Apr 12
20
Taekwondo Belts Tests Tips
If you are working on getting your taekwondo belts, it is important to be prepared for the test. There are many things that you can do to prepare so that you’ll do well and get to the next level easily.
The first thing you need to do is prepare well in advance. That means that you need to begin practicing weeks before your test. Practice everything, even if you have it down well. Start with the basics and then move up from there. Practice all of your patterns. Get together with friends who are also taking the test to practice sparring techniques. The better you know everything, the more confident you will be, and the better you will do.
Visualization is an important part of preparation as well. Especially as you are falling asleep, you should be visualizing everything that you are practicing. Imagine that you are doing each move exactly right, and see the wood breaking and falling in pieces onto the floor. As you visualize yourself doing well, it will help you keep your thinking positive which will help to keep you calm.
Be sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before the test. Go to bed early. If you can’t sleep, focus on visualization. Make sure that you have everything together the day before so that you can rest easy. That means packing your back, trimming your nails, and having your doboks clean and ironed. Eat healthy meals and drink lots of water. You want to look and feel your best for the test day.
On the test day, it is important to stay calm and positive. Realize that you will have a lot of adrenaline in your system which will make you feel tired. If you can keep yourself relaxed and calm, you will have less adrenaline and will have more energy. If you do start getting nervous, focus on relaxing your breathing and do some more visualization.
When you do get out there for your test, be confident in your own abilities, and don’t glance around to see what others are doing. Not only will the judges see that you are not confident, but you may go wrong if your friends go wrong. If you do mess up, keep going, and focus on the next task ahead of you. If you dwell on your mistakes, you’re likely to mess up again, and will be stuck retesting for the same Taekwondo belts.
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If you are having trouble with using Taekwondo kicks to power through boards or when sparring, you may need to learn to relax. There are a few steps that you can take to be able to relax and to do better when kicking in Taekwondo.
Watch the masters. If you carefully watch the way the masters of martial arts perform their kicks, you will see that they are relaxed. Their arms are hanging at their sides and their shoulders are down and back. They power through boards effortlessly, and seem to be completely calm in the midst of a sparring match. These are your examples to follow, though you may be a long way off right now.
At the beginning, it is hard to relax. Taekwondo is new, as is everything you are learning. You aren’t yet strong or confident in your abilities, and it seems hard to coordinate yourself to perform some of these tricks. The more you practice each new technique as you learn it, the more relaxed you will get with it. Especially at the beginning, it is important to practice new techniques until you have them down.
As you begin to move up in ranks and earn higher level belts, you will continue to learn new techniques and new kicks. They will get more difficult, which means that you will have to keep practicing them to get them down. However, as you are moving up through the ranks, you will be getting much stronger and more balanced. You will also feel much more coordinated and many movements will now feel natural to you.
Once you’ve begun to master the kicks, you can begin to master your adrenaline. When you start to tense up, take a deep breath. There are many ways to help you relax your body. Take a moment to feel where the tension is and relax that part. It may be your legs, or your shoulders, but your whole body works together to kick, so your whole body needs to be relaxed to kick well.
Adrenaline is something the body produces naturally when you get nervous. It is good for if you are in a real fight, but it is not good for if you are in class. Adrenaline helps your body to burn energy faster and tightens your muscles. When your muscles get tight, your taekwondo kicks will not be able to flow as well as they should.
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If you are going to a Taekwondo poomse competition, it is important to have the right gear. Although you should also have proper gear when attending class, it is especially important for competitions. If you have the right gear, it will give you everything that the judge is looking for: snappiness of techniques, balance, correctness of the form, and presentation.
Having snappiness in your form is one of the things that the judge looks at. That means your movements are crisp and precise. To magnify that, you should try to find a uniform that is made of a heavier material and that is already broken in. Go ahead and test out various uniforms, and have friends or even instructors help you select the one that is best for magnifying your snappy movements.
Balance is also important for poomse competitions. If your uniform is too long or baggy, it will throw off your balance. Be extra careful with the length of the pants, as stepping on a pant leg that is too long could cause you to fall. Pants that don’t fit right in the waist will be a distraction as you try to adjust them, and could also impair your movement.
The correctness of the form is a vital part of poomse competitions. If your uniform does not fit right, it will affect your form. Whether it is the top or the pants, a uniform that is too tight will restrict movements, which means that you will not be able to perform them in the way that you should. A uniform that is too lose will also impair movements and could trip you up.
Overall presentation is also important for poomse competitions. The way you look is not as important as your techniques, but you should still look your best for the judges. When you have on your cleanest uniform and have ironed it to look sharp, you will automatically appear and feel more confident. Part of that presentation is the way you are beneath the uniform. You should always be sure to have clean and short fingernails, with your hair neatly arranged.
