Belt Basics
The color of the belt is an indication of the skill level of a Taekwondo student. In WTF Taekwondo there are 10 Gups, starting from the 10th gup (a white belt) and ending with the 1st Gup (Black Stripe belt).
The term “Gup” means degree and the term “Dan” means phase. There are technically 9 Dan degrees, starting with the 1st and ending with the 9th. All Dan-degrees are represented by a black belt. The 10th degree is awarded to a Grand Master after devoting a life time to the Martial Art and is honorarily awarded upon passing away.
| No knowledge |
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. |
|
Getting to
know the basic |
Yellow Belt – The color yellow indicates that the person is getting to
know the basic techniques; this level in indicative to a plant growing
its roots. |
|
Growing as student |
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 leaves. |
|
Reaching a
higher level |
Blue Belt – The color blue indicates that the student is reaching a
higher skill level, such as a plant growing towards the sky. |
|
Warning to all |
Red Belt – The color red indicates danger. The student is warned to
practice control of his/her techniques in class. The color red is also
indicative of warning an opponent.
|
|
Maturity of
the student |
Black Belt – Black, being the opposite of white, means the maturity of
the student in Taekwondo. It also is an indication of being fearless of
darkness and life’s challenges. |