Gray Belt

[KarateKen]

Was watching an old episode of Matlock where Don Knotts claims to have a Gray Belt in Karate, something about a belt specifically for senior citizens.  I assume this a just for entertainment, but has anyone heard of a gray belt rank? Or what special rank exclusive to those who are seniors? I never have. 

[sensei8]

From time to time I’ve seen the gray belt, but not often. I’ve seen it used as an intermediate to senior level in Wado, Goju, and Shotokan at open tournaments, but if course, not all of those styles use the gray belt. 

One more thing, some BJJ use gray right after white.

Edited April 24 by sensei8

[Furinkazan]

8 hours ago, sensei8 said:

From time to time I’ve seen the gray belt, but not often. I’ve seen it used as an intermediate to senior level in Wado, Goju, and Shotokan at open tournaments, but if course, not all of those styles use the gray belt. 

If you've seen these styles using grey belts, I'd bet money that they come from dojos that are either a) affiliated with an organization that is neither headquartered in Japan/Okinawa nor founded by a Japanese/Okinawan soke, b) not affiliated at all.

No Japanese manufacturer - Tokaido, Hirota, Tokyodo, Shureido, Hayate (you name it) - even makes grey belts to begin with.

 

8 hours ago, sensei8 said:

One more thing, some BJJ use gray right after white.

For children, not adults.

Edited April 24 by Furinkazan

[aurik]

For a second I thought you were referring to the "gray belt" as the black belt that you've been wearing for so long it completely fades to gray/white.