I have an embroidered Shureido black belt. I received this obi when I tested for black belt in 1996. After class on Monday, I took off my belt and looked at it. It is worn …but not worn out. In my humble biased opinion, it is perfect. As I was commiserating to another black belt, he said “You should start wearing your other belt”. I said “What other belt? This is the only one that I have.” You see, I should have bought another belt a few years ago. Our belt requirements for Renshi are to add one gold stripe to the belt or buy a new belt with the stripe. My confession is that I have done neither. Please know that I do not mean to be disrespectful by not following the recommended uniform suggestions of the Federation. My instructor knows that I still wear my original stripe-free obi.
It took me twelve years of belt wearing to get my obi to the condition it is today. I thought that I would only ever need one belt. I know I am just complaining, but a new belt is so stiff. I remember when I first got my black belt. I was working on kata Chinto and during the jump kick; my belt flew up and the corner almost poked my eye out. Ok, I am exaggerating but it did hit me in the eye. My belt is long and was sized by my instructor with the statement that “You will grow into it”. I hope that I have grown into my belt figuratively not literally.
I do not want my obi to wear out any further. I think it is time to order my Renshi belt so that in another twelve years it will be perfect.
3 comments:
I think there's nothing more beautiful than seeing well-worn, well earned belts wrapped around the black belts in my school.
But if the white uniform has gone grey, yeah, time to update!
The way my crazy mind works, when I get a new belt, it "forces" me to practice when I may be feeling lazy - to break it in faster. Whatever it takes to motivate!
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