Black Belt

Black Belt may refer to:

Brazilian jiu-jitsu ranking system

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ranking system is a means of signifying a practitioner’s increasing levels of technical knowledge and practical skill within the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Colored belts that are worn as part of the uniform are awarded to the practitioner. While the ranking system's structure shares its origins with the Judo ranking system and that of all colored martial arts belts, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ranking system grew to incorporate unique aspects and themes. The system has minor differences from Judo in areas such as a division between youths and adults and the issuance of stripes and degrees. Some distinct differences have become synonymous with the art, such as a marked informality in promotional criteria, a focus on a competitive demonstration of skill, and a conservative approach to promotion.

History

In 1907, Kanō Jigorō, the founder of Judo, introduced the use of belts (obi) and gi (judogi) in the martial arts, replacing the practice of training in formal kimonos. In 1914, Kanō's pupil Mitsuyo Maeda arrived in Brazil, a journey which led to the development of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. At the time Kanō used only white and black belts, with white representing the beginner, as a color of purity and simplicity, and black being the opposite, representing one who is filled with knowledge.

Black belt (martial arts)

In the predominantly Oriental (Far Eastern) tradition of martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though frequently not the highest grade or the "expert" of public perception. It is also a relatively recent invention (dating from the late 19th century) rather than an ancient custom.

Origin

The systematic use of belt color to denote the rank was first used in Japan by Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, who first devised the colored belt system using obi (sash), and awarded the first black belts to denote a Dan rank in the 1880s. Previously, Japanese Koryu instructors tended to provide certificates. Initially the wide obi was used; as practitioners trained in kimono, only white and black obi were used. It was not until the early 1900s, after the introduction of the judogi, that an expanded colored belt system of awarding rank was created. Other martial arts later adopted the custom or a variation of it (e.g., using colored sashes) to denote rank. This includes martial arts that traditionally did not have a formalized rank structure. This kind of ranking is less common in arts that do not claim a far eastern origin, though it is used in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.