Taekwondo Student
How do ATA belt systems work?
My daughter and I recently started Taekwondo. She is currently an orange belt. I have seen students with orange belts with horizontal black stripes (running the entire length of the belt). I have also seen students of all ranks with horizontal gold stripes. The school uses three (tape) stripes on one end of the belt to signify that a student is ready to test for the next belt(you accumulate stripes as you go). What do the horizontal stripes (black and gold) signify?
I was just told by someone that has an ATA handbook that there are something like 15 belts before black belt. Then there are stripes that are earned between each belt. Basically it means that there are around 30 belt promotions before black belt. There is not need for that many belts in any style of martial art. It is one way they extract a lot of your money. As people stay in ATA longer and spend more money, they are less likely to drop out, so they just end up getting taken for more money. In my 41+ years of martial arts training, I’ve never seen a bigger rip off than the ATA. Don’t even get me started on the crap they teach. I’ve been a full time instructor of martial arts for over 35 years. I amazes me that the American public will put up with the tactics and hard sell that the ATA uses. It is no surprise that the ATA does not allow any outsider to compete in theri tournaments. They also tend to keep their students from going to other schools or tournaments. MY advice to you is simple, Get out of the ATA ASAP. There are reputable martial arts schools that don’t charge you nearly as much and teach much better martial arts.
EDIT: Another issue with ATA is their practice of charging for everything. By that I mean they have built in every thing they can think of to charge for. They tend to have short seminars that you must attend. these one hour seminars are usually $60 each.
Taekwondo Master Lee Kyu-Hyung: Student Demonstrations
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I am in the ATA and the black stripe that runs the entire length of the belt is for the “black belt club” It is a special club that is an option for the students to take. The black belt club teaches weapons and other things that the other students don’t necessarily learn in class. The gold Stripe is for the “leadership club” it is for the students that one day would like to have their own school. They take a special class that teaches them how to be a leader in the ATA and they get to help at tournaments and during classes. The belt system is set up as follows:
White belt – “Pure and without the knowledge of Songahm Taekwondo. As with the Pine Tree, the seed must now be planted and nourished to develop strong roots.”
Orange belt – “The sun is beginning to rise. As with the morning’s dawn, only the beauty of the sunrise is seen rather than the immense power.”
Yellow belt – “The seed is beginning to see the sunlight.”
Camouflage belt – “The sapling is hidden amongst the taller pines and must now fight its way upwards.”
Green belt – “The pine tree is beginning to develop and grow in strength.”
Purple belt – “Coming to the mountain. The tree is in mid-growth and now the path becomes steep.”
Blue belt – “The tree reaches for the sky towards new heights.”
Brown belt – “The tree is firmly rooted in the earth”
Red belt – “The sun is setting. The first phase of growth has been accomplished.”
1st Degree Black Belt Recommended (half red and half black in appearance) – “The dawn of a new day. The sun breaks through the darkness.”
1st Degree Black Belt – “Begin planting seeds for the future.”
2nd Degree Black Belt – “With your noble character, you will develop a new permanence in life.”
3rd Degree Black Belt – “Peace of mind and tranquility.”
4th Degree Black Belt – “Crest of granite mountain.”
5th Degree Black Belt – “Mastered all kinds of knowledge and utilizes this to do many things.”
6th Degree Black Belt – “Long Life.”
The “Tape” stripes that are put on the belts The 1st one you get for knowing your form, the 2nd is for knowing your one-steps (sparring forms) and the 3rd is for Board breaking. Most ATA schools do not charge for these stripes as they are just a goal marker before you get to test.
The One stripe on the left is for a “decided belt” when the student tests They are given a score for their form, sparring, and board breaking. If they score high they are a “decided belt” which means when they test the next time they are going for the next color belt. If they score low they aren’t given a stripe and it is a “recommended belt” And the next time they test they are testing for the decided belt of the same color.
* the “decided” stripe goes on the Right