Practicing karate is a great way to learn self-defense, strengthen your body, and focus your mind on maintaining equanimity. However, if you are just learning, tying the belt properly can be difficult. Although the most commonly used method is to tie a belt using both sides, there are several ways to tie a karate belt. So, if you're still confused, ask the trainer at the dojo (college). You can tie the belt on both sides for a stacked look, or use the left side of the belt to form a clean, smooth knot.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using Both Sides of the Belt to Make a Knot
Step 1. Bend the belt in half to get the center point
Hold the belt in front of your body and bring the ends together until they are flat. Run your hands along the belt to even out the folds before you start the process.
White belts usually have a label on one end. If you change to a different color belt later, the label will no longer be attached
Step 2. Attach the center of the belt to the navel
Unfold the belt until it is stretched lengthwise in one layer while continuing to place your hands at the center of the belt. Wrap the belt around your belly, placing the center point at your belly button. The two sides of the belt must be parallel to ensure that they are positioned correctly.
If you can't see if the ends of the belt are the same length, try checking by standing in front of a mirror
Step 3. Wrap both ends of the belt around your waist and return it to the front of your body
When pointing the end of the belt toward your back, change the hand holding it so that you are holding the opposite end of the belt now. Cross the two ends of the belt behind your body, then bring them back to the front.
- This part can be a bit tricky, especially if you're new to karate. Do not ever give up!
- Make sure the two ends of the belt are still the same length when you bring it forward.
Step 4. Stack one end of the belt on top of the other on the stomach
Select one end of the belt and bend it towards the center, placing it on top of the stomach. Do the same on the other end of the belt so that the two ends of the belt cross at the navel.
If there is still a notch in the belt, run your fingers to smooth it out
Step 5. Tuck the top end of the belt under the pile of belt layers
Grasp the ends of the belts at the top, then tuck them under the pile of belt layers. Grab the newly tucked end of the belt and pull it up again just above your stomach to form a small knot.
- Make sure the knot is tied tightly around your waist, but not too tight so you can breathe and move.
- If the ends of the belt are not the same length, adjust their position by sliding the belt around the waist before you continue.
Step 6. Bend the lower end of the belt under the top end to form a knot
Grasp the end sticking out at the bottom of the layer stack, then tuck it under the top belt end. Pull the lower end of the belt up through the center of the cross you made, then pull the lower end up to tighten the knot. Make sure both ends of the belt hang the same length.
- If the belt is too tight, you can fix it by loosening the knot you just made.
- Make sure the last knot is just above the belly button.
Method 2 of 2: Using the Left Side of the Belt to Make a Knot
Step 1. Place the belt on your stomach, with the left side longer than the right
Hold the belt in front of the belly button, but only leave about 1 arm's length of the belt on the right side. Keep the left side of the belt long because it will be knotted later.
The right side of the belt won't move too much during the fastening process, so you'll have to hold on to it
Step 2. Wrap the left end of the belt around your body twice
While continuing to hold the right end of the belt, wrap the left side of the belt around your body twice. Tuck the right end of the belt under the left end when the belt is wrapped around the body so that the right end remains attached and does not come off.
- If the belt is short, you may only be able to wind it once.
- By wrapping the belt behind your body (rather than crossing it), you will create an even and smooth line across the back of your body.
Step 3. Slide both ends of the belt to the navel
Grasp both ends of the belt and pull it forward until it is right in the middle of the stomach. If the ends are not the same length, slide the layers of the belt around the waist until they are the same length.
Don't unwrap the belt to do it, try to wiggle it a little, not untie it
Step 4. Place the long end of the belt under the pile of belt layers
Grasp the ends wrapped around your body and tuck them under the stack of layers of the belt on your stomach. Pull the end of the belt up through the pile of belt layers, then pull it tight to form a loose knot.
Step 5. Make a knot by folding the lower end of the belt under the top end of the belt
Grasp the end of the lower belt, or the right side, and cross it under the end of the upper belt in front of your body. Pull the end of the bottom belt up through the center of the cross, then make a knot by pulling the end of the bottom belt up. Make sure both ends of the belt hang at the same length.
