GRADING

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Minimum Grading Times
The Meaning of Belt Colours
Grading Promotion Requirements

Wealden Martial Arts' grading sessions occur every three months and are charged separately. Private gradings are also available and it is possible to grade with Mr Williams of EIATKD. Wealden Martial Arts gradings aim for the second Sunday in March, June, September and December. A grading booking form will be distributed in class before the time.

Minimum grading times:

The following is a chart showing the colour of belt, rank, and Minimum Time Requirements for advancing from one rank to the next in Tae Kwon Do. The Instructors will consider many factors when determining if a student must train longer in order to advance in rank. WMA does not allow anyone to "double grade" (e.g. go straight from Yellow to Green). If a student has received an "A" grade pass in their previous grading the amount of time that would be required between grades may be reduced.

These are only the minimum time requirements, for example: a 3rd Gup Blue Belt With Red Stripe must hold that rank for at least 9 months in order to advance in rank to 2nd Gup Red Belt. A 3rd Degree Black Belt must hold that rank for at least 4 years in order to advance in rank to 4th Degree Black Belt.

The following chart is based on a student who attends class each week, with each class being at least one and one-half hours in length. For serious students in the upper grades other training opportunities exist with our affiliates, Mr Williams of English International Allstyles Tae Kwon Do at venues noted in the web site.

Tae Kwon Do Rank

Time Required To
Advance In Rank
9th Gup White Belt With Yellow Stripe 3 months (24 hours)
8th Gup Yellow Belt 3 Months (24 Hours)
7th Gup Yellow Belt With Green Stripe 3 Months (24 Hours)
6th Gup Green Belt 3 Months (24 Hours)
5th Gup Green Belt With Blue Stripe 6 Months (36 Hours)
4th Gup Blue Belt 9 Months (108 Hours)
3rd Gup Blue Belt With Red Stripe 9 Months (108 Hours)
2nd Gup Red Belt 9 Months (108 Hours)
1st Gup Red Belt With Black Stripe 18 Months (162 Hours)
1st Dan (Il Dan) Black Belt 2 Years
2nd Dan (Ee Dan) Black Belt 2 Years
3rd Dan (Sam Dan) Black Belt 4 Years
4th Dan (Sa Dan) Black Belt 4 Years
5th Dan (Oh Dan) Black Belt 6 Years
6th Dan (Yook Dan) Black Belt 6 Years
7th Dan (Chil Dan) Black Belt 8 Years
8th Dan (Pal Dan) Black Belt N/A
9th Dan (Koo Dan) Black Belt N/A

The meaning of Belt Colours:

Belts are an artificial and relatively recent development in martial arts. They are intended to show levels of competence and time spent studying.

WHITE:

Signifies innocence, as that of a beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Tae Kwon do.

YELLOW:

Signifies earth from which a seed sprouts and takes root as the foundation of Tae Kwon Do is being laid.

GREEN:

Signifies the plant's growth as Tae Kwon Do skills begin to develop.

BLUE:

Signifies the Heaven towards which the plant grows - maturing into a towering tree as the training in Tae Kwon Do progresses.

RED:

Signifies danger, cautioning the student to exercise control over what they have learnt, and warning away opponents.

BLACK:

The opposite of white - signifying the maturity and proficiency in Tae Kwon Do skills. This also indicates that the wearer is impervious to darkness and fear.

Grading Promotion Requirements:

10th Gup

All students who start with a Dobok wear a white belt.

9th Gup

To gain White Belt with Yellow Stripe:

8th Gup

To gain Yellow Belt:

7th Gup

To gain Yellow Belt with Green Stripe:

6th Gup

To gain Green Belt:

5th Gup

To gain Green Belt with Blue Stripe:

4th Gup

To gain Blue Belt

3rd Gup

To gain Blue Belt with Red Stripe:

2nd Gup

To gain Red Belt:

1st Gup

To gain Red Belt with Black Stripe:

1st Dan

To gain Black Belt:

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