The Requirements to Advance to Yellow Belt in Taekwondo

Advancing to the yellow belt of taekwondo signifies the true start of one's journey to achieving the black belt or 1st dan. The yellow belt represents the Earth in which the foundations or roots of knowledge grow. This belt is the first step to understanding the basics upon which all further training will rely, and it is important to lay this groundwork properly; otherwise bad habits will begin to emerge. Everyone achieves these goals differently, but a standard time period of three to six months is customary in the evolution between ranks.

Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare for the grading examination before the sabumnim, or master. This will include demonstrating the proper blocks, stances, strikes and kicks that have been learned so far. The basics of a punch are that it must be straight, using a strong wrist, with first two knuckles being the point of impact. Kicks are perhaps the most important here. Turning the bottom foot for proper technique and making sure the knee is lifted high on every kick. All forms and patterns must be precise.

    • 2

      Stretch thoroughly before demonstration. This will prevent injury and improve flexibility. A series of stretches for the hamstring, groin and arms, as well as side stretches should be performed after a brief warmup. This process will also help to calm nerves.

    • 3

      Stand before the sabumnim with proper etiquette. Bow before him and any other judges on the panel and wait patiently for the cue to begin the demonstration. Listen to any and all direct instructions. The behaviors exhibited before, during and after the examination are taken into account for grading.

    • 4

      Demonstrate the yellow-belt appropriate skills. Most of these include showcasing basic low and rising blocks, knifehand guard blocks and strikes, and front-snap kicks. This stage of the learning process is based on the theory of the 24 patterns of taekwondo, named so for General Choi Hong Hi who believed the life of man ran in a parallel 24-hour period of the day. The yellow belt patterns are chon-ji, defined by a series of 19 movements that focusing on outer and inner forearm blocks and walking middle punch movements; and dan gun, defined by many of the movements of chon-ji in addition to knifehand guarding blocks, twin forearm blocks, rising blocks and high punches. These patterns have specific step-by-step processes that must be adhered to exactly in order.

    • 5

      Display level-proficient sparring and self-defense techniques. At the yellow-belt stage, the most important thing to remember is to keep balanced enough to avoid a punch and to keep all emotions in check.

    • 6

      Sharpen your focus on the breaking stages of the examination. Demonstrating a positive attitude with a centered core when it comes time to break blocks of wood for the judges is crucial to success. Do not hesitate to strike the target with confidence. One of the most important facets of taekwondo is a healthy spirit, and it will shine through when it comes time to test your knowledge.