Belts
Tti - 띠
Origins
The use of coloured belts and black belts in martial arts dates back to 1883 when Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo, borrowed a ranking system (Kyu 級 for beginners and Dan 段 for advanced) from a strategic board game called Go (Chinese: 圍棋 / Japanese: 碁 / Korean: 바둑).
“Dan” translates to “level” and “Kyu” translates to “class” or “grade”.
Go was developed in China some time between 770 and 481 BCE before spreading throughout all of Eastern Asia, including Japan and Korea.
The awarding of coloured and black belts is not an ancient tradition, and its adoption arose from Kano needing a way to differentiate between his beginner (White Belt), intermediate (Brown Belt) and advanced (Black Belt) students. The first two people promoted to 1st Dan Black Belt had one year of training in Judo.
Later in 1926 one of Kano’s students in England, 小泉 軍治 Master Gunji Koizumi, would expand upon the system and include the multitude of colours which we are accustomed to today.
In Korean, the Japanese Kyu 級 (“K’yoo”) becomes Geup 급 (“Koob”) while Dan 段 stays as Dan 단 (“Dahn”) and is pronounced the same as in Japanese.
The first Black Belts in Taekwondo were in fact 1st or 2nd Dan in various Karate styles such as Shotokan and Goju-Ryu, who later went on to give themselves higher Dan promotions to represent their place as the masters who established the style.
1883: White, Brown & Black Belts for rank originate in Judo
1922: Shotokan Karate borrows Judo’s belt and rank system
1926: Extra coloured belts are added to Judo
192x: Shotokan also adds extra coloured belts
194x: Korean martial arts schools perpetuate the belt and rank system
Mistaken Mythology
The legend of ancient martial artists training in a white belt for so long that all of the blood and dirt colours it black is nothing but an unfounded myth. In many cases, the head master of a school is able to choose any progression of colours for belts before black, there is no standard order.
Prior to black belt, when comparing oneself to another school within the same style, it is better to do so in terms of your class/grade rank rather than your belt colour as a purple belt at one school may actually be the equivalent of a differently coloured belt at another.
Descend Geup, Ascend Dan
In martial arts styles which use this system, students begin as a colour belt in the Geup ranks and progress toward a black belt in the Dan ranks. Some schools have beginners start off at 10th Geup (10th Class) and progress to 1st Geup before moving on to 1st Dan (1st Level) and progressing upward from there. It isn’t uncommon to see beginners start off with a rank of 8th Class or 6th Class, depending on the style and master.
At NB TKD Academy all students start off at 10th Geup and progress toward 1st Geup before then testing for 1st Dan.
Titles
Yugeupja 유급자 (“Yoo-Goob-Jah”) is the title for someone who is a Grade/Class Rank Holder (a Colour Belt), Yudanja 유단자 (“Yoo-Dahn-Jah”) is the title for someone who is a Level Rank Holder (a Black Belt), and Kodanja 고단자 (“Koh-Dahn-Jah”) is the title for someone who is 6th Level Holder or higher.
Common Misconceptions
There is a common misconception that a black belt means someone in an unstoppable fighting machine or is meant to be unbeatable but in actuality, as far as Taekwondo goes, a 1st Dan student is someone who has acquired proficiency in the martial art. As an accomplishment it is certainly something to be proud of, though it is often mistakenly seen as the end it is in actuality just another beginning of skill development. In fact, Jigoro Kano initially promoted his first students to 1st Dan Black Belt after one year of training.
In South Korea it is not uncommon for someone to reach the level of 1st Poom (black belt under 15 years old) or 1st Dan (black belt 15 years old and up) after 2 years of regular practice, often 4 or more days per week.
Your average person training at a recreational level two times a week will likely not develop an acceptable level of proficiency to be a black belt in one year.
Poom - Junior Black Belt
In 1975 the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) introduced the Poom 품 rank classification for students who achieve black belt prior to the age of 15. Yupoomja 유품자 (“Yoo-Poom-Jah”) is the title for someone who holds one of these ranks. Officially speaking, the rank of 1st Poom is identical to the rank of 1st Dan, however a student who achieves the rank of 4th Poom is not considered to be a Master whereas one who has reached 4th Dan is.
Kukkiwon Dan Promotion
A black belt must be a minimum of 4th Dan to promote others to black belt, with 3rd Dan the highest that they can promote someone to at that point. 5th Dan can promote up to 4th Dan, 6th up to 5th, and so on.
All Kukkiwon Dan Promotions are facilitated by the examining master recommending the candidate for an increased rank, part of which includes filling out the requisite paperwork and sending it to the Kukkiwon after the test has been successfully completed.
Not all Taekwondo schools promote black belts through the Kukkiwon, with some opting to choose in-house certifications or Lineage Kwan certifications instead. People who are promoted this way are not recognized by the Kukkiwon as Yudanja / Dan Holders and thus are not able to participate in any Kukkiwon or World Taekwondo functions as a black belt.
High Dan tests must be completed at the Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea, though occasionally there are overseas High Dan Holder / Kodanja 고단자 tests.
Apart from declaring that one must be 4th Dan to promote students, the Kukkiwon does not have anything to do with the promotion or certification of individuals at the Geup / Colour Belt rank, nor has it ever. They also do not disseminate a curriculum for any school.
World Taekwondo does not oversee any colour belt certifications now nor did it back when it was the World Taekwondo Federation.
The only black belts given out by WT or WTF are honourary ranks for politicians and world leaders, solely for diplomatic reasons.
There is no such thing as a “WT Certified” or “WTF Certified” colour belt or black belt. Anyone claiming otherwise is either being disingenuous or is misinformed.
Non-Kukkiwon Taekwondo Dan
In some cases the Kukkiwon will allow a Lineage Kwan Dan Certificate to be converted to a Kukkiwon Dan Certificate.
