washing my belt

[Sensei Rick]

No disrespect to WW but don't wash your belt. MA is about traditions and in this cheeseburger, bubble gum, download smut off the internet society a few traditions can't hurt. As an instuctor I above all try to remain consistent on traditions. From the way we line up to taking care of yourself and your uniform. Including tying and wearing a belt. My instrucor, right or wrong, told me not to wash my belt..... as did his. Learn and change as a teacher as you would in a fight. But lets keep some things around so that the art somewhat resembles it's intent. I know all about belts coming from Kano and judo and this whole not washing thing was probably a joke in some school and got spread the next day at a turney or something. But most of us know this. We have all heard of it and uphold it even without knowing it's origin. There is no word in the japanese language for block. "uke" means to recieve, not block. The word for block in japanese refers to the things you build your house with. And knowing there is no word for block in the style i teach, doesn't mean i can't keep my hands up. I do this because of tradition of blocking my face. My instructor taught me to do this.

Edited November 26, 2005 by Sensei Rick

[Jussi Häkkinen]

No disrespect to WW but don't wash your belt. MA is about traditions and in this cheeseburger, bubble gum, download smut off the internet society a few traditions can't hurt.

True. Some instructors do wash the belt, others don't. Some just buy a new one every once in a while.

If your instructor doesn't want you to wash your belt, well, maybe it can be cleaned otherwise (wiping it every once in a while with a disinfection liquid might also work well).

What I can say pretty certainly is that "not washing" is not a Japanese or Okinawan tradition. Still, even newer traditions occasionally do count as traditions - and if one feels that they are important, they should follow them.

I train traditionally, I wash my belt (traditionally) and love karate. But that's just what I do - others may have other traditions.

[Tommy_P]

Another article that supports White Warlock's post :

There is another story behind the decision of karate belt colours. This is that the old grand masters began their karate training wearing a white belt. As they continued to practice day in, day out they never washed their belts, leading to their white belts becoming black belts! (as the belt got dirtier and dirtier they went from white to red-ish to yellow, then darker, to orange......brown, and finally black.) Obviously the stage of the colours would not come about in reality...although a dirty belt may go yellowish and brown, colour such as orange, blue and purple, make this story hard to believe, although it is a very nice myth...

That is a very well known myth.

Story about a belt that gets dirtier and eventually black...well, it's not very plausible in Japanese society, which has been almost obsessed to cleanliness for ages.

It has been my understanding that The Japanese used to dye their belts to the next color. There weren't that many colors anyway.

Tommy

[24fightingchickens]

a few traditions can't hurt.

Our society has plenty of traditions, Sensei Rick. No need to look to Japan for traditions. As for not washing the belt, that is not a Japanese tradition.

[Sensei Rick]

Our society has plenty of traditions, Sensei Rick. No need to look to Japan for traditions. As for not washing the belt, that is not a Japanese tradition.

I didn't say that it was a japanese tradition at all. Read back. I said we don't know it's origins. And I do not agree with you that america has enough traditions at all. At least not ones that help us make a more peaceful society. I still say he shouldn't wash his belt. All martial artists know this, so it can be a tradition if you just let it.

On another note, I have been going to 24 chickens for a long time it too is a great web site and i encourage all KF members to check out this site.

ps. My instuctor told me about your 24 chickens web site too. I'm not kidding at all about that. We laugh at the name each and every time we tell another student about it. It too, will become a tradition in our school.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

I still say he shouldn't wash his belt. All martial artists know this, so it can be a tradition if you just let it.

When it comes to "all martial artists", I heard this for a first time about 1 or 2 years before - in 24 fighting chickens forums. It was a surprise for me and I thought that it might be an American habit. It did feel weird, as did the "don't put the belt on the ground" and "don't step over the belt" -rules I heard in the forums. After all, a belt is just a piece of karate clothing. Connecting superstition and unhealthy habits (like not washing it) did seem very irrational to me.

I can honestly say that "all martial artists" don't know about it. I've mentioned it to several others here and everyone has thought that it's ridiculous, laughing at it and asking if they weren't joking about this.

Why it should be a tradition? It's unhealthy. Being filthy is not a civilized tradition, I think.

[Sensei Rick]

Jussi, the point is you DID hear of it before. I've reread the thread as should you. Most of the posters state directly that they are aware of this tradition or imply it with thier response, even the ones that say to wash the belt. I hear things all the time that are new to me, and i've been a black belt more than half my enire life. Just cuz you haven't heard it doesn't make it not true. Being aware of myths are sometimes more important than being aware of the facts. I am different for being a black belt, my eye are open, as is my mind and my heart.

[Jussi Häkkinen]

Well, it might be. However, it hasn't been a tradition or anything in the roots of the art - nor here where I live and train.

By all means, if it's a tradition in your club, don't wash your belt (please, spray it with antibacterial spray occasionally, though). I'll keep washing mine every now and then - it doesn't hurt my karate, it doesn't offend anyone (as stinky belt would) and it isn't against any tradition in my style and association.

[Sensei Rick]

By all means, if it's a tradition in your club, don't wash your belt (please, spray it with antibacterial spray occasionally, though). .

too funny If you ever get to arizona, I want you to contact me and come train with me. On that day, I promise to leave my stinky belt at home.

[TAZ]

Must not wash belt, grasshoppah!