| To describe an expert in martial arts and to know | | | | eventually became stained black from years of |
| about his level the term black belt is used. The level | | | | sweat, dirt, and blood. In fact, Japanese Koryu |
| of every practitioner is determined by a color, where | | | | instructors started to provide certificates and |
| black belt is the highest belt color which indicates a | | | | standard of cleanliness, any students arriving with |
| high degree of capability, and often associated with a | | | | bloodied or dirty uniform was not allowed to train. |
| teaching grade though normally not the highest grade | | | | Some of the Japanese schools would allow their |
| or the expert of public perception. It is said to be a | | | | student to train, and were also referred to as a |
| recent invention, dating from the 19th century, rather | | | | senpai (senior student) or sensei (teacher) after they |
| than an ancient custom. | | | | have obtained their black belt. But all of the schools |
| The use of black belt is seen in many forms of | | | | didn’t practice this system as they thought that |
| martial arts, such as karate, judo, tae kwon do and | | | | a black belt student should not be called sensei until |
| many more. Martial arts is one of the successful way | | | | they are sandan (third degree black belt), as this |
| for self defense, if a person is black belt then he can | | | | represents a superior degree of experience and a |
| defend himself without the need of using any kind of | | | | sensei must have this and grasp of what is involved |
| weapon. | | | | in teaching a martial art. |
| There are a lot of contradictory statements | | | | Martial art is the first step toward learning the skills |
| regarding the tradition of belts, which states that this | | | | of self defense. A person with a black belt can |
| ranking system is an ancient characteristic of | | | | counter his attacker on the point, without giving him |
| traditional martial arts and that early martial artist | | | | any chance to attack him back. |
| began their training with a white belt, which | | | | |