Belt Progression in your style.

[Grego]

White

White, with 1 stripe

Yellow

Orange

Blue

Green III

Green II

Green I

Brown II

Brown I

Black

[DWx]

Hmmm I can understand back in the older days it may have taken time for the brown to get so dirty that it would turn black, but why do some styles have two or three blue belts? And why is their some styles that have striped belts?...I think those are far from being traditional.

To be honest, I think the whole "belt getting filthy and turning to black" is just a myth. Especially given the emphasis on hygeine in Eastern culture and in your typical dojo.

My style uses striped belts. Always has, ever since it was "created". Is that not traditional? To me stripes make a lot more sense than having a greater number of coloured belts.

Korean Culture and Japanese culture are to different things. Koreans have earned themselves the nickname (Atleast with TKD) the pretty art, They are always neat and clean how ever Karate at its fullest and in depth training is dirty and rugged. I have trained under students of Matayoshi Shinpo, and Taira Shinken. They have passed down the knowledge of their arts to their students, and then on.

It is true when the belt began it was white, and then it turned to a filthy dirty color ( brownish black). Of course Green, and blue would never be the case. Alot of older hombu dojos originated on the beaches and in the woodland areas.

With all due respect Traymond, I think you're wrong. Its not just the Koreans who like you to be clean and tidy. I don't study a Japanese style myself but I'm sure if you went to a dojo and expected to train in a sweat and bloodstained gi they would not allow it; why would a festering half-rotten belt be allowed instead?

This article may be of some interest: http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2005/09/09/urban-legends-of-karate-belts/

[Espina]

Well, from my style's perspective, there is a why on the colors (for Ashihara):

white - purity

blue- a vast of knowledge, like the ocean

yellow - the sun, this is the period where you shine

green - nature, this is when karate becomes part of your nature

brown - Ground, since this is the foundation for more to come. Also because of wood, which means you are rigid and strong as a tree.

Black- dirty, because of all the experience you have gained along the way.

[Traymond]

Hmmm I can understand back in the older days it may have taken time for the brown to get so dirty that it would turn black, but why do some styles have two or three blue belts? And why is their some styles that have striped belts?...I think those are far from being traditional.

To be honest, I think the whole "belt getting filthy and turning to black" is just a myth. Especially given the emphasis on hygeine in Eastern culture and in your typical dojo.

My style uses striped belts. Always has, ever since it was "created". Is that not traditional? To me stripes make a lot more sense than having a greater number of coloured belts.

Korean Culture and Japanese culture are to different things. Koreans have earned themselves the nickname (Atleast with TKD) the pretty art, They are always neat and clean how ever Karate at its fullest and in depth training is dirty and rugged. I have trained under students of Matayoshi Shinpo, and Taira Shinken. They have passed down the knowledge of their arts to their students, and then on.

It is true when the belt began it was white, and then it turned to a filthy dirty color ( brownish black). Of course Green, and blue would never be the case. Alot of older hombu dojos originated on the beaches and in the woodland areas.

With all due respect Traymond, I think you're wrong. Its not just the Koreans who like you to be clean and tidy. I don't study a Japanese style myself but I'm sure if you went to a dojo and expected to train in a sweat and bloodstained gi they would not allow it; why would a festering half-rotten belt be allowed instead?

This article may be of some interest: http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2005/09/09/urban-legends-of-karate-belts/

yes I am aware of the article I have read it already. The way this article is looked at is a japanese bushi, not an okinawan bushi by the term bushi I am referring to the two different meanings of Bushi. Okinawan's have a bushi that is meant to be like a master of karate a japanese bushi is some one with a samurai base mentality. To not point your feet at a belt is basically the samurai mentality, just like it is rude to wear socks in front of a samurai. As you should be aware of, their are two different bases of Karate, Japanese and Okinawan. Shotokan is an Okinawan originated art, but when Gichin Funakoshi left it in Japan, it became "Japanized". This is where the colored belts are said to have been adopted from, from Jagaro Kano's art is where it is said to have come from, I how ever am not sure about that, it is a possibility. Now in Okinawan Karate they said it was wrong to wash the uniform or the belt, unless you were at a masters status, this may be urban legend maybe not, I go by what my teachers tell me. I have had teachers tell me that you wear the color obi that your uniform is. Blue uniform blue belt, red uniform red belt. And I must say in any of the books I have read by funakoshi san I have never heard him say he was awarding ranks or receiving ranks, may this be because he never had any real ranks from his teacher only certified to teach by Anko Itosu and Anko Asato. On wikipedia it does say he has reached 5th dan, but I believe his teachers just awarded him the master status once he returned from Japan. And Hidetaka Nishiyama never went by a belt rank he always onsidered himself honored that his teacher Gichin Funakoshi said he could go out and teach.

[Espina]

As far as I know, the only thing that is never washed is the belt, for it contains all the training and energy from your sacrifices in the dojo

[Traymond]

I wash my uniform for sure, I cant stand working out with someone thats stinks...But I also wash my belt when I first receive it to loosen it up a bit. I hate tight belts...:S

[Espina]

hehehehe, nah, I love the tight ones... I don´t know why, they just make you look better (specially for Kata purposes)

[Traymond]

I mis said what I meant haha. I meant stiff instead of tight, so their not pointing straight left and right instead of hanging down, those are annoying to me...

[Grego]

A brand new white belt always reminds me of bunny ears or something

To break in my belt, I'll tie it on at home, and wear it around the house for a little bit.

[Espina]

Hehehehe, I know what you mean... but that also happens when the belt is short.

My height is 6'1'' and I use a 2 meter belt