Just a fun hypothetical question

[SoulAssassin]

I would get rid of it. It is nice to know what rank you are an where you stand with the rest of the world, and honestly I know that I hate not knowing what I am. The only reason it would be good to keep is for bouts against each other, obviously you know most white belts wouldnt really like fighting a 4th degree black belt (considering they both only know 1 style).

 

I just hate seeing 8-10 year olds running around with a black belt, and other people that are black belts an abuse the fact that they are an have swollen heads about it. If it wasnt for the things I just said then I wouldnt mind the belt system.

[Master Jules]

Torris wrote : "Without belts and the grading system, there would be nothing to set goals with, no way to measure accomplishment. "

 

Addressing this point first....... Your goal as a martial artist should be to constantly improve yourself, both as a martial artist, and as a human being......as far as "measuring accomplishment".......Do you REALLY need a belt to indicate or understand what you have accomplished ?

 

If your sole interest or goal in the martial arts is to wear a certain color belt.....my friend.....you have missed the whole point of your training.

 

Markusan wrote : "Belts are a great motivational tool."

 

Again.....Isnt the simple fact that you are LEARNING something both interesting and usefull all the motivation that anyone should need ?

 

There should be TWO belts.....white....and black.......white obviously denotes someone who is a true beginner to the arts.......and black.....well.....Shodan black indicates that you have "mastered the basics"......now......you have reached the "beginning".

 

~Master Jules.....aka....The Sandman

[torris]

Do you REALLY need a belt to indicate or understand what you have accomplished ?

 

If your sole interest or goal in the martial arts is to wear a certain color belt.....my friend.....you have missed the whole point of your training.

 

 

 

Actually, no it's not all about belt color. My overall goal is to become a master. Now, obviously, that is a long time. I need several little goals in between. The belt system provides a nice breakdown. So it makes the overall goal less impossible.

 

Understand what I am saying.

 

I understand that each level up, I have learned something new, and reached a new pinnacle. Each belt I obtain is a goal reached, and the new goal becomes the next belt. It is just easier to guage.

[beginner]

Well since im all pretty new to the wonderful martial arts, I cant really put up a good argument for either options. From what I can tell however, the belt ranking system seems to work in regards to showing how far people have come in their training. Interesting question though!

[Master Jules]

If you were stranded on an island with no one but your teacher......and spent every day training.....and he had no belt to give you.......wouldnt your goal just be to learn more than the day before ?

 

~Master Jules

[CloudDragon]

I think that most martial arts with many kyu or gup grades tend to keep students motivated by encouraging them to "get through" the current rank so they can learn the next kata or form or whatever the next belt material holds. While this is good for keeping students interested they may only have a superficial knowledge of their current material. I feel this robs the student from the enjoyment of the "journey" to black belt and beyond. I would make it so that testing was about 3 times a year and so that the students could display true knowledge and comfort with what they have learned. I would think that 6 kyu or gup levels would address this, with a skipped testing at the higher levels.

[Rotten Head Fok]

As I've said in another post when I attended my first school we didn't have a ranking system to speak of other than student, disiple, then teacher. That was enough for me, but I can see how ranks, belts, sashes provide all kinds of reasons for use. But to be honest the little boy in me thinks they are fun! fun to wear, display, aspire towards! Growing up I was in the Boyscouts of America and those patches were worth thier wieght in gold to me and my friends, after all a child can dream, can't they ?

[manuelito]

in the beggining there was only one belt a white belt to hold your gi top closed. the more you trained the dirtier it got. so i think that the color belt system is a reflection of this since most of us do not train outdoors. i do think that there are too many colors out there, but who am i to judge. something i do wish black belts would stop doing is putting stripes on their belts. yes i have these belts but i do not wear them. if you want to know then ask me what dan i am.

 

so if i could change the color system i would.

 

four colors to represent the seasons of the year.

 

white, blue, red or brown, black

 

the reason for this is so that my students, that wanted to compete, would have classification.

[Rich_2k3]

I think belts are good, but only when used correctly. They are frequently used by mcdojos as a money making scheme.

[Sasori_Te]

Torris said his/ her overall goal is to become a master. When exactly does one become a master. Doesn't being a master by definition say that you have learned everything there is to know about your chosen art? I don't personally know any masters, at least not anyone who would give call themself by that title.