White Tiger Martial Arts

What do the belts mean?

by Damon Cooper

The majority of today's martial arts use a belt system of one kind or another. The purpose of the belt can vary widely depending on the club or style that you belong to, although almost all use the belt as a visual representation of ability, commitment or both.

My own opinion as to the purpose of the belts in martial arts is as follows:

Most importantly, the belt is used to keep your gi (uniform) in place and looking smart. Do not lose sight of the fact that this is what most belts are for, even the one on your jeans!

Secondly, the belt is an essential training aid, and particularly useful to your instructor. For instance, if you are moving your hips correctly in a reverse punch technique, then the two ends of your belt will swing with your body. Therefore, if your belt ends are not swinging, you are probably not performing the technique correctly, and your instructor should spot this, even in a crowded dojo.

Lastly, the colour of the belt does signify your level of ability and the amount of time you have been training. Most martial arts dojo's have a wide array of different coloured belts around the waists of it's students, which have been awarded at grading assessments, to mark the continued development towards the coveted black belt.

When martial arts originated, all students wore a plain white uniform tied with a white belt, and this ensured that everyone had equal standing, from the chief instructor to the newest student. However, as martial arts belts should never be washed, the more that the belt was worn, the dirtier it became, eventually becoming so dark that it resembled a black belt.

Let's think this through for a minute - those that have been training harder and longer than others have a darker belt, as it continues to get dirtier day after day, week after week, month after month. Now look at the system we have in the Western world, new students begin at white belt, and as they progress, their belt gets darker and darker, until they are eventually awarded their black belt. It is no different to ancient times, just using coloured dyes instead of dirt.

In summary, the next time you tie your belt before a training session, take a minute to think what it actually means - Does it make you any better than a student who is a lower grade to you? Does it give you the right to be arrogant or a bully? Or is it simply a piece of cloth designed to keep your clothes in place?

I appreciate that the challenge for many students is to progress through the belts as quickly as possible to finally achieve their black belt. I am not saying that this is wrong, I am simply saying that you should not rush your own development, otherwise you may find that you will not be able to live up to the expectations of the belt you are wearing. Make sure you enjoy your coloured belt training as, trust me, once you receive your black belt, the hard work really starts!