Nothing builds character and develops discipline better than martial arts. This is the reason why a lot of people invest their time and energy in karate schools and studios after school, after office, on weekends and any spare time.
In the U.S. alone, more than18 million people are into karate with a good mix of 9 million adults, 5 million teenagers and 3 million kids.
Some might say that the numbers are influenced by the number of Asians that are residing in America. But contrary to this assumption, studies show that only 5% of the karate practitioners in the U.S. are Asians. Furthermore, there are more Afro-Americans in karate dojos than Caucasians and Asian.
Karate Belts and Ranking System
Karate builds character because it’s a good way to boost self-confidence, not in the sense that the knowledge of karate will make you the toughest kid in school or the toughest guy on the block. Karate builds self-confidence because it provides a system for monitoring development and mastery; the colored karate belts.
Whereas there can only be one tennis champion in a tennis tournament, in karate, one doesn’t need to beat up everybody else to earn distinction. Every practitioner has a chance of moving forward based on his own merits.
While skills development in other sports is noticeable, Karate awards improvement with a very obvious tag. These are the colored belts.
Karate provides a lot of self-esteem because one’s development is measurable. It is something that can be flaunted. The colored belts will be worn for everyone to see.
It’s easy to be hooked on karate. One can find satisfaction and fulfillment in its progressing belt system.
Origin of Karate Belts
The karate belt is not just an ordinary belt to keep your pants from dropping or your shirt from opening. The karate belt has a very deep and valuable meaning.
The value of the karate belt goes back to its origin at the Shaolin Su Temple in China. The original monk warriors wore a utility wrap-around sash. The monks used the sash for their daily work. The belt has never been considered as a piece of garment.
That is why up to this day, karate belts are not washed. Students may wash a newly bought belt. But as tradition dictates, it should never be washed again, only stored.
Wouldn’t the belts get soiled and dirt? The progression of the colored belts originated from this very idea.
A karate student will start off with a new fresh white belt. Soaked with his sweat from training, the belt will turn yellow. As time passes by with the belt being stored in a humid environment, molds would start to settle making it green. As the student keeps on training and is repeatedly being thrown down to the floor, which was originally intended to be on natural soil, the belt will turn brown. And so on and so forth until it turns black from all the years of karate practice.
The origin of the karate belts came from the idea that mastery of the discipline comes from years of studying, training and practicing. The student who has a dirtiest or darkest belt is the student who has spent the longest time in perfecting the martial art. The dark colored belts, symbols of mastery, represent the number of times that student has been knocked down and thrown to the floor.
Meaning of the Karate Belt
The development of the colored belts has a very deep meaning from which can be drawn two very important life’s values.
“Mastery is only possible where there is humility”
The colored karate belts teach us that a great karate fighter is someone who has spent the most time with his face on the canvass.
“Success is only a consequence of a string of failures”
The colored karate belts teach us that there are a lot of things to learn from one’s mistakes.
In a sense, karate not only teaches martial arts but the truth about life.
Buying the Karate Belts
Every promotion is a very pleasant and exciting event for the karate student. It means that the previous colored belt will yet be another souvenir, a memorabilia or more of a trophy that can be displayed not only to amplify the achievement but to commemorate all the sacrifices and hard work that got the student through it.
In every case, the karate student will be very proud to wear a new belt on his next karate class.
Normally, dojos have karate gis with the white belt as it is most salable to new students. Some dojos may have available colored belts. But in case yours don’t, you can always buy them online.
Buying your colored karate belts online has several advantages.
The most obvious advantage is that you can go window shopping on the web with a few clicks on your mouse and a few taps on your keyboards.
You can see the best prices from all the stores that are selling karate belts. There’s no problem about proximity since everything can be paid for by credit cards online and can be delivered within the day with express delivery.
Going online would be the best way to buy your well-deserved new karate belt.