Karate is a martial art that needs no introduction, since it is a discipline known and practiced worldwide. However, the belts that are used in karate practice have a very peculiar history and meaning. Meet them.
The history of belts in karate
The first martial art to introduce a color grading system, giving belts a symbolic meaning was Japanese Judo . It was a unique and innovative method in its day and it was the best way found by Jigoro Kano (father of Judo ) to differentiate his students’ martial knowledge. At the beginning of the 20th century, this system was adapted by master Gichin Funakoshi in karate and distinguished all practitioners by class (Kyu) and grade (Dan). This method aimed to stimulate and motivate the practice of martial arts and, consequently, the technical and psychological evolution of its students.
The color grading system
The color grading system determines the level at which a practitioner of a martial art finds himself and what position he occupies within a given group. In karate, a student is constantly tested and the technical level he displays shows his class and his level of knowledge. When a student passes a graduation exam, he automatically acquires the right to a new belt and a new color. Traditionally, karate practitioners did not buy new belts, as the more experienced ones offered their belts to the younger ones, as a way of recognizing their effort and dedication.
The standard color system is white, yellow, green, brown and black, however, the colors that are used and their ordering varies from school to school, as well as the relationship between the color of the belt and the classification of a student (Kyu). In 10 different karate schools it is common to have 10 different graduation systems, however, the main condition is to encourage all practitioners to reach a higher level of learning.
The meaning of the color of belts in karate
In all degree systems, a student’s classification follows a decreasing order from number 10 (white belt) to number 1 (black belt in karate). This classification shows the path that a karateka must follow, from the moment he starts to practice the sport, when he is innocent and pure (white belt) to a state of excellence and maximum experience (black belt). At a competitive level, the color of the belts is of extraordinary importance, as it serves to differentiate all types of competitors. Therefore, for a karateka, the color of his belt represents the way he is seen by the community that welcomes him, the technical level he has, his evolution and wisdom.
The myth of colored belts in karate
There is a very characteristic myth that explains the use of different colors in karate belts, which is the idea that they were never washed. In this sense, the belt represents a student’s experience time and the countless hours of training he has had and dedicated to the practice of a martial art. The longer a student’s training time, the greater their knowledge and the greater the amount of dust and dirt accumulated in their belt. In this way, students who are beginning to practice karate (white belt) are distinguished from those who already have a long experience (black belt). This is the theory that belts are the reflection of several years of training and long individual learning. Basically, achieving a black belt is the result of a long working day that reflects the fulfillment of several stages that discipline the body and mind of a sportsman.
