- The most common belt colors are: white, blue, black, and brown. This depends on training institutions and countries.
- The highest ranking is normally the black belt, and mostly worn by trainers, or people willing to pass their skills to others.
Image: BABU OWINO/ X
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino is elated after he made a 'huge' step in his Karate sessions.
The MP on Sunday graduated from the White to Blue belt after a martial arts competition held at the Moi Kasarani Arena.
“I came here for grading, I have now been promoted from white to blue. It’s not about being the best, it’s about being better than you were yesterday," he said on Sunday.
Through his X account on Monday, Babu added that he had been training hard and fighting easy.
"From white belt to blue belt. I have been officially licensed to dismantle someone’s buccal cavity. It’s physical fitness for me," he noted.
"Physical fitness. My body is meant for speed and comfort."
In a separate post on September 30, Babu, seemingly in jest said the new Karate skills will enable know how to deal with Kenya Kwanza MPs.
"Hakuna kucheka na mtu this time round. Successful tournament at Kasarani Stadium."
The event was organised by the World Authority Traditional Karate Association of Kenya (WATKA), which hosted a group of participants from 47 counties.
Babu was appointed the Patron of the Karate championship in December 2022.
To get Babu Owino's reaction and more information about his journey, the downside, and training techniques in the Karate art, our phone calls went unanswered.
What do different belt colours mean in Karate?
In order to receive grading after martial arts, the artist is graduated to different colored belts, at different stages.
This usually presents an artist's skill and level they are in.
The most common belt colors are: white, blue, black, and brown. This depends on training institutions and countries.
The highest ranking is normally the black belt, and mostly worn by trainers, or people willing to pass their skills to others.
The bearer of the belt has a deeper and well-elaborated understanding of the teachings of karate.
The white belts are always spotted with the beginners of the art. It also symbolises the will of the artist to learn more about martial arts and articulate their skills.
White belt is basically worn by beginners in the art.
One can advance to another stage from a period of six to nine months, depending on one's ability to grasp the skills and continuous training.
For Blue belt holders, are artists who have gained skills in the art and are at the stage where they are learning additional skills, which generally allows them to easily shift from one move to the other, swiftly.
At this stage, the artist is able to support and defend themselves during the martial arts.
Before advancement to the next stage, depending on the trainer, the blue belt holder takes at least 12 months.
For the Brown belt, the artists are always in the advanced stage where the skills gained during the training are visible and able to kinly defend themselves.
This is normally the last stage before the black belt.