Martial Arts – The history of the Belt System

The black belt in martial arts has an extensive history with many different stories, old myths and modern practices.

In most traditional martial arts styles, a black belt signifies a high level of proficiency, dedication and skill. But where did the black belt tradition come from?

It’s unclear where exactly the black belt came from, but some theories point to feudal Japan in the late 1700s as the source of this ranking system. It’s said that samurai used white cloth around their waist as a sign of their rank in the military hierarchy, and when their sashes became dirty over time, they would dye them to look darker. From this it is thought that those who trained more intensely for longer periods of time began wearing darker belts as a mark of distinction between those who had attained higher levels of martial arts proficiency.

Other stories about the origins of the black belt tell tales about Zen Buddhist monks using different coloured obi (the Japanese word for belt) as symbols representing a certain rank within their order or level of spiritual attainment.

No matter which story is true, it’s clear that martial artists began to associate different levels of accomplishment with particular-coloured belts, resulting in today’s modern-day scheme.

The current system typically consists of 10 grades:

white, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, red, brown and black belts – with each one having specific requirements that must be achieved before advancing to the next rank.

Although some might say there isn’t much point to keeping such a complicated ranking system today since its origin was mainly due to old myths and customs – but understanding how we got here is still important in recognizing why so many people put emphasis on it and how long this system has been in existence.

Whether it is motivated by cultural beliefs or simply desire for personal growth – achieving one’s black belt provides martial artists with both a physical sense of achievement as well as an emotional confidence boost that will stay with you long after you’ve stopped practicing the art.

At Storm Family Martial Arts, we run a bespoke age-appropriate syllabus which includes Karate, Tae kwon, Kickboxing, self defence, along with other styles, with a defined belt system to distinguish grading levels for Dragons and Tigers and Adults students.

Storm recognises the importance of hard work and reward and the motivation it gives both children and adults when they achieve their next belt rank. We don’t just focus on the physical skills of martial arts, but also mental discipline, personal growth and strength of character.

We are a leadership and life skills academy committed to teaching courtesy, self-control, respect through our Champions for Life programme.

If you would like to start you journey towards gaining a black belt (and the  personal and health benefits that can be gained along the way), book your free trial class with  Storm Family Martial Arts today. We have classes in Bracknell, Warfield, Maidenhead, Wokingham, Woodley and Windsor.