I think that belts and belt tests have a very important place in traditional martial arts, but that the function that they serve is not the obvious one seen by outsiders.

Most people outside the arts see tests as they see tests in schools--as an examination of proficiency, discovering whether the student has achieved some level of competence.

In my experience, by the time a student is ready to test, his master already knows--better than the student himself--his level of competence. The "test" has already occurred in the weeks and months prior to the testing date. The test then becomes more a demonstration of the student's mastery of the tests elements. It is, in the anthropologists jargon, a "rite of passage."

This demonstration is presented to:

1) The public, to show the level the student has achieved and to show what is expected of students of each level.
2) The other senior students in the dojo so that they can incorporate the student into more advanced techniques and methods.
3) The other junior students to show what goals they must achieve in their practice of the art.
4) To the student himself--to show that her (or she) really has earned the right to move up to the next rank.

Disclaimers: I study Aikido, where as an adult I wear a white belt until I earn brown or black. (I am testing for Sankyū next month.) I also study Kenjutsū, where there are no external rank signifiers under Shodan.

As a teacher of the martial arts myself, and having instructors such as Joe lewis and Bill wallace, I can tell you.And they would tell you, attaining Black belt is the most significant thing period. not 2nd degree or 3rd degree, but Shodan itself. As for all belt ranks under Shodan. they should all be looked at like a particular subject in college. You learn it,pass the exam, and move on towards your degree. My main purpose for promoting folks is to keep them (and myself) organized, and giving people a time to reset there goals. For Kids you gotta have belt test and promotion, and special tabs, ad patches. etc. etc. Just part of the business. and it does wonders for a kids self confidence, and self esteem. which is what we as instructors strive for.

I have been studying traditional chinese kung fu for 8+ yrs. At first it was all about the belts b/c it shows your rank to students lower than yourself. However, if you truly love M.A. then it doesn't matter whether there are belts are not. They serve as motivation but also invoke jealousy, ignorance and boasting. Belts got integrated into M.A. schools recently. In ancient China and now, there were no belt levels. Only Chinese kung fu schools in US and foreign palces use a belt system

border53collie:

You wrote: "I have found that lower ranked students tend to look up to, and take their cues from, students of higher rank. This is often more true if the senior is an intermediate rank than yudansha, because the beginners sometimes see a black belt as being in a completely different league, the middle ranks are much more accessible."

Absolutely. I received a gem of wisdom years ago from my sensei, "When testing, always try to have as advanced an uke as possible."

I am often surprised that beginning students want to work mostly with other beginners, usually their friends. In our dojo's practice sessions, senior students are expected to walk down the line and require the junior students to work with us.

I'd prefer to work with yudansha, it's safer! But, the debt I owe senior students that worked with me I pay forward to the current crop of juniors.

I think belt ranks are important cuz it make you or your students work toward the next belt something they can look forward too and it builds self esteem.

Belt testing is just another way for most schools to rack up more money from students. Traditional martial arts do not use belts or sashes. It is more of a modern "american " tradition. Some schools even stoop to the level of selling black belt programs in a year, that's impossible. It takes years to master a martial art. I know a school that gave someone a black belt to a student after 4 months, lol, why? Because they payed for it and all the quick test along the way. The other students in the school saw her as a joke, and her self defense skills were that of a white belt. If she ever needed to use her Martial arts to defend herself, ohh boy! But hey, she took the test and could do a few forms. Skill is the true test of martial arts ability. A good school environment will let each student know his or her own level and ability based off of skill, not belts.

I totally agree with what was said about the belt tests. Which is the fact that by the time the test is given, the Sensai already has seen what that student abilities are. The test is basically to "seal the deal". I do however have some negative feelings about belt tests. I feel that too many martial arts schools are either giving away belts for no achievement, or selling belts(also with no achievement). This disheartens me because I for one had to work very very hard to earn my rank of second degree black. I put in almost seven years of hard, dedicated work. I feel very strongly that if you have not honestly earned your rank, that you are being totally disrespectful to the spirit of martial arts.