Washing your obi/belt?

[pineapple]

Pineapple, I heard that in Kajukenbo when high-ranking black belts go up in rank they are struck with the belts of the highest level grandmasters of the system,

 

One of the founders, Adriano Emperado, was awarded the title of Professor and rank of 10th degree by the Chinese Physical Cultural Society of Hawaii so the highest ranking achieved by practitioners is 9th degree. All of the acknowledged 9th degrees were certified by the founder himself.

[Chaz]

I used to have to wash my white belt every month or so, otherwise people mistaked me for a brown belt or a yellow belt... I work really hard though... I guess it comes down to superstision, or health and wellness for me. I'll take #2

[isshinryu5toforever]

I think it comes down to tradition more than superstition. I have never washed a single belt.

[smr]

I think it's a matter of practicality. If your belt begins to emit a funny odor, wash it! Just don't wash it with your gi lest ye be prepared to wear pink at the next training session...

[isshinryu5toforever]

I dunno, I know that I practice martial arts 7 days a week. Now most of that is on my own time, but at least 4 days a week I am in an actual dojo in full uniform. I have never washed my belt. My black belt is a few years old, just because I outgrew my first one. If I still fit it, I would still be wearing it, and that would never be washed either. I guess it's just the traditionalist in me.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

If the belt gets dirty or begins to smell, I wash it. If it gets overly frayed, I get a new one. As simple as that.

 

It's just a garment. I tend to keep my clothes clean and tidy.

 

Tradition? Hmm. Japanese culture - where the belt tradition was born - is pretty much obsessed with cleanliness. That tradition suits me.

[karatekid1975]

I think it's a matter of practicality. If your belt begins to emit a funny odor, wash it! Just don't wash it with your gi lest ye be prepared to wear pink at the next training session...

 

I never washed my belts when I was in TSD. But since I got into TKD, when I first get a new belt, I wash it. A few of them turned my uniform colors Specially my red belt. My uniform turned pink I washed my red belt with the darks, and had to use oxyclean to get my uniform back to white LOL.

 

I don't wash it after that, unless it gets smelly, but I take a shower before class, so I usually don't have that problem.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I know where the belt tradition began. I also know a few Japanese black belt that feel washing your belt would be like washing the knowledge out of your mind. It is representative of what you have learned. A black belt that is frayed and worn is something to be revered and respected, it takes a very long time for a belt to get that way naturally. Just my belief.

[Grenadier]

There's nothing wrong with washing a belt, as long as the sole purpose of the washing is to clean it, or to break in an excessively stiff belt.

 

Some belts, such as Tokaido, aren't hurt by a single gentle cycle in cold water, using a conservative amount of detergent. This makes the belt much easier to tie, and you get much less knot slippage.

 

Other belts, such as the satin ones, will probably fall apart after a few gentle cycles.

 

If a belt smells badly due to the accumulation of bacteria, perspiration, etc., then by all means, go ahead and wash it in a gentle cold cycle as described above. You shouldn't let your uniform be a distraction to the other folks training, and it's simply common courtesy.

 

However, given the way belts are, you shouldn't have to wash them frequently at all. After you are done training, hang your belt so that they can air dry out quickly. This will help delay the need for washing.

 

Remember, the belt is just a piece of cloth. The true knowledge and spirit lies within one's self.

 

Now, where I would chide others for washing their belts, is if they did so to intentionally fade / break their belts. I do get a bit irritated when I see kids under the age of 10 having washed their belts many, many times under harsh conditions, just to make it look weathered in.

[back_fist]

The tradition of not washing belts started because the old days belts did not have ranks. They were just white and just to hold the gi together. Eventually you could almost tell the skill of person by seeing how dirty their belt was, indicating the amount of time they practiced. I think that nowdays people put to much worth into belts and their color. My current style uses no belts and we are better for it.