The washing of the belt

I have seen many discussions on wether or not the belt should be washed. Some get rather heated, some get more than a bit silly.

 

Does your school have a policy on the wearing of repulsively odiferous belts?

 

Do you have personel, strong or other wise, opinions on this topic.

 

 

We're expected to wash it if it gets gross, washing machine is just fine. No big deal. We're taught to have respect for it since it's a symbol of our hard work and all, but to remember it's just a piece of cloth, no need to let moss grow on it or freak out if it touches the floor. "Just don't go tying it to the dog or anything" is what Sensei said on the subject.

Belts are tough to tie when you first get it. I only wash my belt the first time so the belt will be more pliable. Or I'll give it to my dog so he can chew it up for a few days. That method also works. After that, I'll never wash my belt again. There's no need to.

If we were to spill something on them we will take a wet rag to them but to actually throw them in the washing machine. NO...

 

My black belt is close to gray in places because the salt from my sweat have made it that way. LOL. Thats pretty goss. However when I look at it and a few loose threads I am so proud. LOL....

 

We do not allow our belts to touch the floor however it happens. Know what I mean. LOL

 

I always instrcut my students not to wash their belt at any time. Even when they are new and stiff. We take a lot of pride in our belts even if they are white. We like to see them dirty but we try not to allow that to happen.

 

 

I hand-wash the muck off of my white belt (which is the only one I wear, regardless of rank). It's naturally gritty now, but it's not dirty, just like something can be clean and still have that seasoned, worn-out look. I think you should keep your belt and gi clean, but leave the blood in , your own or otherwise.

 

 

Some say washing the belt washes the knowledge out Now, if you have a Tokaido silk black belt, try the dry cleaners...

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/jakmak521

 

Peace

 

[ This Message was edited by: jakmak52 on 2002-06-21 21:29 ]

I wash mine when I feel like it... I didn't realize most people don't wash it and treat it like that lol.. I just drag it around the house.

I agree with jamak on this one, I will never wash my belt. My last belt had blood on it and I took pride in having a worn belt with blood stains on it. =p

 

 

I don't wash my belt either. The blood, sweat, and tears I put into training is also on my belt (on all of them from both schools). It even has a coffee stain on it LOL. After I recieved my yellow belt (the party afterwards) I got a cup of coffee, and I had a "hole in my chin" and a few drops got on my belt as well as my uniform (sheesh I'm such a slob LOL). I treated and washed my uniform, but I only used cold water on my belt to get most of the stain out. That's the most I would do as far as washing it. I agree with G95.

 

_________________

 

Laurie S.

 

Yellow belt/green stripe TKD

 

(formally 5th gup blue belt TSD)

 

[ This Message was edited by: karatekid1975 on 2002-06-22 01:11 ]

wow, i'm surprised my instructor has never said anything about this to us before. I've never washed my belts before. Well, #1 the tape for our stripes we earn would probably get screwed up. A lot of the belts are autographed by Grandmaster CS Kim. So we don't wash them, but I've never heard not to.