hey i want 2 know why some sensei's have a black belt with a white stripe thru it and others have a plain black belt with gold kanji on them whats the diff curious new student.

Hi Ninja,
The Black and White belt mark that person as an Instructor. A black Belt signifies a Dan-Grade Student or Instructor.
I believe the Kanji is a personal preference though - it`s usually worn by Regional Managers and Zone Directors. At least over here ( UK ) it is.

In other words the black and white belt instructor is still a kyu grade...


(thought i'd get in there befoe mick did LOL )

Already read it and left it for others to answer.


Mick

Although in my region, We have at least one Black Belt Instructor who is required to wear his B+W belt when teaching - just to further confuse the issue!

Why??????

I`ve no real idea - when asked, he said "When I`m instructing, I wear my Instructors belt."
I didn`t get anything else out of him on that.

Not too many would happily wear a B&W instead of their BB when teaching I imagine.


Mick

Please whisper the name in my ear and I'll let you know if they're pulling your leg..... There are only 4 BBs in your region - the RM, his son, Wayne (Ged's sempai) and Ray. Anyone else is winding you up Tom.

Tom has whispered and I can say 100% that the little ginger tw*t telling people he's BB is 2nd kyu at very best - an SDC with 2 yrs karate!

Cheers Tom - I'm still laughing!

Wherever I've gone:
* the B&W are for kyu-graded instructors,
* a plain BB is for any student or sensei Shodan-Ho or above, and
* the gold kanji is for any student or sensei of Shodan or above.

Some of the real traditionalists who are Nidan and above still have their original Shodan-Ho belt that they wear religiously, and they are some ropey old grey things I can tell you.

Seen numerous S-hos with embroidered belts too....
just to confuse the issue.

But if an instructor wears a b+w belt to signify that they are teaching a class, then why do they get to wear a Black belt once they grade to that level?
How is that any different from an instructor wearing their brown belt etc, once they grade to 3rd kyu?

Does this give the impression that all black belts are instructors?

Or conversely, does this give students the impression that if an instructor isn't wearing their B+W belt, then they aren't teaching them?

I dunno. I do know that more than a couple of people have related experiences of wearing their actual brown belt while teaching instead of the b&w and the attitude of the class has risen as a result.


Mick

It's a big difference. The b+w belt is there to hide the grade of a kyu grade instructor, as it is not an accepted standard for a m/a teacher. Once they reach bb there is no need to hide the grade anymore. It's a very clever ploy.

Of course, in many cases there is not a vast difference between a shodan and a brown belt and to many mid kyu grades a brown belt instructor would be acceptable, but put kyu grades in their real belts infront of new students and how many would be back for a second class?

In some cases there is not much difference between a green belt and a black belt. They know the same stuff, just the black belt has been training for longer.


Mick

Remind me again... the point of the B&W is......

If I had a Black Belt there is no way I would wear any other colour belt, regardless of circumstance. I also think that Sensei's should wear their own coloured belt anyway. I always told my students my grade if they asked, why hide it, it is something I am proud of.

Ok, ignoring for a minute the 8th kyu instructors , the b+w belt is to show people that you are instructng the class.
It's just the same as wearing an instructor badge, or different coloured gi, or whatever.

It is just as easy to show people you are instructing the class by being the one standing out the front when everyone lines up. Or gaggles together as the case may be.


Mick