Kind of a spur of the moment thing. I got promoted and my belt is shredded, so I decided to treat myself. It’s an Isami, it’s being made in Japan. You get to pick all the options --it’s quite fun.
I really debated-- back and forth-- if I should put the “professor bars” on it. I see guys with no school who don’t teach get their BB on day one with the professor bars on on it. It’s really lost it’s meaning tbh and become mostly a “fashion” thing. But, even so, I’ve taught full time for years and have my “own” school, so… I got the bars
But now, the belt hasn’t even arrived yet and I have serious buyer’s remorse and feel like a pompous a-hole. I regret it. I’m not sure why other than it just feels too flashy for me.
I didn’t realize you could customize blue belts like that.
I keed shen. Dude, you’re teaching/ running a business and a school, and you’re a lifelong student of the discipline. I say pimp it out. How many years are you going to hold the rank? Several, right? Go all out man.
You put in a lot of time and hard work to earn your rank and position. Do you think RuPaul wonders if she’s (?) being pompous when she (?) puts on a big blond wig?? NO! She (?) rocks that wig like it’s been there forever.
I say find that drag queen that’s deep down inside of you and wear that belt and those instructor bars like the uniquely beautiful butterfly that you are! And a blond wig if you want to do that too.
I am indifferent to the instructor stripes. I don’t think anyone cares about that anymore. However, I am a big fan of a high quality belt. They just look and feel great. I have an eosin panther and I get many compliments.
That is a nice belt. Dojo stormers across the globe are gonna think twice before effing with the Shendokan loin piece. It acts as both fashion and deterrent.
On a serious note, I really regret not buying white thru black belts from the Green Gi company. Those hemp belts were the very best and nothing comes close. I have blue and purple but they went out of business before I could get brown. My current favorite is Valor elite belts.
And to answer your question, I do not have the instructor bars on mine. I teach private lessons and sometimes cover classes but I mostly just train and think it would be disrespectful to get them. I know what you’re talking about though. I see club black belts sporting their instructor bars from time to time. I take it out my frustration on them physically, not verbally.
On a side note I do know what you mean… my first BIG tournament my Dad bought me a really fancy heavy duty Dobok and I felt like a fraud walking around in it for some reason even tho I was wearing a worn belt.
I train at an old school mma gym that’s pretty informal when it comes to belts and things like that. Belts tend to just get recycled when promotions occur. There was a visitor long ago that dropped by and forgot their purple belt at our place, so naturally it just became part of the rotation. The only problem was that it had the red bar on it, so it looked ridiculous. Naturally, I ended up with it. Also, because I suck, I was a 5 year purple belt, I think. I should have just bought myself a new one but I was too cheap and lazy.