In some cases the Kukkiwon will allow an ITF Dan Certificate to be converted to a Kukkiwon Dan Certificate.
It isn’t uncommon for someone to hold a Dan Rank with Kukkiwon while simultaneously holding a higher Dan Rank with a Lineage Kwan (5th Dan Kukkiwon & 8th Dan Oh Do Kwan, for example).
Belt Progression:
NB TKD Academy uses the following ranks and colours prior to Black Belt:
10th Class: White Belt ⚪
9th Class: Yellow Stripe Belt ⚪🟡
8th Class: Yellow Belt 🟡
7th Class: Orange Belt 🟠
6th Class: Green Belt 🟢
5th Class: Purple Belt 🟣
4th Class: Blue Belt 🔵
3rd Class: Brown Belt 🟤
2nd Class: Red Belt 🔴
1st Class: Black Stripe Belt 🔴⚫
Cho Dan Bo: ⚫⚪
Here is an example of a common colour belt progression used at other dojangs:
10th Class: White Belt ⚪
9th Class: Yellow Stripe Belt ⚪🟡
8th Class: Yellow Belt 🟡
7th Class: Green Stripe Belt 🟡🟢
6th Class: Green Belt 🟢
5th Class: Blue Stripe Belt 🟢🔵
4th Class: Blue Belt 🔵
3rd Class: Red Stripe Belt 🔵🔴
2nd Class: Red Belt 🔴
1st Class: Black Stripe Belt 🔴⚫
Cho Dan Bo: ⚫⚪
White Belt ⚪
Huin Tti
흰 띠
“Hween Tee”
Beginner colour belt rank. 10th Grade / Sip Geup / 십 급
Poomsae Required: Basic Form 1 / Kibon Il-Jang / 기본 일장
Yellow Stripe Belt ⚪🟡
Nolan Seon Tti
노란 선 띠
“Noh-Lahn Suhn Tee”
Beginner colour belt rank. 9th Grade / Gu Geup / 구 급
Poomsae Required: Basic Form 2 / Kibon I-Jang / 기본 이장
Yellow Belt 🟡
Nolan Tti
노란 띠
“Noh-Lahn Tee”
Novice colour belt rank. 8th Grade / Pal Geup / 팔 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 1 / Taegeuk Il-Jang / 태극 일장
Orange Belt 🟠
Juhwang Tti
주황 띠
“Joo-Wahng Tee”
Novice colour belt rank. 7th Grade / Chil Geup / 칠 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 2 / Taegeuk I-Jang / 태극 이장
Green Belt 🟢
Cholog Tti
초록 띠
“Choh-Lohg Tee”
Novice colour belt rank. 6th Grade / Yuk Geup / 육 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 3 / Taegeuk Sam-Jang / 태극 삼장
Purple Belt 🟣
Bola Tti
보라 띠
“Boh-Lah Tee”
Intermediate colour belt rank. 5th Grade / O Geup / 오 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 4 / Taegeuk Sa-Jang / 태극 사장
Blue Belt 🔵
Cheong Tti
청 띠
“Chuhng Tee”
Intermediate colour belt rank. 4th Grade / Sa Geup / 사 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 5 / Taegeuk O-Jang / 태극 오장
Brown Belt 🟤
Galsaeg Tti
갈색 띠
“Gahl-Seyhg Tee”
Intermediate colour belt rank. 3rd Grade / Sam Geup / 삼 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 6 / Taegeuk Yuk-Jang / 태극 육장
Red Belt 🔴
Hong Tti
홍 띠
“Hohng Tee”
Advanced colour belt rank. 2nd Grade / I Geup / 이 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 7 / Taegeuk Chil-Jang / 태극 칠장
Black Stripe Belt 🔴⚫
Geom-Eun Seon Tti
검은 선 띠
“Guhm-Oon Sohn Tee”
Advanced colour belt rank. 1st Grade / Il Geup / 일 급
Poomsae Required: Taegeuk 8 / Taegeuk Pal-Jang / 태극 팔장
Cho Dan Bo ⚫⚪
Black Belt Candidate
초단보
“Choh-Dahn-Boh”
Preliminary stage to Black Belt. A black belt with a white stripe. 흰 선 띠
In competition this rank is identical to 1st Geup Colour Belt.
Not every dojang has a rank between 1st Geup and 1st Dan.
Junior Black Belt ⚫🔴
Poom Tti
품 띠
“Poom Tee”
Implemented by the Kukkiwon in 1975 for someone who is under the age of 15 and has graduated past 1st Geup Colour Belt.
A Poom Belt is half red and half black.
유품자 Yupoomja:
1st Poom / 일 품 / Il Poom: Trained TKD Practitioner
2nd Poom / 이 품 / I Poom: Trained TKD Practitioner
3rd Poom / 삼 품 / Sam Poom: Trained TKD Practitioner
4th Poom / 사 품 / Sa Poom: Trained TKD Practitioner
Black Belt ⚫
Geom-Eun Tti
검은 띠
“Guhm-Oon Tee”
유단자 Yudanja:
1st Level / 일 단 / Il Dan: Trained TKD Practitioner
2nd Level / 이 단 / I Dan: Assistant Instructor
3rd Level / 삼 단 / Sam Dan: Instructor
4th Level / 사 단 / Sa Dan: Master Instructor
5th Level / 오 단 / O Dan: Master Instructor
고단자 Kodanja:
6th Level / 육 단 / Yuk Dan: Master Instructor
7th Level / 칠 단 / Chil Dan: Grand Master
8th Level / 팔 단 / Pal Dan: Grand Master
9th Level / 구 단 / Gu Dan: Grand Master
10th Level / 십 단 / Sip Dan: Honorary Level (awarded posthumously)