Black belt (martial arts)

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See Black Belt (disambiguation) for other uses of the term Black Belt

In many martial arts, each practitioner's level is marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is often the 2nd highest belt color one can attain, and suggests a degree of competence.

Contents

1 Origin
2 Other colors
3 Above the black belt
4 Advancement
5 See also

Origin

The black belt was "invented" by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, who first devised the colored belt system using Obi's, and awarded the first black belts in the 1880s. He only used white and black belts, and it wasn't until the early 1900s that the colored belt system of awarding rank was created. Many modern martial artists, however, mistakenly believe that the belt ranking system is an ancient aspect of traditional martial arts (Koryu instructors in fact tended to provide certain certificates to advanced students, as proof of their authorization to teach the art).

Other colors

The most common colors other than white and black are yellow, orange, green, blue, and brown. Purple and gold are less common. Purple is used in IKKA Kenpo, Shitoryu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and junior ranks of Judo in the United States.

In some schools, a brown belt is subsequent to a red belt. In Taekwondo, a student must be over 16 to earn a Dan ranking. Students under 16 will be granted a Poom rank, which signifies a child who has achieved dan ranking but does not grant the same responsibilities and privileges as the adult black belt. Once they turn the age of 16 and successfully test for their next rank, they will be considered a Dan.

In other schools, a red belt signifies ninth or tenth degree black belt - tenth degree usually being the highest rank attainable. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the 9th degree, the black belt is replaced by an alternately red and black belt. The red belt is reserved for the art's founders (Carlos Gracie, Hélio Gracie, etc.) and great grand masters and cannot be achieved through normal rank progression.

Gold belts, or ones with alternating red and white sections are also sometimes worn by senior members of an organization. In other schools, a gold belt indicates a fairly low attainment, requiring perhaps 6 to 9 months of instruction.

Above the black belt

In the Japanese martial arts, the further subdivisions of black belt ranks are called dan grades where higher numbers means higher rank. While the belt remains black, stripes or other insignia are generally added to denote seniority. The Korean martial arts have adopted the system, and even some Chinese martial arts nowadays have adopted ranking systems with belt color indicating rank.

One common idea concerning the tradition of belts claims that early martial artists began their training with a white belt, which eventually became stained black from years of sweat, dirt, and blood. However, there is no real evidence for this story, so it must for now be relegated to the status of myth. In fact, given standards of cleanliness common especially in traditional dojo, a student arriving with a bloodied or dirty uniform might not be allowed to train. In some arts and schools there is the (often only half-serious, though equally often rigorous) opinion that the belt should not be washed; by doing that one would "wash away the knowledge" or "wash one's ki away." This might have something to do with the myth.

There is no way to compare belts and ranks between styles. In some arts, a black belt is quite easy to obtain while in others ten years of hard work is more of the rule than exception. In most schools the test for black belt is quite rigorous. It is a common belief that belts in budo arts are handed out more loosely in the West than in the motherland Japan, and indeed often a sign of bad schools is an abundance of black belt holders of low quality. However, in Japan rank often comes more or less automatically with time done and the black belt has little to do with the "master" level which westerners often think of when they hear the term "black belt".

Advancement

One popular notion, in opposition to the "black belt as master" stereotype, is that a black belt indicates the wearer is competent in a style's basic technique. Since in many styles a black belt takes approximately 3 to 6 years of training to achieve, a good intuitive analogy would be a college Bachelor's degree; the black belt can be considered equivalent to a BA degree in the martial arts. The black belt is thus seen not so much as an end, but rather as a beginning, a doorway to advanced learning: the individual now "knows how to walk" and may thus begin the "journey." Of course, as noted above, rank is always a subjective matter.

In many schools, the rank of black belt is the first rank at which a student also becomes an instructor. Though lower ranks are frequently permitted to teach, it is usually with the supervision of a more senior instructor. It is also the minimum grade at which a practitioner can grant belts to others.

Testing for a black belt varies with the style and the school. However, some traditions transcend these boundaries. The test is almost always administered by a senior instructor, frequently of Master rank or above. It is usually an honor even to be allowed to test; most schools will scrutinize candidates carefully before allowing them to test. The test is attended by the candidates, the instructors, and other black belts; the candidate can in some cases invite family and close friends, while in other cases the testing is considered closed. In many schools, all black belts who currently or previously attended the school are invited back for a test. It consists of a grueling physical regimen encompassing all of the skills the black belt should have mastered by this point in their training. It is not uncommon for it to span several days. Depending on the school, different black belts may take a more hands-on role in different portions of the test, due to their specific expertise. They may also challenge the candidates to explain their actions or to repeat portions of the test. None of this is meant to be cruel. All of it is intended as a sort of crucible: to burn away bad habits, reinforce good ones, and convince the new black belts that they are capable of more than they thought possible.

Black belt (martial arts)

Origin

Other colors

Above the black belt

Advancement

See also