In one of the past articles, we have already discussed degrees and ranks in martial arts, including Applied Aikido. And today we would like to talk in more detail about the importance of passing the rank test and what exactly it gives, besides changing the belt.

Belt color symbolism

In the world of martial arts, there is an opinion that initially there was no division of belts by color. The student just came to class with a white belt that never changed or wore off. In essence, it is because of this that metamorphoses occurred with matter.

At first, from active training, the student’s belt turned yellow with sweat. And this was the first change in the color of the belt. Over time, when the educational process became more complicated and passed to a new level, the belt turned red from blood. Then the belt turned brown: the color of caked blood mixed with sweat. And over time, after years and years of training, the intensity of the belt turned black.

But this was not his final metamorphosis either. Over time, the top layer of fabric, which was black from many years of vigorous training, decayed and crumbled, revealing the next – a clean and white layer.

We cannot judge the veracity of this story, but we know one thing for sure: the black belt really does not change. By its wear and tear, one can judge how actively the master is engaged and continues to improve. But this is already a topic for a separate article, which we will definitely publish a little later. Now let’s get back to the colored belts.

Legends are legends, but in modern aikido, as a rule, there is a clear gradation of colors and most schools use the standard:

• white;
• yellow;
• orange (or red);
• green;
• blue;
• brown;
• black.

Each of these colors has its own meaning, filled with philosophical meaning and oriental motives, which are very attentive to details and rarely do something just like that. Therefore, each belt is special and clearly corresponds not only to the physical stage, but also to the mental state of the student who has mastered this or that stage:

• The white belt, logically, symbolizes a blank slate, that is, the beginning of the path that the student has just embarked on, when he still does not know anything and is just beginning to comprehend the basics.
• The first colored belt is yellow. He is compared with dawn, with the first rays of the sun and the beginning of a new day, when the student has already mastered the basic knowledge and skills and the path begins for him in martial arts. And it is the beginning of the path, like the beginning of the day, that symbolizes the yellow belt.
• The orange, or red belt is a kind of the first Rubicon that every student passes on the path of learning aikido. This is the color of autumn, the color of fruits and the first results. This is how this stage is interpreted in martial arts. When there are already the first achievements and results. There are first fruits. And now is the time to discover new horizons, set new goals and move towards them.
• The green belt, which is quite logical, is associated with spring. When the sown seeds grow into sprouts. When nature begins to wake up after hibernation, gain strength and sprout.
• The blue belt, in turn, is a symbol of water and the depths of the sea. On the one hand, at this stage of the study, the flexibility of thoughts and movements already appears: their softness and smoothness, as well as the irrepressible pressure of the elements. On the other hand, this is a reference to the depths of knowledge, including self-knowledge, that open up to the student.
• The brown belt “brings us back to earth” again – it is compared to a tree trunk, to roots and to the ground. The symbolism of this belt is that the student has devoted himself to training for such a long period of time that they have already taken deep roots in it and are an invariable part of life.
• At the same time, the black belt is the unification of all colors, because it is both depth and beginning, roots and a new dawn. But the black belt, as we said, will be discussed in more detail next time. In order not to miss the article – subscribe to our page on the social network Facebook.

Thus, each belt is not only an indicator of the level of a student, or a master, a symbol to which every student must reach out and discover something new for himself.

Study stages and exams

The entire educational process in our life, one way or another, is divided into some separate stages. Whether it’s school or preparation for it. University or continuing education courses. Learning foreign languages ​​or driving courses. And this approach absolutely justifies itself, since it makes it possible to take into account the following points:

• structure the education system;
• guarantee the receipt of a mandatory amount of information for any group of students, regardless of the place and time of training;
• helps to clearly assess the level of knowledge and skills of a person;
• determine the amount of knowledge that a student needs to master a particular skill.

Everything is very simple, first you need to study arithmetic, then more complex mathematical techniques and then move on to higher mathematics. It is impossible to calculate the logarithm or solve a complex equation without knowing the simplest arithmetic.

Thus, the rank test is a test of the knowledge of the passed stage and a mandatory element not only for further movement forward, but in general for the entire learning process. After all, if it turns out that there are gaps in what was previously studied, this may call into question further growth and development.

This approach is applicable to martial arts in general and to Applied Aikido in particular. Rank test is a certain intermediate result that allows you to structure and consolidate the previously acquired knowledge and skills in order to move on.

