What's wrong with a white belt?

Sasori_Te · Black Belt

I've been reading various posts about different belt issues. "If I change styles can I keep my rank?" "Can I ask my instructor if I think I'm ready to test for my next belt?" A belt is nothing more than a piece of cloth, a decoration if you will, that let's our instructor know the progress that we've made as well as what we need to be working on next. It's not there to make you feel better about yourself. You shouldn't need a belt for that. It's especially not there to show that you're better than someone else. A belt in the martial arts is only as good as the knowledge and skill of the person wearing it. This is where we as martial artists should put our emphasis, gaining more knowledge and skill so that at a later time we can pass it on to honor and repay in some small way the martial arts practitioners that came before us. There is no place for ego or arrogance in true martial arts. They get in the way of learning how to keep yourself alive which is the basic purpose of a true martial art.

*mArTiAl_GiRl* · Purple Belt

Yea! Exactly! That's right! I mean, I can wear a pink belt if I want, does it make any sense?

Belt doesn't show how 'great' you are or that you're a 'serious karateka', belts are just used to make karatekas strain more for good knowledge about karate, to know at least 'something' about martial arts history, respect, katas, kumite etc since you started as a white belt.
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Kill is love

IAMA_chick · Purple Belt

that is a good point. but some people feel like they have worked hard and deserve a higher belt than a white belt due to their knowlage in another style.
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Tae Kwon Do
15-years old
purple--belt

*mArTiAl_GiRl* · Purple Belt

Hmm...Most true...

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Kill is love

Sasori_Te · Black Belt

My point being that your knowledge of another style doesn't have anything to do with stepping into a brand new style. It's not the same philosophy at the very least and probably not the same exact techniques. I'm not saying that you can't get promoted along a little quicker (MAYBE) because of your prior training, but upon initial entry you ARE a white belt in that new style knowledge wise. It doesn't matter if you're a yellow belt or a 10th degree black belt in your old style. Except maybe that a 10th degree black belt would care less about the belt than the knowledge. Perhaps some emotional growth is needed here. Here's yet another way to look at it. If you were a doctor specializing in heart surgery and you decided that you wanted to be a brain surgeon would you just expect that they should let you start doing brain surgery just because you spent the same amount of time in school as a brain surgeon?
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A block is a strike is a lock is a throw.

Tote · Yellow Belt

I just ordered my rambo belt. Its cool.

gheinisch · KF VIP

A student in our class recently asked our Hanshi about promotions and was told not to get wrapped up in thinking about the next belt. Ones attention and focus should be learning the art not the next color. He said when we are ready he will test us. Anyone can have a black belt for $6 in about 3 days but it doesn't make you a black belt. It must be earned through blood, sweat and tears for it to have any meaning. IMHO

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"If your hand goes forth withhold your temper"
"If your temper goes forth withold your hand"
-Gichin Funakoshi

Pacificshore · Black Belt

Nothing wrong with a white belt...I had one long time ago

Karateka_latino · Black Belt

Im planning to wear a white Belt again since I want to keep training in other Martial arts and im willing to start all over again.

GrrrArg · Black Belt

My white belt has pride of place alongside all my other past belts, IMO white is the most important belt you can ever have, you can't get a brown, ..pink?.. or a black belt without first having had a black belt.

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