Belt Rank Help!!!?

Question

Okay I've been taking Karate for about 7 months. I've been a white belt ever scince about 1 mo. ago. There was this girl who came into my Dojo about 3 mo. after me. She was a white belt too. She had 1mo. training at her college before she came. Iike I said, I got my yellow belt about 1 mo. ago, well she got hers right after mine! I mean shes been taking Karate about half as long as me! I was crushed! I don't mean to sound competitive, but for like mos., I've been the lowest ranking belt in the whole Dojo and it was nice not to be for a while...I think shes better than me at Karate and I feel really embarresed because I've been a white belt for a long time...longer that the girl. Can you please give me some advice! I want to get my orange belt as long as possible, but I think that the girl will get it before me! How embarresing would that be to be there forEVER and she's been there forNEVER and she gets her orange belt before me! Please help! I need some advice to help me please!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I hold first and third degree black belts in various japanese arts.  When I visit another dojo, of a different art, I wear my white belt.

Worry less about your belt and spend that energy on learning technique.

Answer 2

The color of the sash around your waist means little. The skill and experience you obtain and earn are what matter. My Sabumnim gave me very good advice many years ago. He told me that "Belts are good for holding up your pants. That's about all."

There are black belts in some places that could be beaten handily by yellow belts in others, and there are martial artists who've never taken a formal class at all that could defeat someone who's spent years in a school training. Why?

How do you train and how dedicated are you?

The answer to both of those questions has nothing to do with your belt or what you wear.

It has everything to do with skill and determination.

Answer 3

the belt just shows ranking and in some schools you will only get the next belt because the master likes you or because you showed up to class a certain amount of times.

take this time to focus on everything you learn in class and to keep the basics sharp, or as my master says you cannot forget a,b, c as you are learning x,y, z...

show your master that you are truly improving and putting effort into not getting your belt but improving your overall skills in karate. work on your forms and whatever else is required for your next belt, but do not soley focus on these things

focus on other skills not required for your orange belt but that truly interest you...

Answer 4

dont trip just means you get more time to practice....besides the only reason to have a belt is so you dont need a rope to hold up your pants...

Answer 5

Seven months at white belt?  What do you do go to the dojo about once every two months?  All you need to know at most Karate schools in and around my area, in order to get your white belt, is to "memorize" your school creed and have your striking techniques down to a science and then most sensei's hand the white belt right over ususally.  As far as the girl that came after you did she must be getting work done when you're not around or on days when you're not showing up.  She sounds like she's not much of a hard worker either though because most people are at at least "Blue Belt" by the time seven ( 7 ) full months worth of practice and work rolls around.

I know that it all boils down to the current generation not wanting to understand things such as Japanese language termonlogies and katas and what not, but you have to put work into it in order to "reap" the reward from it.  It being your art form and in your case Karate which can be tough sometimes on you young kids, but you have to buckle down and at least show up at the dojo.  A new rank isn't just going to jump into your lap...... it takes work!!!

Answer 6

You are caught up worrying to much about your rank  vs. your own image. It does not matter what rank you have or how your rank compares to someone else.  Here is a true fact for you. Since starting to teach the martial arts in 1973, I have had several students that stayed low ranks for much longer than most of the other students. They most of the time end up being better in time. My senior student holds a 7th degree black belt now. When he started I wondered if he would ever get things right. Now he is my highest ranking student. He is has proven himself to be a good person and a good friend.

Forget about where you are and enjoy the trip. It is about the trip not the destination. The destination serves only to guide us which way to go. We live in the "now" not the future. Enjoy and learn, now and you will go far. Remember it's not you against others. It is only you against you.

Answer 7

don't worry about the belts, they're not that important. Just put your focus on your practice and become better, all else will follow.

Answer 8

I had the same thing happen to me several months ago, except I'm not a white or yellow belt. I'm a blue belt in TKD. Anyway, I felt the same as you did. A little frustrated and embarrassed since I had been there longer. But anyway, I'm fine with it now. It's nice having someone else my rank to partner up with to do self defense / drills with.

Everyone has a different level that they learn at. The martial arts are about individual experiences and are set at your pace. Some people just tend to move at a higher speed. I'm not one of those people, but it's nothing to feel embarrassed about. Just keep practicing hard and concentrate on working at your individual speed.