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JimmyNewton
Green Belt
Green Belt

Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 403
Location: Charlotte, NC
Styles: Shorin Ryu Shorinkan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 1:17 pm    Post subject: raggedy black belts Reply with quote

whats up with some of the balck belts out there being so raggedy and torn up looking. do some of thes epeople wash their belts?
if so, that is disgraceful..it's like washing away all the blood sweat and tears it took to earn it. , yet, i see many black belts that look as if they are hanging ona by a thread.
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Shorin Ryuu
Black Belt
Black Belt

Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 1862
Location: Pearl City, HI
Styles: Shorin Ryu, Ryukyu Kobudo

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's always those people that buy satin belts that fall apart and look ragged really quickly. Then there's always those people that have simply had the same black belt for over thirty years...

I see you're a fellow Shorinkan student. Who's your teacher? (I see you're in North Carolina...do you get to train with Kyoshi Perry often?) Mine is Renshi Sam Ahtye in San Francisco.
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TangSooGuy
Blue Belt
Blue Belt

Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Posts: 324
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Styles: Tang Soo Do

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wore the same belt for 16 years. It got pretty rageddy.

You get attached to your belt after awhile.

In the end though, I decided it's kind of unprofessional. I still hold onto that belt, but I doubt I'll ever have one that looks like that again.
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Sauzin
Purple Belt
Purple Belt

Joined: 04 Aug 2003
Posts: 593
Location: Boise, ID
Styles: Okinawan Kenpo, Goju-Ryu, Kobudo

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually any blackbelt worn for 10+ years of consistent training will tear up and start to look "raggedy". That's why they say a black belt becomes a white belt again at some point. Personally I don't think it is unprofessional. If I saw someone with a high quality black belt that was nearly white they would gain my instant respect. It shows the years of dedication they have put in. My black belt is starting to show a bit of white around the edges and I couldn't be more proud of it.

Last edited by Sauzin on Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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TangSooGuy
Blue Belt
Blue Belt

Joined: 22 Sep 2003
Posts: 324
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Styles: Tang Soo Do

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree and disagree...

To someone who knows what was involved in getting it that way, a ragged belt has a great deal of meaning, and is deserving of respect.

To the average kid or Jo Schmoe on the street it just looks ragged.


I can't tell you how many times I got asked "Why is your belt grey" when it was just faded...

and later, "Why is your belt green?" when most of the outside had worn off and the green core lining was showing....

Even after explaining it, a lot of the didn't get it.

Now I'm not saying I won't let my current belt get broken in, because I will, but i doubt I'll ever let it get THAT bad again...

Like I said, I keep the old one on hand for the lesson, though.
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JimmyNewton
Green Belt
Green Belt

Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 403
Location: Charlotte, NC
Styles: Shorin Ryu Shorinkan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was jsut curious. Also glad to hear nobody washed them. I was taught that was very disrepectful.
To Shorin Ryu..yes I have attended some of sensei Perry's seminars. My instructor is Willie McIntosh. I actually fell off the "path" for about 2 years...college, playingrugby, etc. However, I have resumed my training as of 3 weeks ago with full force and am looking to test for Shodan in June.
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Sauzin
Purple Belt
Purple Belt

Joined: 04 Aug 2003
Posts: 593
Location: Boise, ID
Styles: Okinawan Kenpo, Goju-Ryu, Kobudo

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear what you are saying, TangSooGuy. This is yet another reason why I am glad I don't frequent commercial circles. Of course this is a luxury.
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smr
Orange Belt
Orange Belt

Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 105

Styles: Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: raggedy black belts Reply with quote

JimmyNewton wrote:
whats up with some of the balck belts out there being so raggedy and torn up looking. do some of thes epeople wash their belts?
if so, that is disgraceful..it's like washing away all the blood sweat and tears it took to earn it. , yet, i see many black belts that look as if they are hanging ona by a thread.


I wash my belt all the time. What I find offending is odor... specifically offensive body, mold and fungal odors emmenating from unclean, sweat-drenched belts.
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smr
Orange Belt
Orange Belt

Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 105

Styles: Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sauzin wrote:
Actually any blackbelt worn for 10+ years of consistent training will tear up and start to look "raggedy". That's why they say a black belt becomes a white belt again at some point.


Not true. One of my instructors has had her belt for over a decade, and it is a little dull but it is definitely still black.

Quote:

If I saw someone with a high quality black belt that was nearly white they would gain my instant respect. It shows the years of dedication they have put in. My black belt is starting to show a bit of white around the edges and I couldn't be more proud of it.


Why don't you watch them work and listen to them speak before you give them your instant respect. A belt is just a belt. There are many ways to make a high-quality black belt fade premateurly.
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JimmyNewton
Green Belt
Green Belt

Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 403
Location: Charlotte, NC
Styles: Shorin Ryu Shorinkan

PostPosted: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i still disagree with washing it. i have seen black belts that are many years old, never washed, smell fine. and yes they have went through extensive, rigorous training.
I'm sure we all sweat hard, but with my gi drenced with sweat, my belt has never had mold or fungal odor.
i see washing it as a sign of washing away the blood sweat and tears you've put into it.
guess to each his own though.
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