Your rank

[Zaine]

What is the importance of your rank to you? There are some people who would never give up there rank because they believe that they earned it and shouldnt have to give it up because it tells people that they know something that they dont. And then there are others who couldnt care less what happens to there rank because they still have the knowledge. Given every belt has its own sentimintal value to its wearer. But what is the importance of your rank. Id say that i know that i know how to fight and i dont need a belt to tell me that, what do yall think?

[Jiffy]

I'm not one to worry about when I'm gonna grade next, by that I mean, I don't want to just get as many grades as quick as possible. I don't think that the grade makes the person, I think the grade is simply recognition for achievements already made.

While I don't hunt for grades, I am proud of what I have achieved. That is not to say that I like the colour of my belt, but that what it signifies is what I am proud of.

[Zorba]

i do like to improve my rank as quick as i can, but not because i like saying i am good because i got to this rank, but i like work towards improvement, and have my improvement recognised.

when i first started TKD i spent 3 years between pre black and black belts, but it wasnt because i wasnt good enough, i just hadnt gotten around to it.

i told my sempai that i want to grade to 5th kyu at the next grading (in 3 months) and i only just graded to 6th kyu at the last grading (december). he told me that i would need to improve a bit.

therefore i am striving for the improvement that will acheive me that rank, not the rank specifically.

does that make any sense at all?

[karatekid1975]

I'm proud of my rank now, because I earned it. I'm not saying that I didn't earn the previous ones, but this one I had to work my tail off more than the rest. I have also become a different person with this belt. I used to be in it for "rank." I was a 2nd gup/kyu for a year, because the tests (even stripe tests) were a lot tougher. I failed the first two stripe tests, and I failed the first go-around for 1st gup. It humbled me big time. If I don't get my BB in April, I'll just say, "Ah well, maybe next time." And work harder. It's no biggy to me anymore. I'm here just to train. Getting the next rank is just a bonus.

As far as switching styles go, I have no problem putting on a white belt (I'm a white belt in Jujitsu) again. I still have my knowledge for TKD, but I don't know much at all in Jujitsu, so I wear a white belt.

[mourning_]

My rank....white belt...but i got my first yellow stripe tonight (in Judo) I always thought martial arts were kind of funny, so i just started liek 4 months ago...(something just said to give them a try) I really look forawrd to moving up, but i always look back to the previous month and say to myself, man i've learned alot in the past 3-4 weeks...so really learning is what ilike best, but the rank just pushes me harder. I hope to test for my next yellow stripe in about 2 maybe three weeks..(is that too soon?)

[mourning_]

and sorry for all the typos, my keyboard is a piece of junk...

[DragonMike]

My rank is important to me. Not for the belt itself but because of the growth that is symbolizes. The path that I have taken in the martial arts is one of the things that I am the most proud of.

[CTTKDKing]

My rank is important to me. Not for the belt itself but because of the growth that is symbolizes. The path that I have taken in the martial arts is one of the things that I am the most proud of.

I agree with you. I don't want to race through the belts just to say I'm a deputy balck belt or black belt, but I feel that every student that attends a school with a belt ranking system should be proud of their rank because it shows how far they have progressed in their style. I wouldn't have a problem putting on a white belt if I decided to join another school of a different style, because the BB I earned in a different system only shows that I studied to attain knowledge of that system.

[Anbu Alex]

My rank means somthing to me in the fact that i can now finally learn and man is there cool but hard stuff to learn if you dont have proficient knowlege of the basics

[Jay]

Im not to bothered with my rank as i have a lot of knowledge which is more important i used to value my rank until it became less important to me i find it hard to explain why i mean i like to progress but i have reached a point where learning and my knowledge is worthy a lot more than what my rank says i can do plus that rank is only in that style and in knowledge i have gained far more than what the rank shows