White belt or old belt?

[renketsu]

I have done both (whilst being a Shotokan Karate 2nd dan):

 

Started as a white belt when doing WTF TKD (and graded to 7th kup).

 

I am also currently training in Kobujutsu wearing my blackbelt.

 

I have trained in Wado Ryu Karate wearing my blackbelt

 

Pride is a big problem for some people, just because you are a blackbelt in one art doesnt mean you should expect to have it recognised by another art.

 

The only reason I wear my blackbelt at the kobujutsu class is that the instructor suggested that we all wear the belts earned from other styles (i first turned up to train with a whitebelt!). We will grade in weapons and wear a coloured tab on the black belts to show the other grades we have.

 

I have always told instructors of classes (no matter what style) what I currently train in and what grade I hold (as I would expect from any MA practitioner), I will then leave it to them to tell me if they would like me to train as a blackbelt or whitebelt - it doesnt bother me which!

 

Any students who train with me who have done Karate before, will be given a choice:

 

Train as a whitebelt and start again OR

 

Train as their current grade and then only start to grade again once they have returned to the required level of expertise for that grade.

 

Students from other arts can train with their current belt until they have decided that they want to take up karate... it would then be discussed and depending on the differences between the arts and if they want to grade, the above choice would be made!

 

Andy.

[Withers M.A.A.]

If the student comes from a similiar system he or she is usually allowed to maintain the belt they earned in their other style. However, in order to advance they need to be at the same level of students within the school. THey need to know all the forms etc. etc. etc.

[hobbitbob]

How many of you would prefer to have gone into "stealth mode"and worn a white belt? I know that sometimes I would have!

[Kyokushin]

I've tried that. It doesn't work! By the end of the class everyone will be asking you where you trained at, what rank you are, etc.

[Looneyas]

I was a 2nd Dan in Zen Do Kai, when i went to Tkd I had to start again at white, I didnt mind as The style was completly different.

 

I have had 2 gradings and after 6 months im 5th Cup.

 

It was hard wearing a white belt, But i was doing this for myself no one else and with that thought i was ready.

[glingglo]

just a thought...

 

has anyone considered the possibility of it being unfair, or even unsafe, to have a black belt (or any high ranking student) from another style don a white belt? especially at tournaments? for example, could you imagine the matchup between a regular low ranking karate student and a low ranking karate student who also holds a blackbelt in another style? the blackbelt would have a CLEAR advantage.

 

i think it's also kind of discouraging for students to see someone at their rank who's got gobs of martial arts experience in another style.

 

of course, i see the other side of the argument too, but i wanted to toss those ideas out there...

[ninjanurse]

I have done both. Most recently I joined a new TKD school and was allowed to keep my current TKD rank. I have been training furiously for months to learn the entire curriculum as I am expected to test in soon. There is an added pressure and a higher expectation when you join a new school wearing a Black Belt as opposed to a white belt. Wearing a white belt decreases the expectation somewhat even when you are "discovered".

 

I agree with glingglo about discouraging other students but I also believe that one can also be an inspiration .

 

[major_motoko]

I obtained my 2nd Kyu in shotokan, then after a break for a couple of years joined a Wado club.

 

I trained for about 4 months with a white belt, then my Sensei said I should put on my brown belt as he felt I had returned to that level. He gave me an "informal" grading too

 

To be honest, I would have been a bit upset to have to go all the way through the kyu belts again. Especially as Wado and Shotokan are very similar in basic techniques and even the kata aren't that different.

 

Sure if i start something like Judo or Jiu-jitsu I would gladly wear a white belt, even if I was BB in karate.

 

motoko

[rb]

glingglo

 

I suppose that could happen but I think a responsible teacher would require that a new student train with the club long enough that they are a true representative of the style and teacher/club.

 

For a new style I think they should start at the beginning. The teacher could grade on a modified pace according to the progress made by that student.

[RedDragon]

just a thought...

 

has anyone considered the possibility of it being unfair, or even unsafe, to have a black belt (or any high ranking student) from another style don a white belt? especially at tournaments?

 

Funny.. I was at a tournament... one of my first few (I was a white belt), and there was a guy there (Yellow belt).... really nice guy, very good technique, after the kata compitition was done, and the medals were being handed out by the head judge, the guy was pulled aside, and in front of us was very sternly talked to about switching styles. I guess he used to train in Kung fu, or something like that, and was a higher rank, then decided to change styles. The judges thought it was unfair, but the way that I see it, he changed styles, started at white belt, and was working his way through... is that so bad?