Many Japanese martial arts feature an obi as part of their exercise outfit. These obis are often made of thick cotton and are about 5 cm wide. The martial arts obis are most often worn in the koma-musubi knot (square knot); in practice where hakama is worn, the obi is tied in other ways.
In many martial arts the colour of the obi signifies the wearer's skill level. Usually the colours start from the beginner's white and end in the master's black, or red and white master belt.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Aikido
Unlike in many other martial arts, adult practitioners of aikido do not wear coloured obis, though in some schools different colour codes have been formed, especially for children. The children's obis range from white for beginner level to 5th ky?, other colours for the rest of the ky? levels, and black for levels 1st dan and up.
In some aikido schools, wearing a hakama is a privilege earned by reaching the first dan level. In other schools, all practitioners may wear a hakama. After taking up using a hakama, the colour of obi does not matter since it will be covered by the hakama.
Example of colour range in aikido
Below is a typical example of obi colours per level in aikido:
However, aikido schools worldwide may use their own systems with little reference to other schools save the use of a black belt for at least some dan grades. [1]
Ninjutsu Obi
Ninja obi are required within JNF and WNF. To complete your ninja course perfectly it will take 50 years, to be the master in all 18 arts or disciplines.This belt or obi will help you track your progress in all 18 arts.
Atarashii naginata
The outfit used for Atarashii naginata practice includes a hakama that covers the obi. The obi is always white; its colour has no significance beyond simply blending in with the white keikogi worn when practicing the art.
Iaido
The outfit worn to iaido practise includes a hakama, which is worn over the top of the obi, which fastens the keikogi. The obi colour has no meaning in iaido, and is usually chosen to blend in with the kimono or hakama worn by the practitioner.
J?d?
The outfit used for j?d? practise includes a hakama that covers the obi. The colour of the obi has no significance.
Judo
Below are the colours of obis worn for judo practise. Junior practitioners have a different colour range. There are also other colour ranges used worldwide.
Jujutsu
The colours for obis used for jujutsu practise range as follows:
J?kend?
The outfit used for J?kend? practise includes a hakama that covers the obi. The colour of the obi has no significance.
Karate
Wado-ryu
The obis used in the wado-ryu style range in colour as follows:
Shotokan
The obis used in the shotokan style range in colour as follows:
Shito-Ryu
The obis used in the Shito-Ryu style range in colour as follows:
Kendo
The outfit used for kendo practise includes a hakama that covers the kendogi. An obi is optional; if worn, its colour has no significance.
Ky?d?
The outfit used for ky?d? practise includes a hakama that covers the obi. The colour of the obi has no significance.
T'ai Chi Ch'uan
The outfit used for T'ai Chi is either loose-fitting, comfortable clothing or the same kind of uniform as Kung Fu. Some schools also include coloured sash, but no standard for their order has been established. They commonly follow the same basic rules as Kung Fu, beginning with white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, brown and black. Some may skip a rank, others may subdivide them with a stripe or tag.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
EmoticonEmoticon