Comparing ranks across systems, let alone schools... I think this whole topic has shown how different the ranking system may be in Taekwondo schools around the world. Even though the style may be relatively the same, different groups do ranking differently. In my own opinion, the belt (with tabs, stripes, etc.) represents where the student is on the curriculum. It makes for a very easy visual reference for instructors as to who should be learning what... and as instructors get to know people individually, they may train them according to ability and not rank. When students come to us from another style or another TKD school, we allow them to wear their rank and uniform for a while (or they can get a new uniform and a white belt from us). For a few weeks or so, we evaluate where they are in ability. When we determine where they would be in our ranking system, we begin training them in the required forms and techniques they need to know and then test them for that level, allowing them to possibly skip a few levels if their ability warrants it. Alternatively, if they are "just visiting" for a semester or two (we are a College TKD club), they can jst wear their original uniform and rank. I don't recommend comparing belt ranks across schools... although one thing I like about dan rankings from the WTF is that anyone with a WTF rank had to do relatively the same curriculum to be promoted (yes, I know sometimes it doesn't work) and this can serve as a rough estimate of level because the standard is international (in theory).
good work Shane. that's exaclty what i wanted to do. there are some differences in belt colours here but still u got the essence of it.
My school's levels are as follows: White Yellow Orange Green Blue Blue w/ red stripe Red Red w/ black stripe Black 1st dan Black 2nd dan Black 2nd dan WTF Black 3rd dan etc....
Before I put my experience down, I would like to try to understand why certain Korean WTF masters and teachers who start their own schools over here don't just teach what the WTF teaches...The instructor who promoted me to 1st Dan was a WTF master and I know I didn't get the kukkiwon type of test. Just curious...and I know the belt system he uses is not WTF...hmmm Ours went, and I remain with this...most likely out of tradition. I have often thought of switching red to brown...cuz, in some arts a red belt is a master! You should have seen the look on some guys faces when I was younger, in the dressing room at another school, putting on my 3rd degree red belt and having these black belts start bowing and asking me how long I had been training, since I was like 17 or 18 at the time...Too FUNNY...They thought I was a master...hee hee white yellow orange green blue purple red-1 stripe red-2 stripes red-3 stripes red-black (bo-dan_ Black belt and beyond...
American TKD money making system: white yellow orange green purple blue super blue brown super brown red super red (bo black) black Lets see, at $45 bucks a belt, $90 for the bo black, $500 for the black belt....tidy little profit
Hi i am a orange belt gonna be green belt next saturday i train under the world tkd federation and our belt system is as follows: white yellow orange green purple blue brown senior brown red senior red junior deputy senior deputy BLACK!
The nice thing about KKW/WTF is that its fairly open to what is taught. All that is asked for is the base, and any instructor can add whatever they wish after that. I think the color belt system is farily open too. Think they define the ranks more as a gup format rather than colors, although the preferred color belt system would be: white, yellowstrip, yellow, greenstripe, green, bluestripe, blue, red stripe, red, black strip, black. Funny too that for all the flexability in curriculm, it can also create many problems of substandard practicioners.
im going to re awaken this thread by saying in my shcool the belts were as follows white- 3 months yellow- 3 months orange -3 months green-3 months blue-3 months purple- 3 months red- 6months red/black- 1 year black belt-3yrs u get the picture
Ours goes: White > Yellow tag > Yellow > Green tag > Green > Blue tag > Blue > Red tag > Red > Black tag > 1st Degree - 9th Degree
here its like this: white yellow1 yellow2 green1 green2 blue1 blue2 red1 red2 black (dan or poom for those under 15)
our system goes like this white yellow senor yellow green senor green blue senor blue red senor red recommended black belt black belt 1-10th degree
I'm starting my school next week, and here are the belts... White* Bland Off-white Beige Cream* Egg Yellow Banana Canary-Yellow* Lemon Gold Rustic Gold Faded Orange* Orange Orangish Baboon's Bum* Burnt Sienna Rust Lime Frog* Racing Green Camo Hunter Green* Leaf Grass* Aqua Hangover Aquamarine Sky Blue* Baby Blue Navy Blue* Deep Blue Bleu Cheese Bark Brown* Mahogany Oak Turd* Burnt S'more Lobster Canadian Snowbird on Miami Beach* Cherry Strawberry* Rudolph Red* Bright Red Red/Black Black/Red Red with intermittant black marks* Black with intermittant red marks Black with red polka dots* Black Midnight black* Black with silly stripes* Fuscia Magic Pink Belt Birthday Suit *Before promotion to next belt, students must pre-test and have chicken heads embroidered on their belts. Cheers, DH
Wow... that's a lot of belts. How much will you charge per test? (Let me know if you need an assistant tester for 25%)
