New Belt System????

[Mr. Mike]

I would wear a pink one to competition

Actually, our little dragons class has a camo belt. But that's the only application I could see for wearing one...being 4-7 years old.

I could see my teacher handing me a camo belt at graduation..."umm...yeah, I don't want this belt, can I just have my white one back and I'll start over."

[Belasko]

My feelings are a little biased on this against ATA, so I don't intend to offend anyone. My experience w/ ATA is that while it is great with young kids, specifically their tiny tigers program, they are primarily in it for the $$$$$. Part of this is demonstrated in their ranking system where they seem to have tests every month and a dozen or so belts. You pay that many test fees and you will end up coughing up that much more money.

[tufrthanu]

I agree that ATA is definitely business oriented...however that doesnt mean they dont produce quality martial artists as well.

[taiji fajin]

My feelings are a little biased on this against ATA, so I don't intend to offend anyone. My experience w/ ATA is that while it is great with young kids, specifically their tiny tigers program, they are primarily in it for the $$$$$. Part of this is demonstrated in their ranking system where they seem to have tests every month and a dozen or so belts. You pay that many test fees and you will end up coughing up that much more money.

I like that, with the exception of black belt, our school doesn't make people pay to take the belt test.

[usatkdwtf]

the ATA belt system follows a young sapling of a tree int full growth. Each belt has a specific meaning. Camo is "the sapling is hidden amongst the taller pines and now must learn to fight its way upwards"...meaning the student begins to spar at this level and has to learn to effictvly fight the higher ranks to move up. The color camo signifies the color of tree branches and greens as the "student tree" tries to rise up amongst them.

believe me I know most of ATA is a belt factory, but the "system" derived my the late grandmaster H.U.Lee, is well thought out and very good. I dont think he ever meant the ATA to go where it has today.

The sad thing is its actuall a great system if taught right and crostrained.

More belts just means more rewards along the journey...not less time (it shouldnt anyways). I think most TKD places use belts where Karate places use stripes. I know in shotokan, when I was a kid, I thought of my yellow tip or whatever as a "belt" even though the color of the actual belt did not change. SO, in the end I think its all the same...as long as the BB is not achieved in 2 years or something....the integrity of the time at rank has to be maintained.

[taiji fajin]

I can think of analogies for belts too. We can even start a thread (hmmm, I might do this when I get some time) about the merit of using belts. The idea that adding a belt that is camo (instead of adding one that is purple, blue, orange, silver, whatever you want) is good or bad is purely based on taste. Personally, I dislike it, but whatever floats your boat.

[Belasko]

"the sapling is hidden amongst the taller pines and now must learn to fight its way upwards"

I once went to some ATA classes as a visiting student and the assistant instructor asked me what the black belt meant in my style (I had just recently been promoted at that time). I asked him what he meant and he indicated the sayings posted on the wall, the one in the quote was one of them. I had to say that we didn't have any sayings like that but had been told that basically I had learned the basics and was now ready to really study the art. He then told me that was not it and I should go to my instructor and find out what it meant or else the tradition and history of our style would erode away. My instructor laughed when asked about this and mentioned something about schools with those sort of quotes are there to make money and make you feel like you are getting something extra out of them.

[songfighter]

Listen to your instructer Bel. sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

[mattyj]

My Taekwondo school actually has a camo belt in the belt system.. does your guys have that too??? its all new to me because I went there four years ago and they didnt have it and now they do since im back....

thanks, andrew

Ours has the camo belt (ATA). Our belt ranks progress White, orange, yellow, camo (First point at which they can free spar with pads), green, purple, blue, brown, red, red/black (Which is 1st degree recommended), and black (1st degree decided.)

Aodhan

camo? geez...

we just use a basic system (which is universal in itf)

White

Yellow

Green

Blue

Red

Black

with one stripe in between each belt that is the colour of the next one eg white belt - yellow stripe.

[mattyj]

Listen to your instructer Bel. sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

agreed.