BELTS:

Tae Kwon Do there are 10 Keub, starting from the 10th Keub (white belt) and ends with the 1st Keub (red-black belt). The term "Keub" means degree. The term "Dan" means phase. There are 9 Dan degrees, starting with the first and ending with the 9th. All Dan-degrees are represented by a black belt.

 

The color white indicates that a person is "innocent", has no knowledge of the sport Tae Kwon Do yet. The white-belt is automatically gained by taking Tae Kwon Do classes.

The color yellow indicates that the person is getting to know the basic techniques; this stadium is compared to a plant growing its roots.  The student going for yellow-belt is usually not skilled enough to show "Chayu daeryon" (non-contact sparring). Instead the student has to show "Sajoe" ("four-direction-movement", one specific technique shown to all directions).

The color green indicates that a student is growing as a Tae Kwon Do student. The color of the belt is compared to a plant growing its leafs.

The color blue indicates that a student is reaching higher, like the plant is growing to the sky.

The color red indicates danger. The student is warned to practice the control of his/her movements. The color red also warrens an opponent.

W.T.F. Tae Kwon Do requires that one has to be 16 years old to get a black belt. If you're younger, you get a poem, which can be replaced by a black belt if you pass the age of 16. The requirements are the same as for the black belt.

Black is the opposite of white and signifies the maturity of the student in the sport. It also is an indication of being impenetrable for fear and darkness. A black belt has to know all the skills mentioned above. There is also a special pattern for black belts. The patterns follow the poomsae TaeGuks as well as the poomsae Palgwes.

1. 1^st Dan - poomsae TaeGuk 1-8
2. 2^nd Dan - poomsae Koryo
3. 3^rd Dan - poomsae Keumgang
4. 4^th Dan - poomsae TaeBaek
5. 5^th Dan - poomsae Pyongwon
6. 6^th Dan - poomsae Sipjin

Terms used in Tae Kwon Do: