Martial Arts Belts
Martial arts belts seem to have either a mythical status, or they’re an all too common site at tournaments and other events. There was a time when a black belt really meant something special. If you wore one of those, everyone knew you were a scholar of the fighting arts and a teacher who educated the community about self defense and combat sports. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case when it comes to many instructors today. There are plenty of schools out there who hand out ranks to anyone who shows up and pays on time – regardless of levels of achievement. These so-called black belts head out and begin teaching, even though they lack any real martial arts knowledge. If that isn’t bad enough, many teach sport martial arts and say their training can also be used for self defense purposes. Remember, the belt is just something that holds up your gi, it’s the lifestyle you lead that really matters.
First you need the facts when it comes to martial arts belts. Everyone gets a white belt in the beginning, and then they’re tested at each level before advancement. Kids have a separate ranking system and aren’t allowed to test for their black belt until they’re older and more experienced. If you see a kid with a black belt chances are they aren’t a child martial arts protégé. Most martial arts students are under the age of 18, and they aren’t ready for combat because they haven’t learned self defense. Martial arts for kids is more like gym class, while real self defense training for kids’ starts when they learn how to sense danger and run away from threats.
Another persistent myth about martial arts belts is that they’ve been around for centuries. Not all martial arts styles are ancient, and we can trace the belt ranking system back to Japan in the 1880s. Educator Kano Jigoro, the founder of Judo was responsible for the creation of the ranking system. Before his system became common place, every school used a different version of an older Jujutsu ranking system. It was confusing and if a student went to another school, they would have to start over. So, if you want a belt that means something – find a good school and start training.
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