Red and White Belt

[isshinryuwarrior]

Just a curiostity thing, I've seen pictures already of several Isshinryu guys with Red and white belts. I'm just wondering why is that higher than black. and also what's behind the red and white belt I've seen people like Dale Jenkins and Don Nagle and the like wearing.

 

Why is it Higher than black?

[Shorin Ryuu]

The whole belt system itself is a little over 100 years old. In regards to karate, Funakoshi promoted the first black belts in the 1920s, I believe. On Okinawa, most masters wore them on formal occasions or during demonstrations, but they really didn't catch on in full force till years later. In other words, belts are a pretty recent thing in karate. Don't get hung up on them...so to speak. The issuing of formal rank and all that is also new, coming with the incorporation of the belt system.

 

The red-and-white belts are usually worn by kyoshi ranks (usually 7th and 8th dans) while the red belts are worn by hanshi ranks (9th and 10th dans).

 

My system of karate actually uses this, as does about half of the rest of the Okinawan Shorin Ryu systems. I believe this method of actually creating a different color is even more recent as well. I'm pretty sure Chibana Chosin (died in 1968) didn't do that. From what I hear, this method of coloring is less prevalent in other Okinawan styles, although it certainly exists there as well.

 

I actually like the positions of "kyoshi" and "hanshi" (actual numbering aside). In systems where there is accountability for the rank structure (if you're going to have one, might as well have one that is somewhat relevant), there is a definite line of distinction between "kyoshi" and those who are not. You only need to see them in action or talk with them to notice this. As for adding the extra colors (red-and-white and red belts), I'm not sure I really see the need for it, but at least it helps you pick them out in a crowd...

[June1]

In Shotokan, I'm pretty sure those belts are for 4th Dan and over. The owner of my dojo is 4th Dan (I thought he was 6th) and he wears one.

[snazzed]

I don't know about other branches of Shotokan Karate, but in the CSKA the red belt is a gimme-belt between white and yellow. Apparently a good number of Dojos in the CSKA are based in school gyms and they do regular intakes with the school semesters and testings at the end of them.

 

A lot of people would start Karate in Spetember, get to the end of four months and try and test for Yellow. A good number would fail, lose confidence and quit. They introduced a Red belt between white and Yellow in order to boost confidence and keep students. Kinda serves the same purpose as "white with a stripe".

 

Apparently in other styles red belt is just before or just after black. It was quite amusing at my first open tournaments, walking onto the mat with a white belt who thought "crap! I have to fight a RED belt?!"

 

snazzed

[CuriousCat]

i've never heard of or seen red or white belts higher than black, in fact, i thought they were about equivalent to brown belt in some styles.

 

and actually, they used to wear belts, white belts, but they gradually changed colour due to the fact that they got all sweaty and rank and immediately wrapped up in their firoshuki (spelling?) after training.

[AngelaG]

I think the red belts tend to come in about 9th Dan in a lot of systems.

[searcher]

The use of the red and white belts are becoming more common in many karate styles and is also being used in other styles aslo, like ju0jutsu, judo, etc. Most systems award the red and white Master's belt at 6th Dan, however some do at 4th. In my system our 4th Dans get Red and black block belts, and then red and white at 6th Dan. Red belts are usually set aside for 9th and 10th Dan. The red and white belt is supposed to signify the return of the rank holder back to the basic or re-birth.

 

This is in the Okinawan and Japanese systems.

 

The Korean systems use the red belt right before Sho-dan(1st Degree black belt).

 

All systems don't use the same belt colors. For instance, Tang soo do uses a midnight blue colored belt instead of black belts. Other styles use black and white to show who is a master.

[koryu]

Here is the standard belt system that we use.

 

White and Red belt (white worn on top) - 4th Dan with Renshi Teacher's License

 

White and Red belt (Red worn on top) - 5th Dan with Renshi Teacher's License

 

Black belt with Red stripe - 6th Dan with Shihan teacher's license

 

Black belt with Red stripe - 7th or 8th Dan with Kyoshi Teacher's License

 

Solid Red Belt - 9th or 10th Dan with Hanshi Teacher's License

 

I use 10th Dan on this list, although this rank cannot ever be attained by any living individual. Only those who dedicated their entire lives to the study of the art are awarded this honor upon their death.

 

(Notice, these belts are only for those who teach, there are several black belts that achieve these ranks and have no desire to teach. These individuals are awarded plain black belts.)

 

I wanted to add one other thing. Those who teach and achieve these ranks do not automatically receive the titles that go with them. One has to be awarded the title to wear the belt. This helps to distinguish those who have been honored as such.

 

These belts are only worn durning formal occasions. Generally, during training, most black belts will wear their original worn and tattered black belt.

 

Hope this helps!

[searcher]

 

I wanted to add one other thing. Those who teach and achieve these ranks do not automatically receive the titles that go with them. One has to be awarded the title to wear the belt. This helps to distinguish those who have been honored as such.

 

These belts are only worn durning formal occasions. Generally, during training, most black belts will wear their original worn and tattered black belt.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Those are two very good points that are very often overlooked.

[AnonymousOne]

In our school the belts remain black from 1st to 10th Dan. The only difference is that your dan rank is in Japanese writing on your belt in red. So most cant tell anyway.