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THE
FIRST OF MANY
Shiro
obi
When
you are accepted into a dojo one of the first things that
will be asked of you is that you dress in an appropriate
manner for all of your classes.
While
there are a wide variety of styles within the world of
martial arts traditionally in a Shotokan karate dojo all
of the students and instructors wear a white gi that is
tied at the waist with a coloured belt or "obi"
in keeping with their present rank.
These
belts start with the colour white, or as it is referred
to in the dojo, tenth kyu. Progressing upwards in rank
the belts can vary in colour from dojo to dojo but often
you will have yellow, orange, red, green, violet, blue,
and then three different levels of brown. These three
levels of brown belt are most often distinguished from
each other by a horizontal stripe at one end of the belt.
One stripe is for the rank of 3rd kyu, two stripes for
the rank of 2nd kyu, and three stripes for the rank of 1st
kyu.
On
the surface it may appear odd that the 1st kyu rank has
three stripes, and the 3rd kyu rank only has one stripe
but, in karate the kyu, or junior ranks, count down from
ten which is the lowest kyu rank, to one, which is the
highest kyu rank thus with the rank of 1st kyu brown belt
will have the most stripes.
After
1st kyu the next rank is Sho Dan, or 1st level of black
belt. Once you reach the Dan ranks the count reverses and
you start counting upward from one to ten, with 10th Dan
being the highest level you can obtain within the
traditional Shotokan karate system.
After
dressing in your new gi the next thing to do is to learn
how to tie on your new white belt. Below you will find a
diagram that illustrates how this should be done.
Start
in the upper left hand corner and read down that column
first, then go to the upper right hand corner and read
down that column.
Your
belt should now be neatly tied around your waist, but if
in doubt about the way it looks be sure and ask one of
the other students for confirmation.
So
pay attention in class, follow instructions, be
observant, and always train with a positive attitude. If
you do then before you know it you will find yourself
grading for a new rank and that next coloured belt that
comes with it. But remember, once you have learned to tie
your belt properly, the manner in which you do so will
not change despite any future change in rank.
One
way truly fits all in this case.
Remember:
Your
belt is a visual symbol of your past
effort
and dedication, so wear it with pride.
- Part
the clouds - see the way.
-
- "The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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