group of systems, usually from a particular geographical region, that are similar to each other and are classified together. For instance, "Karate" is an art that refers to a group of systems such as Goju-Ryu, Shotokan, etc.

A system is a specific curriculum.

A style is an individual's particular expression.

These are my personal definitions - yours may vary but this should help keep us all on the same page

When I go into another school that is outside of my system - unless I've been invited as an instructor - then I go in as a visitor with no rank. If the instructor at the school chooses to recognize my rank then that's cool but I don't expect it.

Mike

 

[hogstooth]

You know when I earned my Shodan it really meant something to me. Every rank above that it just became a belt. I had an instructor that would bow to his belt before he put it on to start class and after he took it off at the end of class. I bow to show respect to my sensei, my fellow BB's and to my students. Bowing to your belt just somehow makes it a false idol. It comes down to ego I think. The belt doesn't define me I do. My accomplishments do not boil down to my belt nor do I think it holds the sole of my training or some hokey thing like that. It is a symbol of the hard work it took to get it. But it doesn't contain my skill. If I am walking down the street and get attacked my years of hard work and self sacrifice is what will help me not the fact that I have a BB.
In fact I have seen shodan and even nidan that couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag. So I do not look at the belt but rather the person who is wearing it.

 

[jim777]

I have always wondered what does a black belt of any belt mean to you. Many people i have met take there belt seriously, they dont let it touch the ground dont leave it anywhere where they cant grab it fast. Others believe its just a piece of material that holds your gi top together or holds your pants up. I was just curious what everyone else thought

I have never allowed any belt I have actually earned through my own hard work and dedication to hit the floor. While the belt doesn't define me, it does represent the time and dedication I have put in, and to treat it like an old undershirt is absolutely disrespectful in my opinion. A black belt means a lot to me. Had I earned my BB when I was a teenager and was now very high in rank, it might be a different story; but having started in my mid forties I have a very different perspective on the quality of time I am giving up to earn that belt. I am trading quality time with my children to gain that belt; and many would say it is simply vanity on my part. It may well be vanity on my part, I admit that. But when I do earn that belt, you can damn well believe I will treat it like it was hard earned and as valuable as gold, and not just handed out like plastic bags at a supermarket.

In and of itself any belt is of equal value to any other belt; that's probably patently obvious. But your black belt should be given the utmpost respect (short of bowing to it, that's just plain odd IMHO) due to what it cost you to achieve.

jim

 

[Cirdan]

In Wado we don`t treat the belt as anything special.. we use it as a jumping rope, for tug of war, put it on the floor and walk on it etc. However a worn belt can be a bit of a symbol of dedicated training or time spent in the art, especially among the black belts. This might also be related to the tendency to not wash the belt at least at higher levels.

 

[jarrod]

a belt is only as good as the person wearing it.

i toss mine on the floor til we're done picking up mats, then it stays crammed in my gym bag until the next session. when it gets ratty looking, i'll buy another one.

jf

 

[Kacey]

The actual piece of cotton is meaningless; the opinion of those who felt I deserved that piece of cotton is priceless.

 

[foggymorning162]

I do not put my belt on the floor nor do I wash it as these are traditions. What does a black belt mean to me? It is a symbol. The more important questions are "What is a martial artist? and Am I worthy of that title?"

 

[Kreth]

I do not put my belt on the floor nor do I wash it as these are traditions.

You don't believe that story about a white belt getting dirtier until it became a black belt, do you?

 

[gixxershane]

I feel it is an indication of rank.. Kind of like in the military or other orginazations.. It is a sign of accomplishment.. It shows your place and dedication in the art and school you study (at).

Belts help the student visuilize where they are compared to where they want to be.. It gives them short and long term goals..

As far as the ground thing, that doesnt bother me, because when I get thrown to the ground the belt hits the gournd with me.. I do not wash it tho.. more of a super stition thing.. lol

 

[foggymorning162]

You don't believe that story about a white belt getting dirtier until it became a black belt, do you?

No it wahes out the knowledge:uhyeah:

 

[Aniela13]

It's a piece of cloth in the same way a bronze star is just a piece of metal, a diploma is just a piece of paper and tombstone is just a piece of concrete.

Ditto this...it is a reminder of the hours spent training, the knowledge acquired, and the many memories over the years. It may be a piece of cloth, but it is my favorite piece of cloth for everything it represents.

 

[morph4me]

It's a piece of cloth. I place more stock in the skill (or lack thereof) of the person wearing it.

Ditto. A belt itself is a piece of cloth to hold the top of my gi closed, what it represents is something else altogether, and if what it represents is an actual indication of skill varies from school to school and/or person to person.

 

[MJS]

I have always wondered what does a black belt of any belt mean to you. Many people i have met take there belt seriously, they dont let it touch the ground dont leave it anywhere where they cant grab it fast. Others believe its just a piece of material that holds your gi top together or holds your pants up. I was just curious what everyone else thought

I have to agree with a few others...it is just a piece of cloth. Now, does this mean that I don't have any respect for my belt? Of course I do, but like I always say, its not the belt, but the skill that really matters. Reaching BB level IMO, is really just another stepping stone. While it signifies to a point, reaching a certain point, it doesn't mean that you've mastered everything there is to know, because there is always something to work on and improve. BB is the time when we should really go back to look at what we've been doing. Are we getting the most out of our techniques? Are we getting the most out of our kata? 2 legit questions.