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It is understood in the philosophy of um and yang that one element cannot exist without its counterpart. Thus, the entire universe is based upon a system of duality. In terms of taekwondo, this represents the fact that the student learns from the instructor, while the instructor's function depends upon the student.
The three remaining belts have primary colors: yellow, blue, and red. These represent a student's progression from the realm of naivete to the deeper dimensions of knowledge.
Wearing the Taekwondo Belt
The taekwondo belt is tied in a very specific manner. It loops around the body two times and then is tied in front in a triangle-shape knot. The wearing of the belt and the tying of the knot, which binds it to your body, are symbolic gestures and should never be taken lightly. Tying your belt in this predetermined fashion represents that you are focusing your mind and your body, organizing your thoughts, and readying yourself to enter into taekwondo training. The triangle-shape knot represents oneness of purpose.
Understanding the
Taekwondo Black Belt
Depending upon the school and the governing body, it can take anywhere from one and a half years to four years to earn a first dan, or "degree," black belt in taekwondo. One must be at least sixteen years old to obtain the taekwondo black belt; younger students who have studied taekwondo for the necessary amount of time and have demonstrated proficiency in the art are awarded the junior black belt. Whereas the adult taekwondo black-belt holder possesses a dan ranking, a junior black belt is referred to by the Korean term pum.
It is essential to understand that simply achieving a first dan black belt in taekwondo does not make one a master of the art. In fact, those who are awarded the first through third dan black-belt rankings are considered to be only advanced students of taekwondo. It is not until a taekwondo practitioner reaches the fourth dan level that he or she is considered an instructor. One is not considered a master of taekwondo, Sabumnim, until one reaches the fifth dan level.
ATAEKWONDO CLASS is made up of eleven primary elements. Although the focus of each class will vary according to the instructor, these eleven elements will always be included in the overall curriculum of a school of taekwondo:
| 1. Bowing | 7. Self-defense training | |
| 2. Warmup | 8. One-step sparring | |
| 3. Blocking practice | 9. Three-step sparring | |
| 4. Punching practice | 10. Sparring | |
| 5. Kicking practice | 11. Meditation | |
| 6. Forms practice |
A taekwondo class begins when the students are called together by the instructor. The students line up in the appropriate location designated by the school. The senior students are always in front of the class. From there, the students fall into place in accordance with their belt ranking. For example, the black belts will be in the front of the class, followed by the red belts, the blue belts, the yellow belts, and finally the white belts. When several members of the school possess the same belt ranking, their order is determined by who has been a student of the school for the longest period of time.
Bowing
Once the class has lined up, the instructor directs the students to face the flags. The flag of the home country and the flag of South Korea commonly hang on the walls of most dojangs. The students are then directed to bow to the flags.
A bow, in taekwondo, is accomplished by placing your hands, palms down, against your upper legs. You then slightly bend forward at waist level.
Once the bowing to the flags has been completed, the students are instructed to turn and face the instructor. They bow to the instructor, as he bows to them. The class may now get under way.
Kihap
One commonly hears taekwondo practitioners performing a martial arts yell as they perform a technique. This yell is known in Korean as a kihap. The kihap is actually a conscious method for taekwondo practitioners to expel ki, internal energy, from their bodies as they perform a technique. This is understood to give the technique more power and cause practitioners to remain more focused. You perform the kihap by releasing your breath, in the form of a yell, from your central abdomenal region as you perform each technique.
All taekwondo students are instructed to perform a kihap in association with each technique they perform. Therefore, it is a good idea for the budding taekwondo practitioner to get into the habit of performing the kihap from the very beginning of training.
Warmup
A taekwondo class begins with various forms of warmup exercises. The first traditional method of warming up is the horse stance middle punch (see Chapter 9). This exercise has the students enter into a horse stance and punch toward a central point. Once this exercise is completed, the students are then directed to do push-ups on their knuckles. Commonly, the student is told to do ten push-ups.
Back on their feet, the class is then led through a series of leg-stretching exercises. As one of the elemental components of taekwondo is kicking, stretching is an essential part of the warmup. Stretching diminishes the chances that students will tear muscles while training.
Blocking Practice
Blocking practice is usually the next level of training for the taekwondo class. Not only does blocking practice help to refine the students' skills, but it helps in the ongoing process of warming up.
What commonly occurs in blocking practice is that the instructor will direct the students to perform one of the taekwondo blocks: a low block, a high block, and so on. As each block is shouted out, the students will move forward and kihap while performing the individual block. When the lead member of the class reaches the wall, they will be instructed to pivot and turn around. The practice session will then continue, going the other way.
In some cases, where there is not adequate space for the students to move forward in lines, they will simply perform each block where they stand. When they are instructed to perform the next blocking technique, they will simply switch legs in a low jumping pattern, so that their rear leg takes the forward position.
Punching Practice
Punching practice is usually the next level of training the class is guided through, To begin this segment of the class, the instructor will call out a command. For example, "Front stance, straight punch." With this, the students will kihap and follow through with the technique. The instructor will call out, "One, two,
