As you know it is possible to get one of those black belts with your name on it in both English and Japanese.
I usually just wear a normal black belt but I'm contemplating getting one of these with Shiro Tora on it.
It is quite expensive but it's a one-off investment as it's the last belt you'll ever wear.
The basic belt costs £5, but a deluxe belt costs a tenner.
It's worth paying the extra for a good quality belt that's meant to last.
It costs £10 for each end for 2 words - one end in Jap and one in English.
So £30 for the belt.
If members of STMA want to get themselves their black belt ready for the day they inevitably pass the BB grade - which you all can if you keep training here - I will organise it.
I also have no problem with anybody wearing their new Black Belt to class for when we do gi and weapon work, or just for weekly use.
Though we do have colours assigned to each belt grade, we don't wear formal gi, so anybody can wear any belt in class.
Normally in a Japanese dojo, students wear the white belt that comes with their gi and instructors wear the black belt. The idea of coloured belts for kyu grades came later, and was invented to give juniors an incentive to pass each level.
As belts are just to tie your gi up on grappling day or put your weapons through, you can wear any belt you want.
So if you want to get your black belt early, let me know.
