Where did the Myth of the Black Belt start?

[Samurai Shotokan]

I mean why do people continue to think that the Black belts are perfect in fighting and they are masters regardless of what Dan rank they are.So where did this myth start coming from? Was it those 60s Kung Fu vs Karate movies(since when did you see a red or brown belt star in a movie). I mean why cus blacks the last color belt you get it makes you an unstoppable force

i know theres alot of black belt topics right now but i wanted to figure out why people novice martial artist and non martial arts think a Black belt is the be all end all( i have a guy at my dojo who goes "Im gonna be a 21 year old master soon") of course he thinks a black belt is the end but its only the start of real learning

[CapitalKarate]

If you're not a part of a Mcdojo, then having achieved a black belt means you've mastered all of the basics, therefore you're at a whole new place entirely in your training.

I believe the belt ranking system orginated with some judo grandmaster (this is what I've read, not sure if it's true). And it actually started out with like2-4 belt levels. Hope this helps some.

Josh

[Bleeding Lion]

possible origins of the myth:

1. its because its the last color in many arts

2. stupid black belts showing off outside the dojo ("be careful, im a black belt!"). worthless...

3. what the public sees: the instructor is a black belt

---> if he is the instructor, then he has a bb ---> if one has a bb, then they can teach --> if they can teach, well then they are masters.

[Straight Blast]

Movies give such a bad impression on martial artists xD.

People assume black belts are unstoppable juggernauts because they are always watching those action movies where the main character is some black belt in whatever style.

People who believe all BB's are a monster just havent experienced martial arts for themselves.

[elila]

^What they all said^

The media has a huge effect on all of us.

The adult BBs at my school never brag, because they know they're not even close to being "the best"

My master often has to lecture the children BBs though- they don't quite understand. He says,"You think you're hot stuff? Pssh. Black Belt is just the beginning."

[Sam]

Its always really interesting in our organisation - we have national black belt training sessions every few months and get alot turning up (around 100) and just to see the variation in attitude is astounding - some are very humble or unassuming, whereas some are braggarts.

Always funny to see the difference (esp. in TKD) in technique's they use when asked to demonstrate, but i can imagine some of the second bunch of people did little to help the impression the non-MA world has of BBs

[Samurai Shotokan]

I think Bleeding Lion and Straight Blast have the answer. So Sam did some of the Black belts you see at that national training session did you see some real bad techniques thrown or they were lacking power or what? what did you mean exactly when someone from TKD demonstrats a techinque did it go from bad to worse or what?

[Chaz]

Simple, people are uninformed and only see mainstream media... Not everyones obssesed with MA like us.

[Uechi Kid]

When I was coming up through the ranks I was told that Shodan (first degree black belt) meant "the beginning". You've become proficient at the basics. Now you can get serious about training.

There is a ledged that says that at one time, all belts were white. As you trained your belt began to get dirty and dingy, started to YELLOW. As your training progressed it got more dirty and dingy and was even darker more BROWN in color. After a number of years of training the color of you belt would be so used that it was actually black.

[CQC]

Ideally, this is how most belt systems should work. Although different arts may have different colours or even more belts, the ideal is basically the same.

White Belt

Level: 9th

The white belt symbolizes purity and innocence as well as lack of knowledge. The student wearing a white belt comes into training free of judgments and bias from other kinds of training and knowledge with reference to the martial arts. The student is an open vessel ready to be filled with the knowledge that the teacher desires to pass down.

Yellow Belt

Level: 8th

As the student begins to train and be filled with knowledge, sweat and dirt begin to cover the belt. The belt becomes yellow in time. It is this point in training that students learn and practice the "fundamentals" that form the foundation of the system.

Orange Belt

Level: 7th

This is a transitional belt. As the student continues to train and sweat and advance closer to the intermediate ranks, the belt becomes darker. Orange symbolizes this. It's at this stage that the student should begin to realize his or her potential.

Blue Belt

Level: 6th

This belt is the beginning of the intermediate level of training. As more knowledge fills the student, the student practices and sweats more. The belt turns blue. The belt also demonstrates that the student understands and accepts the fundamentals or basics of the system and has chosen to persevere towards the goal of 'higher", more complicated techniques.

 

Green Belt

Level: 5th

As more sweat and dirt fill the student's belt, it turns dark green. This belt represents the upper intermediate level. As the student is filled with more knowledge, he or she strives to add speed, power and fluidity to his or her movements. The student not only reacts more quickly in "fighting" situations, but also now begins to act of his own volition to control the situation or the opponent.

Red Belt

Level: 4th & 3rd

This belt represents the lower advanced level of training. At this rank the student has made serious sacrifices of blood, sweat and tears to learn even more difficult techniques and to train his or her body for serious combat or defense. Red symbolizes this. As the student is filled with more knowledge he or she should become humbled as he or she realizes that this system of defense is only one of many and that mere physical skills will not defeat another who displays more discipline, courage and passions. Many instructors will teach to empty the mind of emotion when fighting.

Brown Belt

Level: 2nd & 1st

This belt represents the upper advanced rank. The student realizes he or she is close to black belt and wants to impress the instructor that he or she is ready. The student tends to be most aggressive at this rank. As more knowledge, sweat and dirt are poured into the belt, it turns brown. It is at this rank that the student is expected to demonstrate superb skill and expertise in the basics as well as many advanced techniques. Just as an artist must learn to master the basics of color, proper strokes, shading techniques, etc. to create, so the brown belt is finalizing his or her learning to be able soon to create on his or her own.

Black Belt

Degree: 1st thru 10th

This is the final change in belt color. This belt signifies mastery of all of the basics and expertise in even more of the advanced techniques than at brown belt. The student has been filled with so much knowledge, sweat and dirt that the belt has now turned black. The student must make a choice: to continue training or to quit. If the student chooses to quit, he or she will miss an opportunity to perfect the art and pass knowledge on to others through the martial arts.

If the student chooses to continue, he or she will have many opportunities to share the arts; and when the student has trained a long time; his or her belt will begin to turn white again. This symbolizes the purity that comes from willingness to continue to learn, through perfection of technique and through faithfulness in handing down the knowledge that was given to him or her. Gichin Funikoshi, the founder of karate said, "Before I made black belt I was learning to begin. After making black belt I realize I'm beginning to learn." This is where the 'art' begins as the student places his own personality and values into the system. He begins to interpret and create from the 'well' inside his or her being. Now that the student has the mind of a 'warrior', and all of the 'tools' necessary to defend him or herself, the student continues a lifelong journey of learning how to apply these tools to different situations and opponents.