putting back on my white belt

[Harkon72]

I put on a White belt twelve months ago, best feeling ever!

[andym]

Thank for sharing that lovely post Shizentai, it is heartfelt , domo arigato .

[ninjanurse]

It is a great feeling to put on a white belt again....did it recently when I decided to continue my kali training on a regular basis in a new style. I agree that everyone should do it on occasion.

[darksoul]

Awesome post! Thank you for that.

[sensei8]

I didn't know what time it started so I arrived at quarter to six o'clock figuring that is the earliest most could reasonably arrive from work. No one was there but the door was open, so I entered and sat with no shoes in a chair near the edge of the floor. The expansive room smelled of pinesol and old wood and was silent save the scuffles and passing conversations from people on the street. On the wall were several photos of my old sensei and my new sensei standing together in groups of other people.

Five, ten, twenty minutes passed as I sat alone. It was a strange way to come to know a place. I began to wonder if it was safe to leave the dojo open like that. I began to wonder if there was a person in this neighborhood who would dare to break into a karate school. I went over in my mind what I would do in the drastically unlikely event that someone did come in and decide to rob the place while I was the only one sitting there in the corner, with a letter I couldn't read in my hand, and a gi with two belts in my bag.

Then all at once in the far corner of the room I saw a grey-haired man enter and shuffle into the office across the training area from me. No sooner did I rise to my feet than did a senpai enter right behind me. After introductions, I was escorted downstairs to the locker room where I donned my favorite training gi and examined the two belts I brought with me. Two surgeries, eight months, and a 1300 mile move later, I felt as though my black belt had better wait for another day.

As I tied my white belt, I was surprised to see that for the first time it fit just right. Either in my illness or in my recent attempts to feed myself on a graduate student's budget I must have lost more weight than I realized. Dressed all in white, free of labels or expectations I ascended the steps to the training floor. For a moment I felt pure and new... Upon seeing me enter another senpai promptly pulled me into the utility closet to prepare rags for cleaning the floor.

Through the ringing out of rags, the scrubbing, getting pulled into place and being chastised for hesitations and errors in formality, I knew that wearing a white belt was the right choice. In life, I have found that the best way I can get respect from others is to give it first. Soon my senpai would come to know me, but first I want to belong here, in this hall where people shout, where I am a floor washer, where I get advice freely given to me, where I can be part of something bigger than myself. After kihon we were asked to perform our tokui kata while facing a large set of mirrors.

Despite my inadequacies, in a white belt my kanku sho never looked so good.

Solid post!! I bow deeply to you!!

[evergrey]

OSU!

Very well done. I can't wait to hear more!

[Brooklyn Kenshikai]

I didn't know what time it started so I arrived at quarter to six o'clock figuring that is the earliest most could reasonably arrive from work. No one was there but the door was open, so I entered and sat with no shoes in a chair near the edge of the floor. The expansive room smelled of pinesol and old wood and was silent save the scuffles and passing conversations from people on the street. On the wall were several photos of my old sensei and my new sensei standing together in groups of other people.

Five, ten, twenty minutes passed as I sat alone. It was a strange way to come to know a place. I began to wonder if it was safe to leave the dojo open like that. I began to wonder if there was a person in this neighborhood who would dare to break into a karate school. I went over in my mind what I would do in the drastically unlikely event that someone did come in and decide to rob the place while I was the only one sitting there in the corner, with a letter I couldn't read in my hand, and a gi with two belts in my bag.

Then all at once in the far corner of the room I saw a grey-haired man enter and shuffle into the office across the training area from me. No sooner did I rise to my feet than did a senpai enter right behind me. After introductions, I was escorted downstairs to the locker room where I donned my favorite training gi and examined the two belts I brought with me. Two surgeries, eight months, and a 1300 mile move later, I felt as though my black belt had better wait for another day.

As I tied my white belt, I was surprised to see that for the first time it fit just right. Either in my illness or in my recent attempts to feed myself on a graduate student's budget I must have lost more weight than I realized. Dressed all in white, free of labels or expectations I ascended the steps to the training floor. For a moment I felt pure and new... Upon seeing me enter another senpai promptly pulled me into the utility closet to prepare rags for cleaning the floor.

