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Takewondo belts and ranking system

Taekwondo Belts: 7 Color Rankings & Their Meaning For Noobs

By Alex Potranco · · Updated

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As a former Taekwondo student, I didn't really put so much interest in the Tae Kwon Do belts and their colors. However, I know that the colors of these belts possess different meanings, reasons, and even histories that can really be interesting.

And I assume…

I am not the only one, which is why I have prepared this article to inform you about these belts.

In this article, we'll cover the belt order, what each color means, and how promotions work.

History Of The Taekwondo Belt Colors

Taekwondo's founders trained in Japanese karate during the Japanese occupation of Korea, so the art borrowed the Japanese colored-belt and black-belt (kyu and dan) system. Modern taekwondo took shape in the 1950s and became an Olympic medal sport in 2000, according to NBC Olympics.

Early belt systems used only a few colors. Many schools today add colors such as orange, blue, purple, or brown between white and black.

The belt colors are often explained as a seed growing into a tree, a visual way of showing the path from white belt to first-degree black belt.

Keep in mind that belt colors are not uniform (some having a stripe) and differ slightly from school to school, and some or all of them may be part of your school's promotion system.

Taekwondo Belts Rankings System

Taekwondo ranks fall into two groups: colored belts and black belt degrees. White is always the first belt, and 9th-degree black belt is the highest rank normally awarded.

The "junior" levels are known as geup (급), and there are around ten of them in total; the exact number fluctuates between 8 and 12 depending on the style and regulating organization.

Each level does not necessarily correspond to a single color; rather, the system is set up so that various colors of a stripe signify a higher degree of the same belt color.

Before achieving a black belt, the geup system begins with the greatest number in the system and continues to the 1st geup, which is the last colored belt rank.

The black belts are divided into grades known as dan (단) or degrees in English. The degrees are numbered from 1st dan (first-degree black belt) through 4th dan (fourth-degree black belt) through the 9th dan (ninth-degree black belt), which is connected with the title of grandmaster.

Black belt degrees also come with titles in both the World Taekwondo (Kukkiwon) and ITF systems. In the ITF, 1st to 3rd degree are assistant instructors, 4th to 6th are instructors, 7th and 8th are masters, and only 9th degree is a grandmaster.

In Kukkiwon-style schools, 4th degree and up are usually called masters, and 7th to 9th degree are commonly called grandmasters. Exact titles vary by organization.

Taekwondo Belts In Order

Listed below is a common taekwondo belt order. Many schools skip brown or add other colors, so check your own school's order. Each color carries a traditional meaning:

1. White Belt

This is a symbol that represents purity or innocence.

As in karate, every new student starts with a white belt. It symbolizes a fresh start.

2. Yellow Belt

This color represents the ground and represents a seed being planted for its root system to form as it grows.

At this point, the learner is starting to lay the groundwork for learning Tae Kwon Do.

3. Green Belt

The term "green belt" refers to how a seed, or now a plant, begins to grow.

The student now has a solid basis on which to build, and his or her Tae Kwon Do skills continue to improve.

4. Brown Belt

Brown belt indicates that the tree, like the student and their techniques, is developing and expanding and that the student's skills continue to improve as they go to more advanced techniques.

This means the practitioner is gaining ground in the training and developing a keener sense of understanding of the sport.

5. Blue Belt

Blue belt denotes the start of a conversation about the sky or heaven, to which the plant is developing and on its path to becoming a tall tree.

Like the tree, the Tae Kwon Do learner grows stronger and matures.

6. Red Belt

This denotes danger and serves as a warning to both others and the student.

The pupil must be aware of their newly acquired powers and maintain control over them. This is the student's final belt before achieving his or her first aim of attaining a black belt.

7. Black Belt

This, of course, is the polar opposite of white, indicating that the pupil has progressed to the point where he has completed his Tae Kwon Do fundamental instruction.

To someone who does not do martial art, a black belt means they've mastered the art.

In reality, first-degree black belt is only the beginning, and there are many degrees still to earn.

Watch This!

The complementary video shows a student taking a test according to the belt worn:

Black Belt Levels

Once you've won your black belt, this marks the end of your leveling in Korean martial arts (physical) and the beginning of a lifelong practice (philosophical).

