"This belt ties me to you"

[IcemanSK]

A few years ago, I when to judge a BB test at a friend's school. As Kukkiwon-style TKD goes, it was pretty standard. But when he gave the belts to the students, he said something different. He told each of them, as he tied their belt on, "this belt ties me to you." He did not say, nor did he mean, that the belt ties the student to the master. But rather, the belt tied the master to the student, forever. This was nothing I'd heard any master say before; although I've heard it said in a different school since.

Later, I asked him about it. While he didn't tell me exactly why he says, he seemed to be a bit of a melancholy way of acknowledging that they may not train with him forever, but that he will never forget THEM. As an instructor, I can certainly appreciate the thought that I will always carry a student who reaches BB in my heart.

Instructors/masters, what do you think of this phrase (or expressing it somehow to new BB student)? What do you think of the phrase in general? Does giving someone a BB tie you to them? Have you ever heard of this in your own (or another) MA tradition?

[mal103]

Thought provoking....

I am in the position of a fairly new instructor that next year I am hoping to have my first student grade for Black belt, even though it will be grading under a different Sensei as I am only a Nidan it will still be my first BB.

This is where the student reaching a rank has affected the teacher, not that the teacher is somehow stating that they should be loyal to him forever but somehow the other way round...

[shinaido]

I think all student stay in our memory if they train with us for long time. Personally I don't see anything special about BB.

It is nice to hear that kind of sentence from sensei when being awarded BB, it might make student feel special.

[sensei8]

Thought provoking, indeed!!

I've heard this saying my entire MA life, and in that, I've emphasized this towards my students, as well. I'm tied to my students, as Dai-Soke is tied to me/us, and how our Soke is tied to each and everyone of us in the entire student body. The student body is greater than the one!!

Any master/instructor isn't anything without their students! Without my students, I carry on a long and lonely conversation with myself. I was taught by my Dai-Soke, but in time, I came unto my own, however, I'm forever grateful for the paving he's established over the many years to ensure that my path had as little potholes as possible; this makes him endeared to me, and the BB he wrapped around my waist so long ago, was that unbreakable bonds that reaches way back through the endless time to tie the master to the student; not for a moment, but for a lifetime.

[Nidan Melbourne]

I've had the honour of handing a few black belts over the last few years and what he said I can understand.

I've told older students to never forget where they came from in their training and who helped them along the way (instructors and students alike).

And I tell the younger ones once they attain their BB that every lesson you learnt, a part of every instructor is in that belt. A part of the belt has the heart and soul of the instructor in it. And a part of their wisdom lives there. But it comes from instructors are sincere about the promotion and also sincere about their training and seriousness of their training and wanting to keep their training as close to the styles roots as possible.

[bushido_man96]

I like it. I think there is a lot of truth to the meaning of it, too. No matter for how long we train someone, we will help shape their Martial journey in some way or another.

[ps1]

I like it!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Oh and also to my last post in this we also tie our old belts into a knot. It is to show that we have done that part of our journey and to never give up.

It is to remind you to never stop your training. And if you untie your belt you have taken steps backwards in your training.

The only time(s) we will untie an old belt of ours is to pass it on to a student we feel deserves it (like in the movie kuro obi where the master gives his most deserving student his black belt). Otherwise if someone who take time off and doesn't feel like they are at a rank to respect that rank they formally held previously and wear one lower.

[ninjanurse]

Oh and also to my last post in this we also tie our old belts into a knot. It is to show that we have done that part of our journey and to never give up.

It is to remind you to never stop your training. And if you untie your belt you have taken steps backwards in your training.

The only time(s) we will untie an old belt of ours is to pass it on to a student we feel deserves it (like in the movie kuro obi where the master gives his most deserving student his black belt). Otherwise if someone who take time off and doesn't feel like they are at a rank to respect that rank they formally held previously and wear one lower.

We have the same tradition in our dojo. Never taking a step backwards-always going forward.

For our BB cermeony we have a tea ceremony where I serve tea to them-in honor of their hard work and thanking them for giving me the opportunity to teach them and pass on what I know-we drink from the same cup to symbolize a bond that will never be broken regardless of where they go in life, they serve tea to their families-to honor their commitment to their training and thanking them for their support.

[ps1]

I'm actually in the process of writing a book (instructional) for my ELITE class. I do believe I'm going to "steal" this idea.

Please, I'd love to give credit to the instructor who says it. Are you willing to provide his name?