How do you tie your Karate belt?

[Dani_001]

Hi guys and ladies,

I just would like to get an idea how you tie your belt and why? I recently came across a video on YouTube where a sensei shows how to tie your belt in a "super lock" style where it produces a very neat knot, looks presentable and doesn't slip. This way, however is not conventional but I seem to like it.

Any thoughts?

[catlike]

I tie my belt the way the Club and my Sensei tell me to. It's not the same as when I trained 20 years ago, and it took me a few goes to 'retain' the new way.

[Wastelander]

I learned the "lockdown" knot in Judo--it's much more prevalent in grappling arts than in striking arts, although my KishimotoDi instructor also uses it. As it stands, though, I generally just do the standard square knot with the back crossed, instead of overlapped. I was originally taught to do the full overlap in the back, but it's less comfortable for me, takes longer to tie, and doesn't really add anything to my karate.

[sensei8]

How do I tie my belt?? With my hands!!

Forgive me for that, I couldn't resist!! Mine are square-knotted; right over and under into a firm knot. That's how I was taught to tie my belt, and this is what I teach my students.

[hammer]

Square knot with back overlapped. Used to go with the back crossed (quite some time ago) but the overlap looks neater and doesn't come loose any easier.

[Bulltahr]

Here's a tutorial from Ginger Ninja Trickster:

[Spartacus Maximus]

The square knot is the standard way and wether it is crossed in the back or overlapping is either a dan versus kyu thing; or left to the discretion of individual instructors. What ever the tying method, new belts usually tend to slip and untie themselves, especially those fancy silk covered "look-at-me" blackbelts.