As a result, there's a system of levels within the black belts that goes something like this:

  • A kyo sah nim, or assistant teacher, is someone who holds a first through third-degree black belt.
  • A sah bum nim is a person who holds a fourth through sixth-degree black belt and is both an instructor and a master.
  • A kwan jang nim, or grandmaster, holds a seventh through ninth-degree black belt. Under Kukkiwon rules, these ranks have high minimum ages: 36 for 7th degree, 43 for 8th, and 52 for 9th.
  • A 10th-degree black belt is extremely rare and is generally reserved for people who have had a major impact on taekwondo's development.

Black Belts For Under 15

In Kukkiwon taekwondo, adult black belt ranks (dan) start at age 15.

Younger children can still test for black belt. Instead of a dan, they receive a poom rank, a junior black belt that's usually red and black. When the student turns 15, the poom rank can be converted to the matching dan.

How To Achieve A Higher Rank In Taekwondo

Promotion is the process of advancing to a higher rank. Each learner begins with the mandatory white belt and progresses through promotions to higher ranks.

As the ranks rise, the promotion process becomes more challenging, although it is usually a demonstration of the trainee's technical and tactical skills developed throughout the training process.

Lower grades usually only require a display of several Taekwondo attacks and one specific form, which is predetermined as a skill test for each degree.

Forms are a way for the student to show off his or her offensive and defensive talents, as well as his or her technical abilities.

The number of forms varies depending on the style. Kukkiwon schools teach eight Taegeuk forms for colored belts and more for black belts, while the ITF uses a set of 24 patterns. The learner is promoted after demonstrating all the required skills.

Higher levels typically contain more advanced techniques, as well as sparring, simulated sparring, self-defense, breaking skills, and even a written test on the fundamentals of Taekwondo.

Each organization sets its own criteria, and national federations may add their own minimum standards.

Black belts (and poom grades) are often certified through the national federation or Kukkiwon and are recognized internationally, whereas colored-belt promotions are normally handled inside the school.

The amount of time it takes to advance a rank is determined by the school, the national federation, and the rank in question.

Lower colored belts often come every few months, while higher ranks require a set amount of time before you can test.

The time between promotions ranges from a couple of months to several years at the higher dan grades, where the minimum wait grows with each rank.

Factors Taekwondo Schools Consider For Promoting To Higher Taekwondo Belt Rankings

Of course, each school has unique and different promotion tests. However, I’ll be mentioning the tests schools use in general.

1. Poomsae

Poomsae, as used in World Taekwondo Federation or Patterns in the International Taekwondo Federation.

Each colored belt has its Poomsae or patterns, which are a combination of standard and unified kicks, defending, and blocking techniques that students must know and execute flawlessly. As the belts get higher, the complexity of the forms increases.

2. Sparring

Sparring is included in some schools' promotion tests to assess pupils' reflexes in real time.

3. Physical Conditioning

Physical conditioning, strength, athleticism, and stamina are all required of students.

As a result, push-ups, burpees, leaps, and other exercises are frequently included in the exams.

4. Flexibility

As a pupil progresses through the ranks, more flexibility is required.

Certain procedures require a great deal of flexibility to be completed flawlessly. As a result, the test frequently includes side and front splits.

5. Tests

Some schools offer a theoretical test in which pupils are asked questions about taekwondo history and terminology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the needed time to advance to higher ranks?

Many schools test colored belts every few months, while more traditional schools may wait six months or longer between tests.

Higher ranks take more time, especially between dan ranks, where Kukkiwon sets minimum waits of a year or more that grow with each degree.

How long does it take to get a black belt in Taekwondo?

It depends on your school, how often you train, and your age. Many students who train a few times a week earn a first-degree black belt (or poom) in roughly 3 to 5 years.

What does Dan mean in Taekwondo?

Dan means degree. It's the rank system used once you earn a black belt, from 1st dan up to 9th dan.

Depending on the organization, each dan comes with a title. For example, a 4th dan is often a master instructor.

Conclusion

Now that you know how taekwondo belts work, you can set your next goal. Just don't pressure yourself.

It is not a race or a timed course to get your black belt. A good teacher will consider everything and will not put you in for a belt exam unless he or she believes you are ready.

Remember that TaeKwonDo is something you will continue to do in your daily life, not something you will graduate from and then abandon. You can make it whatever you want.

Sources

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