JKD Belts

[NightOwl]

i did JKD for 6 months at professional school and, yes, we had a belt system. did the JKD Bruce Lee taught personally have a belt system? no. some schools do, some schools dont. i think my school had belts just to hold things together a little better and to make it more organized. but, it wasnt a requirement at my school to wear your belt.

How did you advance ranks? was there an official testing or was it when your instructor thought it was time?

[bushido_man96]

I've never been a big belt fan. For those with JKD belt systems, how do they work? How does one advance without kata (which I never thought was a good way to rank fighters anyway)?

In some styles, I think it can work, because the forms get progressively harder as you go up in rank. Therefore, you have new skill sets to practice, in order to test to the next level.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

[baronbvp]

I go to my first JKD class tonight. I haven't done JKD specifically since college. I don't recall any forms, though. That's one of the things I like about it.

Maybe tonight will shed light on the subject.

[learning kempo-karate]

Hello, Today black belt has loss it's meaning, because anyone can get one and as little as in one year of training.

Little kids can earn them too.

The primary purpose of the color of belts was for the Sensi to know your level of training. A measurement of training and requirements met for each grade.

Kinda like 1st grade,2nd grade and when you reach Shodan going to college 1st Degree and 2nd Degree

The Black belt today is not measure by their fighting skills...more because they put the time and money into it. To graduate in High School all you need is a C grade.

Lots of Black belts are equal to the C grade. Met the minimum requirements is all you need to pass.

Mr. Joe Lewis went to Okinawa to learn Karate, IN less than 7 months he earn his Black Belt. Why? He was beating up all the Black belts in class.

His Sensi he met their requirements.

The color of belts was started by Kijoro Kano (Judo master). to help moniter the growth of his students. You had to beat several students in the your level before you can move up.

Masahiko Kimura instarted JUDO when he was 15 years old, by the time he was 20 he was promoted to 5th Degree in JUDO....He became unbeatable...

For those who think the colors mean nothing? ...We do know what you are trying to say. BUT if it is a part of your system...then you must follow your system. It is just a measurement of your level of learning and grades earn.

Just my thoughts on this.....Aloha

PS: Having the right belt on will keep the pants up....You don't want to show and tell!

[Plastic_Anarchy]

Bruce Lee is so right. He thinks away from all the oo's and ah's when you see some one who holds a black belt. He thought about skill, that's teh way it should be even with belts. Bruce Lee's my home boy, or so my t-shirt says.

P.S: Love the quote!

[Malldetective]

I'm sorry I have to point this out I'm amazed no one caught it.

JKD is not about forming your own style. At least, not in the sense that "You can't go wrong." Bruce Lee designed a very through system of technique, skill, and tacticts, not just philosophy (though the philosophy is very important) in JKD's development.

If you just do "whatever" you most certainly can go wrong and probably will.

It would not have taken 6 seperate publications for Bruce Lee to explain "You can pretty much just do whatever." This is a dangerous misconception of the phrase "No limitation as limitation." Western minds look at this and seem to only see "No limitation" without recognizing the second part and contemplating it. As soon as No limitation comes up they get all exciteded...and immediately lazy. No way as way is also misinterpreted constantly. Bruce Lee removed what he thought was the shell holding the martial arts in, he wasn't trying to obliterate their disciplines entierly. This seems silly when you see how much respect he had for every style.

There is a clear deffinition of what JKD is and isn't. Looking at forms and belts and competetions and even little techniques here and there is the way we have started defining styles which is what Bruce Lee hated. Not god displined technique based in solidarity and effectiveness. It's a style based on aokums razor really; the simplist or most likely answer is probably the correct one.