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Belt Test Information
Advancement through the belt ranks of WTF Tae Kwon Do is an important part of our club. Getting a new stripe or belt is a sign of your continued proficiency in the art and is a recognition of your effort. We have structured our curriculum such that, entering as a freshman who has never kicked before, it is possible to leave Tufts with a black belt on your hips and a great feeling of accomplishment.
To pass a belt test, you must demonstrate knowledge of the following forms, in addition to showing an appropriate level of skill and technique while performing the various other things asked of you during the test (paddle kick drills, sparring, etc.)
Forms
Each belt has its own required forms associated with it, usually one from the WTF tradition and one from the ITF tradition. The following is a list of what forms must be known for each promotion. Keep in mind that one must be prepared to perform all previous forms in addition to the newest ones required of the desired promotion.
| To gain one’s: | WTF Form | ITF Form |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Stripe | Taegeuk Il-Jang | (None) |
| Yellow Belt | (None) | Chon-Ji Tul |
| Green Stripe | Taegeuk Ee-Jang | Dan-Gun Tul |
| Green Belt | Taegeuk Sam-Jang | Do-San Tul |
| Blue Stripe | Taegeuk Sa-Jang | Won-Hyo Tul |
| Blue Belt | Taegeuk Oh-Jang | Yul-Gok Tul |
| Red Stripe | Taegeuk Yuk-Jang | Joong-Gun Tul |
| Red Belt | Taegeuk Chil-Jang | Toi-Gye Tul |
| Black Stripe | Taegeuk Pal-Jang | Hwa-Rang Tul |
| 1st Dan Black Belt | (None) | Choong-Moo Tul |
Other Requirements
Each rank has its own pre-choreographed sets of step-sparring (“three-steps” or “two-steps”) that you must learn. Also, for higher ranks, you must develop your own “one-step” sparring techniques.
There are two other types of sparring demonstrated during a belt test: non-contact “semi-free sparring”, in which technique, creativity, and control are emphasized, and full-contact “free sparring” in which one’s skill as a fighter can be judged.
Various paddle drills and hand techniques will be demonstrated at the testers’ discretion, and one’s knowledge of the theory behind any of the above requirements is always fair game. Each student will also be subjected to various situations in which they must demonstrate knowledge of self-defense. The final phase of any belt test is a board break, ranging from a simple forward punch to a jump-spin-hook-kick depending on rank.