Question about Dans.

[Coco]

I still dont understand this. So far, I know that after the 1st kyu, comes black belt (Shodan Ho), which is first degree black belt right? Then, it is followed by 2nd dan, which is second degree black belt. Does this mean you jump from no stripes to 2 stripes or that there is no plain black belt beacause 1st dan is 1 stripe? I also know in some styles they dont use the stripes, but im asking about the ones that do. IF its too confusing, here -

 

Is it - |Black belt| - Plain or has 1 stripe?, |Black belt, 2nd degree| - 1 stripe or 2 stripes?

[gcav]

The ranking systems are different from style to style. Generally a 1st Dan wears a solid black belt, 2nd Dan wears a Black belt with one stripe, 3rd Dan wears a BB with 2 stripes and so on. Count the belt as 1 and then add the number of stripes to get the Dan level. But, as I said, this varies from style to style.

[Master Jules]

No, you are mistaken....sorry...no offense meant....

 

The term "Ho" indicates a "half step". The rank "Shodan Ho" exists BETWEEN 1st kyu and Shodan. It is a "conditional" black belt....kind of like a "probationary" period. The belt is either black with NO stripes, or half black and half red on the same side the length of the belt (not blocked like a 6th through 8th Dan in red and white in some systems) After Shodan Ho the black belt becomes Shodan which is 1 stripe. NiDan-2 stripes, sand dan-3 stripes, yondan-4 stripes, godan-5 stripes, and so on.

 

Some systems are different....in Traditional Okinawan Goju ryu, for example, as well as other Okinawan systems like Uechi ryu....the first stripe (gold) comes at 6th Dan. Some also use the red and white belt lengthwise for 4thDan and 5th Dan.....the white side up for 4th and the red side up for 5th.

 

6th, 7th, and 8th Dan can use the red and white block style belt, and 9th uses the red on one side black on the other, as does 10th, but 10th can also use a red belt (generally a little wider than your avg. belt, sometimes 2, maybe 2 1/2 inches)........ANYHOWWWWWWW.......It always varies from system to system, and Kan to Kan, and dojo to dojo.......I mean after all......there was a previous thread somewhere that had Richard VanDonk claiming to be a 14th Dan.....whatever.

 

Heres the most important thing to always remember....no matter what style you train in, no matter what rank you are........the belt JUST HOLDS UP YOUR PANTS........GET OUT ON THE MAT AND TRAIN TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY !!!!!!

[P.A.L]

Agree with Master Jules, I just wanna add that shodan Ho belt in some systems is brown with a black strip as a center line ,along the lenght of the belt and still is not a shodan.

[gcav]

As stated in my first post, the belt systems vary from style to style. I was speaking from my personnal experience in the MAs.

[solar_kid]

In our dojo, all dan grades wear a regular black belt. No stripes of any kind.

[aefibird]

In our dojo, all dan grades wear a regular black belt. No stripes of any kind.

 

Same in mine.

 

The dan bars on black belts will vary from system to system, heck even clubs within the same organisation may have differences between what they have on their belts.

 

Also, some clubs/styles do not have Shodan Ho grade, whilst some do.

 

I also know of one style that has intermediate grades between each Dan grade. ie, you take Shodan, then an intermediate exam before taking Nidan etc etc.

 

Heh heh, I suppose they could say it was a half-dan grade.

 

"what dan grade are you?"

 

"one and a half..."

[WapCaplet]

It sometimes amazes me how obsessed our culture is with needing to have a visual representation of our ability. It's like we're not confident in our ability enough to be satisfied with a simple belt.

 

A gi used to be a person's smallclothes, but now there are different kinds of "authentic" uniforms for all martial arts. The belt used to be white for someone who wasn't a black belt, and that was it. Now there are a multitude of colored belts, stripes, half levels, etc, etc.

 

It's all a little ridiculous, but then, I'm not innocent either. It's just very interesting that our society (typically western society) is so obsessed with being able to "prove" our ability by saying "I have a 2nd degree black belt!" or "I'm a purple belt!" or whatever. I don't think the founding fathers of karate ever went around telling people how good they were. They just knew it. And that was enough.

 

Wap

[Master Jules]

Like I always say......belt holds up pants.....get on mat and train.....period

[Shorin Ryuu]

Aww, c'mon, the belt doesn't hold up your pants...it holds your gi together

 

But as mentioned above, karateka just practiced outdoors in a loincloth. Most people I have talked to who have trained extensively in Okinawa say that they didn't even wear the gi top much except for formal occasions until females were allowed in the dojo (It was far to hot and humid in Okinawa otherwise...).