At Sidekick Taekwondo, character development, fortitude, tenacity, and technique are graded as well as individual capacity which means that the student must also be adverse in self-defense techniques, board breaking, and general knowledge of Korean terms.
The following is based on the International Taekwondo Federations (ITF) guidelines for belt advancement. The promotional scale is divided into nineteen ranks - 10 grades (Gups) and nine degrees (Dans.) The grades starts from 10 and counts down to one. Degrees begin with the first degree (Dan) and end with the ultimate ninth degree. Only up to 6th degree is represented of forms that must be learned. 7th to 9th are honorary and given to special masters for their further advancements and contributions to the art.
What the colors of the Belts mean
There are six belts: white, yellow, green, blue, red and black. White is given to
beginners and black is given to students who have progressed through the grades and have a
solid foundation for learning the techniques of TAEKWON-Do.
The definition of the belts are as follows :
White Belt
Represents
the color of the seed that is planted: the beginning
Signifies innocence, as that of the beginning student who has no previous knowledge of
Taekwon-Do.
Yellow Belt
Represents
the color of the sun which encourages the seed to grow
Signifies the earth from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the foundation of
Taekwon-Do is being laid.
Green Belt
Represents
the color of the plant as it starts to grow and mature.
Signifies the plant's growth as Taekwon-Do skills begin to develop.
Blue Belt
Represents
the color of the sky in which the plants extends itself towards
Signifies the Heaven towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training
in Taekwon-Do progresses.
Red Belt
represents
the color of the sun as the plant gets closer. Hot and dangerous!
Signifies Danger, cautioning the the student to exercise control and warning the
opponent to stay away.
Black Belt
Represents
the blackness of outer space. The students finally realizes how big the universe is: How
much there is to learn.
Opposite of white, therefore signifying the maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do,
also indicates the wearer's imperviousness to darkness and fear.
| Belt | Rank | Form | One Steps | Board Breaking | Kicks/Punches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| images/ | |||||
|
9th Gup | CHON-JI meaning |
White Belt one steps | None | Basic |
|
8th Gup | DAN-GUN |
Lower Yellow one steps | None | Basic |
|
7th Gup | DO-SAN |
Upper Yellow one steps | 1 board with kick | Turning kicks |
|
6th Gup | WON-HYO |
Lower Green one steps | 1 board with kick
|
Basic spinning kicks |
|
5th Gup | YUL-GOK |
Upper Green one steps | 2 boards with 2 kicks | Intermediate |
|
4th Gup | JOONG-GUN |
Lower Blue one steps | 2 boards with 2 kicks & 1 hand technique | Intermediate/Advanced |
|
3rd Gup | TOI-GYE |
Upper Blue one steps | Advanced | |
|
2nd Gup | HWA-RANG |
Lower Red
one steps |
Advanced | |
|
1st Gup | CHOONG-MOO
|
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced | |
 |
Recommended Black Belt | All Forms mastered | 30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump | |
 |
1st Degree Black Belt | KWANG-GAE PO-EUN GE-BAEK |
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
|
 |
2nd Degree Black Belt | EUI-AM CHOONG-JANG JUCHE |
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
|
 |
3rd Degree Black Belt | SAM-IL YOO-SIN CHOI-YONG |
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
|
 |
4th Degree Black Belt | YONG-GAE UL-JI MOON-MOO |
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
|
 |
5th Degree Black Belt | SO-SAN SE-JONG |
30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
|
 |
6th Degree Black Belt | TONG-IL | 30 Basic 20 Multi-techniques |
Advanced/Jump
|
