Belt ranks ?

Question

Someone on here a while ago said that a black belt or brown or any other colour of the rainbow in belts said that the person who has a belt should not tell or say anything about their rank ?
and forbids them to tell and to say what they practise !
Why would you do that ? I think there a bit insecure about what they do cause deep down they know its **** !
If someone told me that i would be leaving straight away would you ?

Answer 1

I'm with Ray H on this one.

Answer 2

I don't see why a teacher force you to keep it a secret.

Personally I don't tell people what rank I am or how long I've been studying for if I can avoid it as this usually leads to an "oh yeah block this then" from some idiot that winds up getting hurt and leaving me having to leave before having to cause more trouble.

Personally I think that ranks are more trouble than they're worth, there's always people in class trying to take your head off when you're trying to teach them things to help them out because they want to prove that they're better than you. This is not to say that I can't hold my own or anything, it's just annoying to have to justify or prove myself to ever random idiot that thinks he can fight.

Answer 3

I don't find belts to be of any importance quite frankly....and I have teaching level certifications in two seperate martial styles.

So, if I heard that out of an instructors mouth, I'd be quick to question why...and then make decisions accordingly : which would be most likely to leave straight away.

I've always found that, in situations like what you've described...there's certainly some shady stuff going on and it's better to let the fools who get suckered into that junk get stuck with it but be the wiser student and go seek legitimate instruction.

Answer 4

Funny story about belts, I studied for 10 years in a school and right before I made a move which would force me to leave the school they adopted a belt ranking system. I only did one test, and therefore I ended up a yellow belt. I dont think belts are as meaningful as your dedication and acheivement in the martial arts. Dont worry about rank, worry about your personal development.
Oh, and you can talk about it, but dont be a jerk about rank and style and throw it in peoples face, thats annoying.

Answer 5

it is an exercise in humility. It's usually the arrogant show offs that don't have any really martial arts skills. I haven't been intimidated by someone who would so openly reveal their rank in a martial arts. It just gives me an idea of what to watch out for.

It's like someone says they have a knife, so i know to watch out for it and get them after they commit to a stab.

How well you train is like a hidden weapon that you can always use to surprise someone. It doesn't do much good if you tell them you have it. Also, many people do not believe that martial arts is effective and will ignore anyone who states their rank.

Answer 6

I think he was probably talking about in everyday real life use of martial arts as a self-defense. You would never want to tell someone you might actually end up in a fight with that you have ANY martial arts training or any fighting ability at all. If you do tell them you have lost probably 50% of your advantage. If they know and you didn't tell them make that 80%...Once you tell some one your rank and your style you have told them your strengths and your weaknesses.
Example one.>>... Some guy in a bar wants to fight me and I am sure I am a superior athlete but with no fighting experience or training. The guy announces that he has a black belt and is going to kick my ***. Not being stupid I won't try to go even up with him but now grab a bar stool and beat the crap out of him with it.
Example two >> ... Same guy tells me he has a black belt in Tae Kwan Do....there aren't any bar stools available so I tackle him, wrestle with him and choke his little neck. TKD isn't a grappling style and 95% of his training goes out the door once you get him on the ground.
Last example>>> Lets say someone breaks into your house and you have a shot gun...for gods sake don't yell out " Who's there? I have a gun!" If they have a gun they are just gonna shoot you first. If you just say "Who's there?" and they have a gun they are likely going to say "Shut up I have a gun!" Now shoot him..... and don't forget to tell the cops you were afraid for your life....

Answer 7

The thing that everyone here needs to learn that belts mean nothing. Maybe at their school it is a "chain of command" or some mis-used way to rank everyone by skill. I don't give a rats *** about what rank any one is. I know that the color of belt around your waist is nothing. I can determine the skills of someone simply by watching them, as can everyone else. Ofcourse I am talking about real and effective combat here. Your not going to strike fear in my heart by professing some rank in a martial art. If you want me to shake in my boots, show me you can invoke your will over mine in real combat. I havn't and will not profess any skill in anything. I wont profess a rank in any system. But if the day comes that I have to show you my skill that is when you see. No bosting or bragging will be better than showing. As far as I believe I have no skill in any art (combat or other wise) I have no special ranking in any system or styles. I will not profess any great skills. But if I am force to I may be able to execute what others only wear about their waist.

Answer 8

I don't believe there's any code of secrecy to belt ranks. At the same time, what does a belt rank really tell you? Different senseis have such different requirements, from light to difficult. A brown belt in one school is a Yellow in another.

Answer 9

This is partly rooted in the basic tenants of Bushido and humility and also being non aggressive without reason or cause. The other part of this has to do with the tenant of strength-why expose yourself and your intentions to your opponent when it is to your advantage not to and not necessary-therefore you have the element of surprise in your favor. Some traditional instructors carry this to an extreme and encourage their students to keep their knowledge and skill hidden till it is absolutely needed. It also offers a lesser trained student the security of not being tried unnecessarily. I have had a few beginners that have been tried by bullies but those bullies have never come to my studio and tried a trained or senior student.

Answer 10

For various reasons from not wanting his/her belts to brag to making sure that by not mentioning martial arts they won't have to prove it.

But I'm with Ray H on this. I don't go around bragging, but if somebody asks me what style/belt, I'll tell them.

As for proving it, if they want to attack me and find out, then fine. But I won't start a fight with them just to prove that I may or may not be a better fighter than they are.

Answer 11

I do not believe in revealing rank or style.
To talk of our rank is to invite trouble. Besides, rank means nothing outside the doors of your training facility. It varies from style to style and school to school. We do not encourage our students to speak of it or focus on it. I train to improve myself not to obtain a colored piece of fabric so I feel there is nothing to be gained by talking of such subjects.
Style- I personally do not speak of my style. I feel that it draws lines in the sand and invites ego clashes. The founder of my art had a vision where all martial arts joined and shared the nest of each style. I also believe that the quality and frequency of training far outweighs the style you train in, so why bother bringing it up. People tend to judge you based on the style you practice when really they have no idea how I train.

To talk of your training in daily life is foolish. It invites ego situations. A fight is a physical clash of two or more egos. I never choose to fight. I train to learn to preserve the self, not to jeopardize it.

As far as insecurity, I personally have all the faith in the world in my teacher and my art. He has direct lineage to the founder of the style and the art is a traditional Asian art that has been proven by the test of time. I personally believe the people that open conversations with “I have a quadruple black belt in Bob's TKD/Karate...you know the one at the West End Mall..." have more insecurities than one who does not reveal his rank, training or style. It takes a lot of confidence to not have to verbalize your training. I also feel people that open conversations with their rank are throwing their credibility out the window. I don't know what they did to obtain their rank, they may have bought it or attend a McAdoo. I have gi's that have more training hours than some of the black belts out there so I don't let what they say get to me.
In my art we teach and train people to surpress their ego, too many people in the world have large egos, I would like to see more of us learn that we are not super important people, we are just regular folks trying to make our way in the world, anything you can do to make that journey smoother is a good thing. Perhaps if more people learned that their ego is not in charge their would be less violence in the world, afterall isn't that the end goal here, to stop fighting.