| When someone tells you they study karate, or any | | | | paying your dues and how much knowledge you |
| Japanese martial art, your first question is probably, | | | | attained through your training. |
| "What belt are you?" If they say black belt, then no | | | | In the Japanese martial art, the only thing a black belt |
| doubt you're thoroughly impressed. However, if they | | | | represents is that you have mastered the basics and |
| say white belt, you might simply nod, tell them that's | | | | now the real work begins. Once you have reached |
| very interesting and wish them luck with their martial | | | | this level, you start to learn the moves behind the |
| art training. What many people tend to forget is that | | | | moves. |
| those impressive black belts had to start somewhere. | | | | The white belt in martial arts training represents |
| What does the white belt really mean, though? Did you | | | | innocence, birth and beginning. After many years of |
| know that in traditional martial art training, the | | | | use, your white belt gets dirty from all your hard work |
| practitioners had no ranking system? Sure, there was | | | | (you never wash your belt!). It turns from white to |
| a certain hierarchy within the dojo (formal karate | | | | brown and eventually black. |
| training school): there were the beginning, intermediate | | | | The funny thing is, that if you wear a black belt long |
| and advanced students, the senior instructors and the | | | | enough, it will start to fray and you'll notice that it's |
| Sensei (head instructor), but they had no colored belts. | | | | turning to a white belt again. This, too, is symbolic: you |
| Everyone had a white belt. The orthodox Japanese | | | | never fully master everything in your martial arts |
| martial art of karate didn't start with a colored ranking | | | | training. A true master knows that learning is a |
| system until it came to America. As this author's | | | | never-ending cycle. |
| Sensei explained, the American student needed a | | | | Your white belt is a symbol that you are trying to be a |
| measurement of progress, unlike the Japanese | | | | better person through the Japanese martial art of |
| students. | | | | karate. Martial arts training has always been |
| Today, there are some schools that keep to the bare | | | | considered an ideal way to discipline yourself and reap |
| minimum of white, green, brown and black belts. Other | | | | some physical rewards at the same time. |
| schools like a little more flash and incorporate yellow, | | | | Rather than being embarrassed of what your white |
| orange, blue and red. It all boils down to the same thing: | | | | belt signifies, look at it as a new pathway to a better |
| something to keep your gi (karate uniform) closed. | | | | life. Remember, a black belt is not far off if you |
| Seriously though, in traditional martial art training, the | | | | continue to discipline yourself and work hard with your |
| difference between a white belt and a black belt was | | | | martial arts training program. |
| the amount of years you spent sweating in the dojo, | | | | |