Basic Steps for Color Belts in Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a martial art first practiced in Korea about 1,300 years ago. The training and advancement process for the martial art can be long and grueling. Your instructor or "sensei" will monitor your development and provide you with different colored belts as you reach more advanced levels within the martial art.

  1. Initial Levels

    • Most senseis will not simply advance you from one belt to another without you having achieved the skill level and understanding of the martial art. Timing is of no importance, but rather the sensei will focus primarily on your skill and determination.

      According to the American Taekwondo Association, the most basic colored belt is the white belt, which reflects the student's lack of knowledge of taekwondo. The white symbolizes the student's entry into the martial part with a clean or pure slate. The next level is the orange belt, which reflects the student's beginning recognition of the beauty of the martial art but that he has not learned or experienced "power techniques" of taekwondo. The yellow belt follows and reflects the student understanding the basics of taekwondo. The camouflage belt or green belt reflects the student understanding his position in taekwondo; she will begin sparring with other students.

    Intermediate Levels

    • After sparring and developing power techniques, the student achieves the purple belt. The student begins to learn actual taekwondo poom-sae or forms as well as advanced power techniques. The blue belt follows and reflects the midway point in the belt system. The brown belt reflects the student's mastery of the basic taekwondo techniques.

    Advanced Levels

    • The red belt symbolizes the first phase of the basic training fading. The student has further developed his physical skill but lacks physical and mental control of these techniques. The red belt training challenges the student's focus and mental discipline. Red/black belt is the transitional stage between the intermediate level and moving to the advanced level, further strengthening mental focus and physical skill. The black belt is the culmination of taekwondo mastery. The student has "absorbed" all aspects of taekwondo, from physical skill to mental focus. The black belt will increase in degrees as the student further masters taekwondo techniques.