Keying your black belt

[SyracuseJundokan]

Well said Eiichi!

[Sam]

depends on who you train with and how you train - who are you to judge his opinions.... lol

i think we all have different opinions on this.... depends on our own experiences.

[Uechi Kid]

I also agree. I've had my black belt since 1999 and it is just now getting some good white worn spots around the knot. Your sensei is right the proof is on the mat.

[Sam]

i guess psychologically at tournis keyed belt might help scare off the lower grades... but then again the people you'll be against are unlikelyto care what ur belt look slike, so oh well

[kenpo_fighter]

If I see someone, running around with a belt that looks like it's been through a losing fight with a lawn mower...

Then I look that person dead in the eye, so I can get a GOOD look at a disrespectful sot that shouldn't be PERMITTED the HONOR of wearing ANY martial arts apparel whatsoever.

Who are you to judge!? What makes you think a well worn obi is disrespectful? Some people get their obi to look like that by years of training, not by a key or a lawn mower. The obi contains the years of hard training that an individual has put in. Frankly, I don't care if it's new or if it's well worn. Worry about your own obi around your own waist. Martial arts isn't the military.

if martial arts was not like or similar to the military, then I guess that every time my sensei told me to practice my punches, kicks, kata, etc., i really didn't have to because my white belt or any other color belt was just as good as his black belt and all the stripes on his belt, right? all those sparing sessions & body conditioning drills that sensei made me do turned out i could've said "no" & it would've been just acceptable?

Martial Arts, done the right way is just like the military. a new recruit fresh out of bootcamp wouldn't be given the same respect as an admiral or general. why would they? who would u rather bow to? a white belt fresh in the dojo or a black belt & or sensei? The pyramid of rank & authority is just the same in the martial arts as it is in the military. the martial arts, like the military, is a dictatorship not a democracy.

granted, one should not judge a book by its cover, but remember that we're in america, not japan. let's face it, america is not exactly and "honor society". not saying that japan is perfect. they have their own share of faults. having lived their for a majority of my life, i should know. not all, but a majority of, americans and american martial artists will take the easy road and do something like "key" or do something to their belt to make them appear better than they really are. and yes, you cannot judge a persons skill or rank just because of their age. i've seen adults well into their 30's just start to train in the martial arts. performance will be the overall judge and will expose the frauds for what they are.

[trustkid1]

This is the first time I know of keying the belt. That's putting the integrity of the person at risk. And not only his integrity but to his sensei and dojo as well. I'm been first Dan for almost two years and now my belt is starting to fade. The only way that you can see that they really practice hard is by the perfomance in tournaments and in the dojo.

[ShotokanKid]

It's mildly amusing when someone ages a belt to acquire the look of experience. I don't object to it, they're only fooling themselves aren't they.

Ditto

[ivette_green]

That's a pretty lame thing to do. I would love to still have a nice looking belt after a decade of wearing it, but I don't think that'd happen. I guess your dojo doesn't have age requirements for testing, too bad.

[Rateh]

i never heard of it, but it sounds well...like a stupid thing to do

i wouldnt be at all surprised if they started selling "preworn" black belts, like they do with jeans that look like they have been worn for a while

[Shaolin Bushido]

That's funny. Tear up the belt on purpose to impress only people who are easily impressed.

People.