Breaking in your belt

[Throwdown0850]

That doesn't mean you shouldn't take care of it and try to keep it in good condition. There's no special honor associated with a shredded and stained uniform piece.

1. I never said I didn't take care of mine. 2. I never said there was any special honor associated with a shredded and stained uniform.....

[Otto]

None of you should be washing your belts. EVER. Or throwing them in the dryer. Want to break it in? Do a couple hundred pushups a day for six months. That, with your regular training and it will break in just fine.

Washing belts isn't a very big deal, really. Here is a good article on the "not washing belts" condundrum: http://www.24fightingchickens.com/2005/09/09/urban-legends-of-karate-belts/

That was a great article, thanks for turning me on to that. (it was a fun read, too!)

But I'm a stubborn old Dojo Rat. So I e-mailed a friend of mine who lived in Japan for twenty years. He did Aikido for ten years or so, but that was a while ago, but he went on Japan's internet and went to, of all places, a Martial Arts forum. This is what he e-mailed me back today. It's all in Japanese, but I figured you might get a kick out of it. He loosely translated some of the posts that concerned the "washing of belts".

I'm waiting to hear back from another friend who still lives there. I'll report back when he does. This is what my friend Miles e-mailed me-

In our Aikido dojo, belts were generally

not washed. We practiced 3 hours a day,

6 days a week, and despite all of that training, never

washed them.

I did a quick search in Japanese, and

the consensus is not to wash them:

http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1410883514

http://sports.2ch.net/budou/kako/1018/10187/1018734398.html

Some of the replies from the second link

(roughly and quickly translated)

2. In Judo we never washed them.

3. The white belt naturally becomes brown,

then black through blood and sweat, so I

heard they are not washed. But it looks

like some women wash them when they stink.

4. Sometimes I wash mine.

5. I don't wash mine.

8. I think a frayed belt is cool, so I wash mine.

My sempai thinks a soiled one is cool, though.

15. You don't wash hakamas either.

18. I think generally they are not washed.

Sincerely,

Miles

[bushido_man96]

3. The white belt naturally becomes brown,

then black through blood and sweat, so I

heard they are not washed.

Has he actually witnessed this happen with belts, or only heard about it?

Other than that, most of what you have posted seem to be more opinions or preferences, as opposed to being hard and fast rules of conduct.

That is how I interpret it, anyways.

[Otto]

Other than that, most of what you have posted seem to be more opinions or preferences, as opposed to being hard and fast rules of conduct.

That is how I interpret it, anyways.

You interpret correctly! They are indeed opinions. As I said, these were taken from a Martial Arts forum in Japan, which, like this one, is all about opinions.

None-the-less, you don't wash Karate belts.

[still kicking]

None-the-less, you don't wash Karate belts.

Unless you want to.

[Otto]

None-the-less, you don't wash Karate belts.

Unless you want to.

Yes, there is that!

[bushido_man96]

None-the-less, you don't wash Karate belts.

Unless you want to.

Yes, there is that!

I agree. Nothing bad happens if you wash the belt. You don't lose anything as far as experience or knowlege. Neither is there enough accurate information out there that states that "you don't wash your belt because it is tradition."

[Wa-No-Michi]

None-the-less, you don't wash Karate belts.

Unless you want to.

Yes, there is that!

I agree. Nothing bad happens if you wash the belt. You don't lose anything as far as experience or knowlege. Neither is there enough accurate information out there that states that "you don't wash your belt because it is tradition."

Like others; I couldn't care one way or another really, but I definately think that the myths that surround belts and how they change colour through hard graft, or should be venerated etc., etc. are just that.. myths - bullcrud.

That said, I don't tend to wash my belts (nothing to do with the above), mainly becasue washing them knocks the stuffing out of them... even if you do them by hand in cold water etc.

I think as long as you keep yourself clean, and your karate suit clean (don't leave sweaty belts and suits in a bag after a training sessions to fester), there is no problem.

Also, I just buy a new one when I think it has had enough.

WNM

[sensei8]

I use to never wash my belt because I too had heard about the washing of ones obi washes away the practitioners blood, sweat, and tears...the willing sacrifices that we endure.

That was during my teenage years as a Jr. Black Belt. After I turned 22 years old, I washed by obi often. Why? Because my Soke and my Dai-Soke didn't like the uncleanness of the Karateka, the Gi, and the Obi. We/they/it are representative of the Shindokan, Soke, and Dai-Soke, therefore, to appear unclean/unkept was against the code of Bushido which states...

Rei - Respect; in this, this includes having respect for oneself, our uniform, and our belts.

Yo - Honor; in this, this includes Honoring those who have authority over others, as well as honoring the Do, the way, in which one is directed.

I was raised in the martial arts my two very old school types, in that, I will respect and honor their wishes and demands.

[sensei8]

15. You don't wash hakamas either.

No way.....I dry clean mine. Why? Dry cleaners are so good at keeping the pleats nice and crisp.