White Belt
White belt is what all beginners are.
It means innocence and a lack of training.
We all were beginners once.
In Christian terms white represents purity of heart, unsoiled.
When belts were first used everybody started with a white belt, as they trained they would often wash their exercise clothing (Do Bak) but they would never wash their belt. As the belt gradually picked up dirt and grass stains it would change color. The people with the dark belts had obviously been training longer than the people with the white belts.
In contemporary times the modern belt rank system (gup/dan) was introduced by Judo founder Kano Jigoro in the late 1800's.
It was felt then that students needed short term goals to help focus them on training. In Hapkido we proudly maintain this tradition.
It means innocence and a lack of training.
We all were beginners once.
In Christian terms white represents purity of heart, unsoiled.
When belts were first used everybody started with a white belt, as they trained they would often wash their exercise clothing (Do Bak) but they would never wash their belt. As the belt gradually picked up dirt and grass stains it would change color. The people with the dark belts had obviously been training longer than the people with the white belts.
In contemporary times the modern belt rank system (gup/dan) was introduced by Judo founder Kano Jigoro in the late 1800's.
It was felt then that students needed short term goals to help focus them on training. In Hapkido we proudly maintain this tradition.