Hong Park Tae Kwon Do: Colour Belts
The color of the belt is an indication of the skill level of a Taekwondo student. Belts are attained by successfully completing a belt exam or ‘Promotional Testing’ administered under the guidelines dictated by the World TaeKwonDo Federation.
Both Children and Adults train through the Colour Belt process, however the requirements differ slightly as those under 16 will progress through a ‘Junior Black Belt’ phase while they attain the mental and physical equivalents to adult students. Curriculum details are identified for both Youth and Adults in the color belt sections for each grade.
Please select you rank below by clicking on your belt color.
In WTF Taekwondo there are 10 Gups, starting from the 10th Gup (white belt) and ends with the 1st Gup (black stripe belt).
10th Gup: White Belt
The color white indicates that a person is “innocent”, has no knowledge of Taekwondo. The white-belt is automatically gained by taking Taekwondo classes.
8th Gup: Yellow Belt
The color yellow indicates that the person is getting to know the basic techniques, this stage is compared to a plant growing its roots. The student going for yellow-belt is usually not skilled enough to show “kyoroogi”, contact sparring, so instead with do 3 step, or shadow sparring.
6th Gup: Green Belt
The color green indicates that a student is growing as a Taekwondo student. The color of the belt is compared to a plant growing its leafs. At green belt, students are considered to have to skills necessary to participate in “kyoroogi”. And so must demonstrate their kyoroogi skill as part of their belt exam.
4th Gup: Blue Belt
The color blue indicates that a student is reaching higher, like a plant that is growing towards the sky.
2nd Gup: Red Belt
The color red indicates danger. The student is warned to practice the control of his/her movements. The color red also warns an opponent.
1st Dan: Black Belt
Black is the opposite of white and means the maturity of the student in the art. It also is an indication of being impenetrable of fear and darkness.