Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > AikiWeb System

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 06-24-2007, 06:30 PM   #1
AikiWeb System
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,320
Offline
Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

AikiWeb Poll for the week of June 24, 2007:

How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?
  • I don't do aikido
  • Very attached
  • Somewhat attached
  • Not very attached
  • Not at all attached
Here are the current results.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 05:02 AM   #2
Pauliina Lievonen
 
Pauliina Lievonen's Avatar
Dojo: Jiki Shin Kan Utrecht
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 562
Netherlands
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

Lol, I guess if I had had my belt permanently stitched around my waist I could say "very attached".

I'd have said not at all attached but my current belt was a gift from my teacher and so it does have some emotional value...

kvaak
Pauliina
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 07:15 AM   #3
Mary Eastland
 
Mary Eastland's Avatar
Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,476
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I said somewhat attached because it is soft and worn and not thick like the ones that seem to be around right now...I like a thinner belt.
Mary
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 11:55 AM   #4
James Davis
 
James Davis's Avatar
Dojo: Ft. Myers School of Aikido
Location: Ft. Myers, FL.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 716
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

My belt was also a gift from my sensei after my shodan exam. He's since moved to Georgia, and I took over teaching the students. I've met some really great teachers, and from time to time I'll think to myself that I don't know enough to be teaching anyone anything. Sometimes I don't feel like a sandan, but when I put on that belt that my sensei used to wear and consider that he believes that I'm a sandan and trusts me with his students, I'm able to go and teach.

"The only difference between Congress and drunken sailors is that drunken sailors spend their own money." -Tom Feeney, representative from Florida
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 01:02 PM   #5
Nafis Zahir
 
Nafis Zahir's Avatar
Dojo: Bucks County Aikido
Location: Pennsylvania
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 425
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I voted somewhat attached, because it reminds me of my responsibilities as a Yudansha, as we as how much I have trained and how far I still have to go.

  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 03:21 PM   #6
Qatana
 
Qatana's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of Petaluma, Petaluma,CA
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 834
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

My brown belt was a given to me by Janet when I passed my 2nd kyu test, and I treasure it as she is my very best aikido friend. My previous belts were "gifts" from the dojo and while I value them, Janet's gesture was far greater than just coming out of the general fund with everyone else's.

Q
http://www.aikidopetaluma.com/
www.knot-working.com

"It is not wise to be incautious when confronting a little smiling bald man"'- Rule #1
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 03:32 PM   #7
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I am as attached proportionately to how tight I tie it.
Too tight, too attached, can't breath.
Not tight enough, not attached, jacket falls open, belt falls down.
Like Goldilocks, just the right attachment.

And I am less mentally or emotionally attached than I am physically attached.

I gotta work on this attachment thing.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 07:17 PM   #8
Nick P.
 
Nick P.'s Avatar
Dojo: Sukagawa Aikido Club of Montreal
Location: Montreal
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 641
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

A fantastic sempai and good friend suddenly past away last year; what did his ailing mother do with all his hakamas and belts?

On the one hand, they are nothing but pieces of fabric. On the other, they are priceless because of the memories and feelings they represent.

I am not attached to mine. I believe I am attached to those of my fellow students and friends should anything happen to them.

edited for spelling mistakes.

Last edited by Nick P. : 06-25-2007 at 07:27 PM.

  Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2007, 08:26 PM   #9
Karen Wolek
Dojo: Kingston Aikido
Location: New York
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 322
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

Somewhat attached.

What can I say? It may not be the mature answer, but I like my belt. I have had it since I started almost 5 years ago. It's been through a lot with me, including all five kyu tests. Next year I'll probably take my shodan test and I'll have to wear a new belt. I'll miss this one, even though there won't be much of it left by then!

It's like The Velveteen Rabbit to me.

Karen
"Try not. Do...or do not. There is no try." - Master Yoda
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2007, 12:54 AM   #10
Amir Krause
Dojo: Shirokan Dojo / Tel Aviv Israel
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 692
Israel
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I am very attached to my current belt, but not because of the black colour, rather because of the belt softness. I tried looking for a white belt with similar feel and as easy to knot, but did not find yet, once I will find, I plan on going to some other Dojos as a White belt and train without peple falling just because of my belt.

Amir
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2007, 03:10 AM   #11
Rolf Granlund
Dojo: Shinsuikan/Genoa, Ohio
Location: Toledo, OH
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 32
United_States
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I voted "somewhat attached" as my 2nd kyu rank is the highest I have ever attained in my training. With my previous training experience in other arts I never stuck around long enough to reach anything higher than 3rd kyu. Something in Aikido seems to me to be of great value which then encourages me to stick around.

Also, with the rank I seem to have a greater feeling or sense of responsibility to my dojo. Maybe its the rank rather than the belt but since the belt is the outward/visible sign of where I am there is an attachment.

With Respect,
Rolf Granlund
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2007, 03:31 AM   #12
CatSienna
 
CatSienna's Avatar
Dojo: Ueshiba
Location: Singapore
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 43
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I just swopped mine with another student after about a year plus of having it. He looked like he had a tiny bow tied around his dogi and mine has been way too long from the start. Now we both look normal belt-wise...I'd been tucking mine into my hakama as I didn't like the long trailing belt smacking me in the face on backward falls . Now I wear it like everyone else and he doesn't look like his belt can't go around his waist.

So no, I'm not very attached to my physical belt...anything that works is fine with me.

Once swopped my hakama too with a friend of mine who was shorter than me and hers was trailing on the floor which she didn't like.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2007, 06:10 AM   #13
Hanna B
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 647
Sweden
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

Quote:
Sharon Snodgrass wrote: View Post
.I'd been tucking mine into my hakama as I didn't like the long trailing belt smacking me in the face on backward falls .
Do you normally put your belt on top of your hakama? The way I am used to wearing belt and hakama, there is no way belt ends can smack my face no matter how long they were.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2007, 11:15 AM   #14
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
Location: Wisconsin
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,224
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

I've always been very attached to my aikido journey, but as things would vanish, I would attach myself to the memory of them. Thus, the journey, and the attachment is ongoing.

In gassho

Mark
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-28-2007, 07:28 AM   #15
CatSienna
 
CatSienna's Avatar
Dojo: Ueshiba
Location: Singapore
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 43
Offline
Re: Poll: How attached do you feel to your physical belt in aikido?

Quote:
Hanna Björk wrote: View Post
Do you normally put your belt on top of your hakama? The way I am used to wearing belt and hakama, there is no way belt ends can smack my face no matter how long they were.
I was exaggerating for effect . It was long, but it hung out the sides so no it never smacked me in the face and yes, I wear it under my hakama. But I still didn't like it being that long.

Last edited by CatSienna : 06-28-2007 at 07:38 AM.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Poll: In which aikido role do you feel more physically comfortable? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 11 01-26-2007 11:15 PM
Poll: How inspired do you feel these days in your aikido training? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 12 03-28-2006 12:32 PM
Dilution of aikido eugene_lo General 40 02-07-2006 11:22 AM
Poll: Which art do you think is more physically effective - judo or aikido? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 31 06-05-2005 09:00 AM
Poll: Do you think your current aikido teacher is in good physical condition? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 6 09-11-2002 07:09 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:18 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate