The Meaning of BLACK BELT

The first definition of a BELT is a narrow strip of fabric that you wear around your waist. A BLACK BELT in martial arts literally means one who has completed years of training and have moved up in hierarchy to attain "Sho-Dan" or 1st Dan. Having 1st Dan is the start of learning martial arts in a mental and spiritual way . Perfection of the Techniques and the quest to be come a Proficient Teacher  will pave to way for one to learn and improve one inner self.

Black Belt are generally used by those who have attained 1st to 8th Dan. However, most Teachers do not show the " Dan" they are holding on their belts. The Higher the Dans are, the more one have spent years of training, teaching and research.

Therefore, having the First Black Belt is considered not the end of training BUT actually the start of understanding Martial Arts. - Shihan George Tan

We append here an article by Reverand Kensho Furuya :

Most people would be overjoyed if I would say it takes just a couple of years to get a black belt,    unfortunately it does not. And though I am afraid most people would not be happy with my answer, I think the general misconception about “what is a black belt” should be clarified as much as possible. This is not a popular subject to discuss in the way I am going to. Indeed I warn my students not to ask the question in the first place. The answer is not what they want to hear.

How do you get a black belt? You find a competent teacher, and a good school, begin training and work hard. Secondly, who knows when, it will come. It is not easy, but it's worth it. It may take one year, it may take ten years. You may never achieve it. When you come to realize that the black belt is not as important as the practice itself, you are probably approaching black belt level. When you realize that no matter how long or how hard you train, there is a lifetime of study and practice ahead of you until you die, you are probably getting close to a black belt.

At what ever level you achieve, if you think you “deserve” a black belt, or if you think you are now “good enough” to be a black belt you are way of the mark, and, indeed a very long way from reaching your black belt.

Train hard, be humble, don't show off in front of your teacher or other students, don't complain about any task and do your best in everything in your life. This is what it means to be a black belt.

To be overconfident, to show off your skill, to be competitive, to look down on others, to show lack of respect to seniors & instructors, and to pick and chose what you do and don't do (believing that some jobs are beneath your dignity) characterize the student who will never achieve the “real black belt”. What they wear around their waist is simply a piece of merchandize bought for a few dollars in a martial arts supply store.

The real black belt worn by a real black belt holder, is the white belt of a beginner, turned black by the colour of his blood and sweat through the years of training.

Happy Training - Webmaster.

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By Jassmine Shadiqe
johor(at)nst.com.my

FIVE weeks of hard work paid off for 28 policemen who enrolled in the force’s self-defence karate course in May this year.
The policemen, attached to various districts in Johor, were given 15 weeks to learn the art. They graduated with “flying techniques” on Dec 5.
Johor special branch chief Datuk Ramli Hassan handed the policemen their black belts in a ceremony held at the Johor police headquarters recently.
Ramli said karate helped to develop strong character and respect towards people and their surroundings. Learning
karate, therefore, was invaluable for policemen to defend themselves successfully against any would-be assailant.

“The art of karate also allows one to defeat or disarm an opponent by striking or kicking. It is in line with standard operation procedures as using firearms against a suspect is our last option.
“Policemen are encouraged to disarm a suspect using alternative means, including their baton, a T-baton or their handcuffs instead of using firearms.
“Firearms are used in self-defence and are the last resort against the criminals.”
Ramli added that the policemen were put through a strenuous physical and mental discipline during the training, thus strengthening them both physically and mentally.
After receiving their black belts, the policemen would be roped in to join a course called “Train of Trainers”.
During this course, the recently-graduated officers would be expected to train other police officers in a bid to
encourage all Johor police personnel to take up martial arts.
The literal meaning of the two Japanese characters that make up the word “karate” is “empty hands”.
This refers to the fact that karate originated as a system of self-defence which relied on the effective use of the
unarmed body of the practitioner to defend himself.
This system consisted of blocking techniques, thwarting an attack and counter-attacking the opponent by punching, striking or kicking.

Karate as a means of self-defence has a history dating back centuries. It was only in recent years that the
techniques, which had been handed down, were scientifically studied.
The principles then evolved into a system, making effective use of the various moves of the body.
One of the six karate trainers, Sergeant Isa Mohd Nor of Johor police headquarters, said 28 policemen had
volunteered for the programme that started on May 5.
The programme required them to train daily for three weeks.
After a day’s break, the training continued for 15 weeks.
“None of them had karate knowledge. Teaching them was like painting on a clean sheet of canvas,” Isa said at the graduation ceremony.
Initially, the officers were reserved and shy. The programme helped to boost their confidence.

Practice Kata Correctly

by Kenwa Mabuni

Translation by
Mark Tankosich, MA

This translation originally appeared in Vol. 29, No. 1 of the Hiroshima University of Economics Journal of Humanities, Social and Natural Sciences.

In karate, the most important thing is kata . Into the kata of karate are woven every manner of attack and defense technique. Therefore, kata must be practiced properly, with a good understanding of their bunkai meaning. There may be those who neglect the practice of kata , thinking that it is sufficient to just practice [pre-arranged] kumite (13) that has been created based on their understanding of the kata , but that will never lead to true advancement. The reason why is that the ways of thrusting and blocking - that is to say, the techniques of attack and defense - have innumerable variations. To create kumite containing all of the techniques in each and every one of their variations is impossible. If one sufficiently and regularly practices kata correctly, it will serve as a foundation for performing - when a crucial time comes - any of the innumerable variations.

         However, even if you practice the kata of karate, if that is all that you do, if your [other] training is lacking, then you will not develop sufficient ability. If you do not [also] utilize various training methods to strengthen and quicken the functioning of your hands and feet, as well as to sufficiently study things like body-shifting and engagement distancing, you will be inadequately prepared when the need arises to call on your skills.

         If practiced properly, two or three kata will suffice as "your" kata ; all of the others can just be studied as sources of additional knowledge. Breadth, no matter how great, means little without depth. In other words, no matter how many kata you know, they will be useless to you if you don't practice them enough. If you sufficiently study two or three kata as your own and strive to perform them correctly, when the need arises, that training will spontaneously take over and will be shown to be surprisingly effective. If your kata training is incorrect, you will develop bad habits which, no matter how much kumite and makiwara practice you do, will lead to unexpected failure when the time comes to utilize your skills. You should be heedful of this point.

         Correctly practicing kata - having sufficiently comprehended their meaning - is the most important thing for a karate trainee. However, the karate-ka must by no means neglect kumite and makiwara practice, either. Accordingly, if one seriously trains - and studies - with the intent of approximately fifty percent kata and fifty percent other things, one will get satisfactory results.

Source:http://seinenkai.com/articles/tankosich/tankosich3.html . Published with the permission of the author.