Tae Kwon Do in Color: The Meanings of the Belt Ranks

Believe it or not, the belt ranks in many a martial artstell a story or provide a path of guidance for the practicer. Below I will share with you the meanings of the belt ranks as I learned them growing up in tae kwon do, under the instruction of Mr. Hurley and then Mr. Chamberlain, and with a little symbolic interpretation from me.

The White Belt represents purity and the beginning of a new journey. It also represents the openness of the student to learn.
The Yellow Belt represents the seed of Tae Kwon Do being planted in the student. Some also say that it represents the earth that the seed gets planted in.
The Green Belt represents the plant that grows from the seed.
The Blue Belt represents the deepest depths of the ocean and the farthest heights of the sky, that your knowledge and potential for Tae Kwon Do are limitless and undefined. Some say it also represents the rain that falls upon the plant of Tae Kwon Do, helping it to grow and mature.
The Red Belt represents danger. This is the stage in your journey where you are the most dangerous. You are learning many things and trying to gain self control. Some also say that it represents fire and passion for learning the art of Tae Kwon Do.
The Black Belt is the combination of all the colored belts. It represents an accumulation of knowledge and skill. The first degree black belt is the symbol of the beginning of another journey.

My instructors used to tell us that the colored belts were a more recent part of TKD and that originally a martial arts student would wear a white belt over and over and never wash it. Eventually after plenty of time spent studying and practicing, the blood, sweat and dirt would turn it black and you would know you'd earned it.

In total there are 10 ranks before 1st degree black belt. Between each of the colors listed above is a tipped color. For example between White Belt and Yellow Belt is White Belt with Yellow tips. To me the tipped belt ranks represent a more in depth sense of learning and achievement for where ever you are on the color scale. It is important to note that every tipped rank comes with its own form, techniques, terminology and teachings.

Personally, I believe the story of the belt ranks to be an important one. Mr.Chamberlain used to tell us the story of the belt ranks after a testing when our fellow peers were about to recieve to ranks they had earned. Some of my most fond memories of Tae Kwon Do class were spent hanging on every single word of the Belt rank meanings. As a young student, I aspired to be the seed and grow into the plant and be watered by the knowledge and reach the depths of the sea and to overcome and control the great danger that was inside me and to once again become whole and start the journey all over again.

So if you are a teacher, I want to take this moment to encourage you to tell this story, because your words have more weight than you could possibly ever know.

Speak like a girl, Spar like a girl!

-Sossina