No matter how snappy your uniform may make you look, you need to have the skills to back it up. Wearing the proper uniform for taekwondo poomse competitions is important, but it won’t matter unless you have practiced and know all of the movements well.
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Mar 12
24
Why Wear A Taekwondo Dobok
The taekwondo dobok is the uniform of all Taekwondo students. Many people do not realize, however, that it is more than just a uniform. There are reasons as to why students are required to wear it, which are all stated in the Encyclopedia of Taekwondo. There are five reasons that are the most important.
The first reason is simply because it is practical and healthy. The dobok was designed to allow freedom of movement for the martial artist. Other clothes may be too tight or too loose, which would impair the user from properly performing each movement. Although it is possible to have a dobok that is not the right size, it is easy to find one that does fit well. It is healthy to wear because it is made from material that allows for airflow, which will keep the wearer cool during practices and tournaments.
The second reason is that it is a way to distinguish between ranks of students. The belt color indicates the rank of each student, which makes it easy to know the level of the other students that you may come in contact with. The lowest rank is white, then yellow, green, blue, red, and black. Students who want to practice sparring can then easily find a student that is the same level as them, and students who are seeking advice can find other students who are at higher levels, if an instructor is not available.
Another reason is the pride and dignity gained simply by wearing the dobok. Taekwondo has many important tenets which are the keys to understanding and learning Taekwondo. When the student puts on his dobok, he is reminded of these tenets and can incorporate those into their practice time, competition, or class.
In addition to that instillation of pride, humility is gained when the dobok is worn because the student is reminded of their rank. When he puts on the colored belt, he is reminded of where he stands in the ranks of Taekwondo, and knows how much farther he still has to go. Because each color symbolizes something, he knows that he is just starting to grow in knowledge, or that he has learned much and needs to be careful to use that knowledge in the best way possible.
The last reason is that it is traditional. Martial artists have been wearing the same style of Taekwondo dobok for hundreds of years, since the creation of Taekwondo in Korea.
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Mar 12
15
The Meaning Of Taekwondo Belts
Although most people know about taekwondo belts, many people do not know the order of the colors, or what they mean. Whether you are already involved in Taekwondo, you want to get involved, or are just curious, it is good to understand the meanings of the different belts.
The white belt is the first belt that students get. It represents the new beginning of the student. At this stage, the student is simply gaining as much knowledge as they can, on a basic level.
The yellow belt is the next belt, and symbolizes a single ray of sunshine. Students that have earned their yellow belt have begun to take steps in learning about Taekwondo and are still increasing in knowledge. They continue to have new techniques introduced to them, but are not learning very many.
The green belt comes next. It represents growth, like a seed that has been planted that is just starting to sprout. At this stage, the student is beginning to improve the techniques that they have learned, as they continue to learn new techniques.
The blue belt follows after the green belt, and is the color of the sky. Continuing with the comparison of the student to a plant, this belt shows that the student is growing up to the sky as they move up in the ranks of Taekwondo. This is when even more in depth information about the art is taught to the student, so they continue in their journey of learning.
The red belt is the next one. It also represents the sun, but with a greater strength as it give energy to that plant to help it continue to grow. The red is also used as a warning color, to remind the student that this knowledge of Taekwondo they have is power, and that they need to be careful with it. At this point, the student has learned many techniques, and is working hard to hone them.
The black belt is the last belt that can be earned. It represents the darkness beyond the light of the sun. At this point, the student can become a teacher, and pass on their learning to others. However, the improving of one’s techniques never ends, and even one with a black belt must continue to practice and train to be as best as they can be, and be proud that they have earned all of the Taekwondo belts.
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Mar 12
6
Taekwondo Kicks To Break Wood
Using proper taekwondo kicks is the key to being able to break wood. Breaking wood is one of the tests used to see that students are using the proper techniques when kicking. This test is important because if the student looks good in class but can’t actually defend himself in real combat, it won’t matter. There are three main mistakes made when kicking, so if the wood does not break, it is likely to be one of these three problems.
The first mistake that students make is that they are aiming at the wood rather than a point beyond it. If the student aims directly at the wood, that is where their attack stops, and they will not power their hand or foot all the way through the board. This mistake can be corrected by the student readjusting where he is aiming. He needs to be aiming beyond the board, by about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm). Looking past the board ensures that he will be moving his foot or hand at full strength when he connects with the board, and will only slow once he is through it.
The second mistake students make when kicking through boards is that they are not positioned correctly. They may be either too close to the board or too far away from it. If they are too far away, it is the same as if they were aiming incorrectly, and they will not be able to power through. If they are too close, they will not be able to build enough power to get through the board. These problems can be solved by simply readjusting position. The student may have to put his foot or hand up to the board before kicking to be sure his position is correct.