The psychological aspect of certification

The emotional impact of grades and rank tests on the student should not be overlooked. This is especially true for children. Yes, undoubtedly, this is stress and nervous tension both in the preparation process and in the delivery process. But all of this helps children develop critical skills:

• learn to cope with your emotions;
• work and be as diligent as possible, even in the process of psychological stress;
• ignore distractions and focus on what is happening.

In fact, these are very important and necessary skills that will be useful to everyone in future daily life.

After learning to cope with them at an earlier age, you can lay a serious foundation. It will allow you to stay calm in stressful situations in adulthood and will give you the opportunity to feel calmer at the same final and entrance exams, which are associated with studying at school and any university.

On the other hand, this is a very important moment in the development of such necessary skills as goal setting and goal achievement, because:

• the child learns to set goals for himself;
• learns that efforts must be made to achieve any goal;
• realizes that the higher the level of effort, the better the result;
• sets new goals after reaching the previous ones.

Undoubtedly, these are the most important skills that are perfectly developed in those who have devoted themselves to sports in general, and the study of martial arts in particular. In fact, martial arts have a complex positive impact on a person. Both on a physical and psychological level, and even affect some mental characteristics. But this is already a separate topic, which we will definitely cover in one of the subsequent articles. To find out about its release, subscribe to our Facebook page.

Delayed additional influence

There is one more important point that we would like to touch upon. A person, with incredibly rare exceptions, cannot evaluate himself. As well as rarely can evaluate the results of his work, which is not expressed in some physical things.

Children, in this case, are no exception to the rule and can hardly see the full effect of the efforts made. To understand this, it is worth asking yourself a question:

• Does the child think that he has become stronger?
• Does he realize that he has become more enduring, but this endurance needs to be maintained and developed?
• Does he understand that he acquired some skills and they differ from those that were before the start of training, but they also need to be honed?
• Is he ready to continue working or does he think that he has thoroughly studied and knows everything that is necessary?

And here it’s not about age at all. Any student, no matter a child or an adult, can consider that he has already studied the required volume, mastered the current stage and is ready to move on. Especially at the initial stage of training.

But the belt can be felt. This is the material-physical expression of the work done. This is exactly the result that is clear and visible. At the same time, it is visible, not only to the child himself, but also to his social environment. This is a definite achievement to be proud of. This is especially important at the initial stage of training.

Indeed, with each new belt, with each new rank test, with each persistent training, the understanding of the need to work on oneself comes more and more. The opportunity comes to appreciate the changes in your own body. With the increasing complexity of techniques and test programs, not only the technical level of the work itself grows. But the level of self-understanding and the ability to control one’s own body is also growing. And only after some time the child begins to understand that more effort is needed to achieve even greater results.

This is a kind of sports passion, a challenge to oneself. After all, as we have repeatedly written and said, the most important rival is yourself. Be better than yourself yesterday, be better than yourself a year ago. Do not stop in self-development and self-knowledge.

All this is gradually beginning to be expressed not only in sports, but also in other areas of life. After all, the rules are the same everywhere:

• you study better – more knowledge;
• more knowledge – a higher level;
• higher level – more benefits.

And most importantly, to learn how to use the available resources in order to receive more benefits, not to stop learning. Constant striving forward: towards development, self-improvement, and, as a result, improvement of one’s situation.

It is this connection that is built in the learning process. I got one belt, decided that I could be content with this and stopped growing in this direction. If I went further, I developed even more skills and raised the level. He, in turn, opened an even higher one for you.

And so, until the understanding comes that levels are not even needed for self-development and self-improvement at higher stages. Self-development, discipline and striving forward become part of the personality and an invariable attribute of life.

But this is a more difficult point, which also needs to be reached. And it’s always easier to go up using steps. Especially if you build them on a very solid foundation. Rank tests are precisely these stages of development. Moreover, tests, backed up by regular and hard work.

Therefore, when we are asked whether a child needs rank tests in aikido and a change of belt, we answer unequivocally “yes”. As well as an adult. To learn how to set goals and achieve them. Understand the importance of self-improvement and development. In order to move forward and not stop there.

And with all this, to become stronger, to be active, mobile and healthy. This is what we sincerely wish for everyone. If you still have any questions, you want to clarify the training schedule or clarify the cost of aikido training, you can contact our trainers. All necessary contacts can be found here.