Martial arts belts are a common piece of equipment that serve a couple of purposes for the martial artist. From a practical standpoint, martial arts belts serve as something to hold your pants up and hold your uniform top in place. The way that a belt is tied can vary depending on the length of the belt and the tradition of the school in which you are practicing. Some schools do not use belts at all, or use a substitute. Sashes are a popular substitute and can serve the same purpose while giving the discipline a unique look.

The belt is more importantly used to show a student’s level of achievement. There are very few disciplines that do not use the white belt to signify a novice and a black belt to identify a master. This is where most agreements end. I have been to numerous schools and not one of them agrees upon meaning or the progression of colors, beyond white and black. Some schools even use multi-colored, or partially colored belts to show achievement.

Schools have many different ideas on what the symbolism of the belt color is. Here is one example from a nearby school that uses karate uniforms:

White – Birth. Absence of all colors. Uncolored by anything.

Yellow- Action. Beginning of movements.

Green- Life. The concepts of Martial arts starts to take life in the student.

Red- Flame. A burning passion for knowledge begins to consume the student.

Black- Open Door. The door to knowledge has been opened. It is dark, but by stepping through, one can begin to learn the true meaning of the martial art in which they are training.

Achievement of the black belt is usually understood that the practitioner has only begun to attain real knowledge. The black belt signifies a completion of the steps necessary and an acquisition of the information that the discipline is trying to teach. However, the true mastery of this knowledge is only just starting. In fact, most students who reach black belt never actually reach mastery. They simply have the knowledge and information to begin their journey. Uniforms, weapons and the like are important to the practitioner of martial arts, but martial arts belts (although seemingly insignificant at first glance), rank right there with the others in importance and significance in the grand scheme of things.

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