Through the ringing out of rags, the scrubbing, getting pulled into place and being chastised for hesitations and errors in formality, I knew that wearing a white belt was the right choice. In life, I have found that the best way I can get respect from others is to give it first. Soon my senpai would come to know me, but first I want to belong here, in this hall where people shout, where I am a floor washer, where I get advice freely given to me, where I can be part of something bigger than myself. After kihon we were asked to perform our tokui kata while facing a large set of mirrors.

Despite my inadequacies, in a white belt my kanku sho never looked so good.

Great post.

It's always a wise choice to start in a new school with a white belt, no matter what rank you hold elsewhere. I had that experience going from Shodan in Goju to starting in a Seido dojo 1991.

Also, whenever I travel, on vacation, I seek out local karate schools and ask, politely, if I can pay a mat fee and work out with them while I'm visiting their city. 99% of the time they are very happy to say yes, and do NOT want a mat fee. I always wear a white belt in this situation. Even if I'm visiting a nearby dojo, if it's not my dojo, or a branch of our organization, I put on a white belt.

Humility is a virtue in martial arts that is often neglected. Plus, I like the way the belt looks!

Osu,

Russell

[cheesefrysamurai]

I really enjoyed the read. It could easily be an excellent ending or beginning to a great book.

ossss

[sensei8]

I didn't know what time it started so I arrived at quarter to six o'clock figuring that is the earliest most could reasonably arrive from work. No one was there but the door was open, so I entered and sat with no shoes in a chair near the edge of the floor. The expansive room smelled of pinesol and old wood and was silent save the scuffles and passing conversations from people on the street. On the wall were several photos of my old sensei and my new sensei standing together in groups of other people.

Five, ten, twenty minutes passed as I sat alone. It was a strange way to come to know a place. I began to wonder if it was safe to leave the dojo open like that. I began to wonder if there was a person in this neighborhood who would dare to break into a karate school. I went over in my mind what I would do in the drastically unlikely event that someone did come in and decide to rob the place while I was the only one sitting there in the corner, with a letter I couldn't read in my hand, and a gi with two belts in my bag.

Then all at once in the far corner of the room I saw a grey-haired man enter and shuffle into the office across the training area from me. No sooner did I rise to my feet than did a senpai enter right behind me. After introductions, I was escorted downstairs to the locker room where I donned my favorite training gi and examined the two belts I brought with me. Two surgeries, eight months, and a 1300 mile move later, I felt as though my black belt had better wait for another day.

As I tied my white belt, I was surprised to see that for the first time it fit just right. Either in my illness or in my recent attempts to feed myself on a graduate student's budget I must have lost more weight than I realized. Dressed all in white, free of labels or expectations I ascended the steps to the training floor. For a moment I felt pure and new... Upon seeing me enter another senpai promptly pulled me into the utility closet to prepare rags for cleaning the floor.

Through the ringing out of rags, the scrubbing, getting pulled into place and being chastised for hesitations and errors in formality, I knew that wearing a white belt was the right choice. In life, I have found that the best way I can get respect from others is to give it first. Soon my senpai would come to know me, but first I want to belong here, in this hall where people shout, where I am a floor washer, where I get advice freely given to me, where I can be part of something bigger than myself. After kihon we were asked to perform our tokui kata while facing a large set of mirrors.

Despite my inadequacies, in a white belt my kanku sho never looked so good.

Great post.

It's always a wise choice to start in a new school with a white belt, no matter what rank you hold elsewhere. I had that experience going from Shodan in Goju to starting in a Seido dojo 1991.

 

Also, whenever I travel, on vacation, I seek out local karate schools and ask, politely, if I can pay a mat fee and work out with them while I'm visiting their city. 99% of the time they are very happy to say yes, and do NOT want a mat fee. I always wear a white belt in this situation. Even if I'm visiting a nearby dojo, if it's not my dojo, or a branch of our organization, I put on a white belt.

 

Humility is a virtue in martial arts that is often neglected. Plus, I like the way the belt looks!

Osu,

Russell

Your post is solid as well!!

[Lupin1]

I love being a white belt again. I'm a brown belt in Isshinryu, but a white belt in Judo. Every time they mention promotions, I get disappointed because I want to keep the white belt. No expectations. (I don't know if I'm ready to be promoted this cycle, anyway, so it's all good for now)