Southern Sport. A fascinating aspect of body utilization.

I myself have the black belt in Taekwondo, and have been into it for 7 years. When I first started out, the black belt was like a myth. Unattainable. Legendary. You’d have to fly or something equivalent to get this notorious black belt.

Now that I have it, it seems more like a banalty. Worthless. I’m no Jackie Chan for sure, although I master techniques that people can’t but gape at.

It’s great for improving ones reflexes. Also it’s a cultural experience – we do wear those funny white dresses (do bok) and all other stuff one’d associate with strange.

To prove one is ready to ascend to a higher rank, to get a new color on your belt, you must pass a test. The difficulty of this test, naturally, is determined by the belt degree you are taking. In Taekwondo this test involves Han Bon Kireugis (one-step fights), Sam Bon kireguis (three-step fights), general fighting capabilities, self-defense performance and a Taeguk (serious of combined techniques) unique to you belt degree.

A taekwondo fight is normally 2×3 minutes;

In a squareformed arena red and blue color fights versus each other. Stepping outside of the arena equals losing. These fights have a complex rule system that I won’t get into.

After seven yours of practising taekwondo, I’m well aware that I will never be able to measure my self with those 70-old koreans. So called “masters.” And truly their performances are unmatched.

The black belt is relatively easy to achieve. 10 belts are all that stands in your way to get it. These initial belt grades are called Kup, the white belt being 10th kup going all the way down to 0 before you are ready to advance to the black belt with a significant increase in the “test”-difficulty. Once you pass, a handmade black belt will be made in Korea with your name written with those cool korean signs on it. This is when you move from the Kup to Dan. When you first get the black belt, you will be 1st Dan. This time, as you get higher in rank, your Dan count rises aswell.

The minimum interval you must wait to take a try for the new belt in the Kup-system is 4 months. So within 4 years it’s possible to achieve the black belt. With the Dan-system you have to wait as many years as your current Dan level is. (I.e if you have 3rd Dan you’ll have to wait 3 years just to try to get your 4th Dan.)

Taekwondo goes with a hierarchy. Everyone below 1st black belt are entitled “Toganim.” 1st to 3rd Dan, those are “Kyosanim,” 4th to 6th Dan are called “Sabumnim” and finally 7th Dan and above are the “Bumsemnims” which translated means old-man – thus why “Master” is preffered.