Taekwondo Belts - what do you want to know?

This section of our site is about taekwondo belts

• We describe different taekwondo colored belt systems.
• We explain the meanings of the tkd belt colors.
• We give great tips to help you get through taekwondo belt tests or gradings.
• And we talk about the journey to your taekwondo black belt.
• If you are looking to buy tkd belts head here.

Taekwondo Belt Colors

Everyone starts out as a taekwondo white belt. Even your instructor was a white belt once!
You don't usually have to do a test to get a white belt. It's part of your first taekwondo uniform or Dobok.
Your white belt symbolizes innocence. It's the first and most important step of your taekwondo journey. If you're just starting out here's some great taekwondo white belt tips for you.

In most schools your next taekwondo belt is yellow belt.
Often there are 2 belt tests to get from white belt to yellow belt. The first grading gives you a yellow stripe or tag on your white belt.
This is half-way to yellow belt. Then the second grading gives you a full yellow belt.
Your yellow belt represents the earth. In which the roots of your taekwondo form ready for a beautiful plant to grow.
If you are working towards your taekwondo yellow belt we've done a page just for you!
The next of the taekwondo belt colors is usually green belt. Again there are often 2 gradings to green belt. You get a green stripe on your yellow belt at the half-way stage.
The green color represents the plant (your taekwondo) starting to grow from the earth.
Here's help if you are working towards your taekwondo green belt.
Next is taekwondo blue belt.
Often you get a blue stripe on your green belt at the half way stage.
Your blue belt represents the sky or heaven. Your taekwondo skills are growing strong.
Like a tall plant or tree growing up towards the blue sky.
If you are working towards your taekwondo blue belt here's some great tips to help you reach for the sky!

The next of the taekwondo belts is taekwondo red belt.
Again with a red stripe worn between blue belt and red belt.
Red is for danger.
At this stage the student is becoming very skilled in their taekwondo.
But may have more to learn about self-control.
Here's some help with the difficult taekwondo red belt stage.
And finally there's taekwondo black belt. Again there's a grade in between black and red (black stripe).
A black belt represents maturity. A good level of skill in taekwondo. And rejection of darkness and fear. Here's what we think defines a good taekwondo black belt.

Getting Your Next Taekwondo belt

Have you heard the expression kup (or gup) grade?

It means a taekwondo colored belt. So students wearing belts like white, yellow, green, blue or red are kup grade students.
A taekwondo student wearing a white belt is a 10th kup student.
And a student one grade away from black belt is a 1st kup.
A student wearing a taekwondo black belt is known as a Dan grade if they are over 16 years. Or a Poome grade if they are under 16.
Black belts start at 1st Dan (or 1st Degree) and heading towards 9th Dan.

To move from taekwondo white belt to the next grade and on to each of the tkd belts after that you take a taekwondo belt test or grading.
This is an exam to see if you are ready to wear the next belt.
You are assessed on basics. Taekwondo patterns or poomse. Taekwondo sparring. Self defense. Breaking. Fitness. Etiquette. And of course Spirit.
If that sounds like a lot remember this...
...if it's your first grading you are not expected to do what a red belt can do!
And if your instructor has put you in for the grading... then he or she thinks you are ready.
Here's some tkd belt test tips to help you through.

How Long To Taekwondo Black Belt?

When people start training they often want to know how long and how fast...
How fast will I work through the taekwondo belts? When do I get my red belt? And how long is it to black belt?
These are really hard questions to answer.
Because no two people are the same and no two clubs are the same.
Some people are naturally athletic and flexible, they train and practice many times each week and they grade faster.
Others don't find it so easy and can only train for a few hours each week. So they grade slower.
Some clubs concentrate on smaller sections of the syllabus. And others teach a very wide range of skills. Obviously if the syllabus is wider?...
Your black belt takes longer.
Here's a generalization. If you train hard and you have some natural skill and fitness, you can get your body into black belt shape in 2-3 years.
However, to build the mind of a black belt may take a lot longer than this...
It's important to realize this is your journey of self improvement. A journey you take at your own pace.
Keep walking the path...
And you'll get there when the time is right for you.
http://www.taekwondo-information.org/taekwondo-belts.html