Belts & Grading

Like most martial arts, in Taekwondo, belt colours signify that a person has achieved a certain rank. The ranking system also includes intermediate ranks signified with tags. These indicate that a student is between coloured belts and on their way to the next grade. The tags should be positioned the width of the belt away from the end (i.e. if the belt is 5cm wide, then the tags should be 5cm away from each end of the belt).

There are also ranks of black belt ranging from 1st Dan to 9th Dan.

Regular attendance at lessons is essential if students wish to be considered for grading and students who attend twice a week are eligible to grade every 3 months. Students who only attend once a week have to wait 6 months. Only students who have achieved the standard set by the instructors within this period will be allowed to grade.

Coloured belt gradings are conducted by a Master grade of 4th Dan or above.

Black belt gradings are conducted by a Master grade of 6th Dan or above.

The following describes how the grades are ordered and which belt signifies each grade. You can click on each grade to see what techniques are required for each one.

Grade	Belt	Meaning
10th Kup	White	Signifies innocence, as that of the beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Taekwon-Do
9th Kup	White with Yellow tag
8th Kup	Yellow	Signifies Earth, from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the Taekwon-Do foundation is being laid
7th Kup	Yellow with Green tag
6th Kup	Green	Signifies the plant's growth as Taekwon-Do skills begin to develop
5th Kup	Green with Blue tag
4th Kup	Blue	Signifies the heaven towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training in Taekwon-Do progresses
3rd Kup	Blue with Red tag
2nd Kup	Red	Signifies danger, cautioning the student to exercise control, and warning the opponent to stay away
1st Kup	Red with Black tag
1st Dan	Black	Opposite of white: therefore signifying a Student's maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do. Also indicates the wearers' imperviousness to darkness and fear

 

How to tie a belt

Below are some instructions on how to tie a belt:

1.	Hold the belt at its centre, ends even, with badge (or stripes) on the left-hand side.
2.	Place the centre of belt on the front centre of your jacket, about one inch below the naval (a location called the tanden). Wrap the belt around your waist, crossing the right side over the left side at centre of the back. The badge will now be on your right side. Pull the ends of belt forward and adjust so the ends are even.
3.	Lay the left side of belt over your tanden. Lay the right side of belt across your tanden. The badge will now be on your left side again.
4.	Slide the left side of the belt (side with the badge) under and behind all of the belt layers at the tanden. The badge will still be on your left side.
5.	Loop the right-hand end back.
6.	Bring the left (badge) end of the belt down and over the front of the U-shape made with the right-hand side.
7.	Loop the badge end under and up through the U-shape to form a knot.
8.	Pull the ends of the belt outward to tighten the knot. The badge will be on your right-hand side.
9.	Adjust the knot so the ends of the belt are even and hang down neatly.