colors of belts??

Question

I was taught, Colors of belts is a new thing to the last hundred years, in the previous 2000 years of martial arts the belt was darker because they didnt wash the belt so over time a white belt turned black.... is this correct with anyone elses training

Answer 1

That is correct. A person's belt would become darker from sweat, dirt, and even blood. As the belt darkened it served to indicate the person's level of skill and experience in the martial art that he studied. Also the belt would become more frayed and eventually more lighter as they continued studying since the fraying would show newly exposed material and go back to being a dull, whiteish color. Belts like this are worn by traditional Japanese/Okinawan stylists oftentimes who have been around for a long time. I wear a belt like this and sometimes a person will ask why I don't change it and once I explain to them the idea behind it they usually understand and begin to figure out that I have been doing martial arts a very long time.

The belt color system parallels that of the different robe color system that Chinese monks used to show their degree of enlightenment. Instituted by Judo, it is a great motivator for Westerner's whose attitude to achievement and goal attainment is much different than that in the Eastern cultures.

Answer 2

The belt system was created by Jigoro Kanu the creater of Judo. He used white belts to define all students not at Black belt level. So it was black and white...
He determined as time went on that by introducing coloured belts (obi) it would be easier to determine a students level of skill. Seeing as astudent with only a few months of training would not be differentiated from one with a few years. The current rank (kyu) system in Judo is white yellow orange green blue brown black then 10 dan levels. Some use a multi coloured belt to define a student who is between belts meaning they are at the skill level of the next belt but are not old enough or don't have enough time in etc... It also helped as competition became more popular in Judo as they did not want a beginer fighting experience fighters.

13+ years training in Judo

Answer 3

Yeah, I've heard that too. Another story I heard was from an instructor of Kawashi Ryu Jiujutsu. Apparently Judo was the first martial art to use the belt system. Jigaro Kano (Judo's founder) recruited famous Jiujutsuka to join his new system. One of them was a guy by the name of Kawashi (sorry, I don't have a given name, and the spelling may be off) who became Kano's man in France. Kawashi was asked to come up with a way to encourage Westerners to participate in Judo. Kawashi noted that Westerners were very goal and status oriented and so he invented the belt system. His original system also had a purple belt between blue and brown, which Judo don't use but Kawashi Ryu Jiujutsu does.

Answer 4

I've heard that one, and also the story about the fact that Kano introduced the belt system. However, the original belt system included only white and black, and the western system did introduce more colors to keep people coming back since the goals became more immediately attainable.

However, in the Judo Kodokan in Japan, the original white and black system is still honored.

Answer 5

That is partially true. It portains to the japanese / okinawan, korean, and any styles using the belt system. The judo belt system was started to be able to judge the level of its students knowledge. It was later adopted by many systems. There are even a few chinese styles that use some form of a belt / sash system now.

Answer 6

I have heard this story too. I don't know if it is truth or not. There are certainly systems out there that predate Kano's system. I am sure they had ranking methods and visual indicators. The Japanese have a way of saying everything is their idea when really it is just a regurgitated idea from another culture.
I believe that this story is just a legend and not based on fact.

Do not put emphasis on rank, it is an abstract thing simply used for organization.

Answer 7

That's traditional. The colored system is actually only about 50 years old and was originally designed to assist instructors to separate students of different levels in group classes (which really didn't start to take hold until after WW2).

Answer 8

That is correct. A person's belt would become darker from sweat, dirt, and even blood. As the belt darkened it served to indicate the person's level of skill and experience.

Answer 9

that is what one of my instructors told me. that the student was recognized to be at a higher level as his belt got darker. it started off as white and through the training it became darker. i was also told that eventually it become white again.

Answer 10

In my martial arts style-Keichu Do-the belts are white,yellow,orange,green,
purple,
brown (three levels) and black.