The last mistake that students may make is that their technique is incorrect. They are perhaps not centering their balance correctly, or there are other problems with the way they are executing the movement. This mistake really shouldn’t happen, as the student should have perfected the technique before attempting to break wood. If the aim and positioning are both right and the board still does not break, that student needs to continue practicing that technique to be sure he can perform it so that he can break the wood.
Figuring out what the problem is when performing Taekwondo kicks to break wood is the only way to know what changes need to be made to be able to successfully break the wood the next time.
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Feb 12
26
Taekwondo Poomse Competitions
Taekwondo poomse is a pattern that contains various basic stances, blocks, and blows which are arranged in a specific sequence. They are meant to mimic an individual fighting against multiple foes. Poomse is considered a technical element of Taekwondo, and is a part of grading. There are competitions that were started by the World Taekwondo Federation, but there is some debate surrounding them.
Many people believe that it is a good thing to have poomse competitions, as it is very artistic as it concentrates on fluidity of movement, technique, and stance. It allows for martial artists to have a wider range of competitions to enter and be shown in, and can demonstrate their abilities clearly as individuals rather than the blurred action of a sparring match.
Because of the concentration on the technical elements and perfect execution of movements through the pattern, it requires a lot of practice and is good for reinforcing the importance of good form. When good form is used in poomse, good form in sparring and other parts of Taekwondo will follow.
There are others that oppose poomse competitions, because of the concentration on flow of form. They believe that this opportunity to demonstrate good form will make the students prideful in their abilities, and that they will go into the competition with wrong motives. Because showing off is not what martial arts is about, poomse can take a student’s focus off of where it should be.
Also, because martial arts is intended to be a learned fighting style with practical application, poomse competitions take away from that. It gets students focusing too much on perfecting their form, and not enough on being able to use their techniques in practical settings. It is important for martial arts students to always keep in mind that they are learning martial arts not just for themselves, but also to be able to protect people who may need their help.
There are a few other draw-backs to poomse competitions. It increases the cost for students or the parents of younger students. Especially in difficult economical times, the poomse competitions do not justify the increased cost. Also, these competitions are boring compared to other Taekwondo exhibitions, and do not bring in huge crowds or money, again making it not worth it.
It is up to the individual dojos to weigh the options and decide if taekwondo poomse competitions are right for them, based on what they want to accomplish through their martial arts training.
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Feb 12
17
Taekwondo Dobok Information
The uniform for Taekwondo is the Dobok. It is a vital part of the Taekwondo experience, and students must wear it at all times during practice. It is even more important to be worn during sparring games, and during any tournaments or competitions.
Dobok is a Korean word, and came from two different words. “Do” is related to the word “way,” and “bok” is a word used to describe clothing. Essentially, the word dobok means “the way of the clothing.” Because of the significance of the dobok to Taekwondo and has been worn the same way for hundreds of years, it is important to understand it to better understand martial arts.
Doboks come in two different colors: white and black. The white dobok is worn by the students, and the black dobok is worn by the teachers, and students who have reached the level of black belt, which means they could choose to become teachers. Sometimes, a student may simply have black trim added to the white dobok to show the level they have reached.
A colored belt is worn around the waist as a way to distinguish the levels of the students. White is the lowest rank, of a beginning student. From there, it goes yellow, green, blue, red, and black. Understanding the order and origin of the belt colors is another important part of understanding and learning Taekwondo.
The dobok is similar to many other uniforms that are worn by other martial arts form, especially Karate and Judo. It is believed that the uniforms of all of these forms were patterned after the uniform for Judo. Kano Jigoro is the man who designed the original uniforms, as well as came up with the color system for distinguishing between ranks of students.
Range of motion and ease of movement were both firmly in mind when the uniform was developed. The dobok has two parts. The upper part has wide sleeves which allow for plenty of range of motion, and a v-neck helps the student stay cool throughout the class or the competition. The upper part goes about halfway down the wearer’s thighs. The lower part is a simple pair of pants with wide, straight legs that are kept just short enough that the wearer does not step on them when moving.
When attending class, the specifics of your taekwondo dobok are usually not important, but be sure to research requirements thoroughly before attending a tournament.
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Dec 11
28
Taekwondo Belts
taekwondo belts are a key component of the taekwondo uniform. The color of the belt represents the level achieved by the student. The neatness of the belt represents dedication and respect. In addition, the belt must be properly tied to be considered presentable. The color of the belt for a beginner is white. From there, it goes to yellow, green, blue, red, and finally black. As a student progresses halfway to his next belt, he may receive a stripe in that color for his current belt. A second test has to be passed before he is able to obtain the next belt color and level.
The white belt automatically comes with the taekwondo uniform. To gain any higher level of belt, a student must pass at least one test. Sometimes, a test is given halfway through the level. The student then receives a stripe that is sewn onto his current belt. The stripe is the same color as the next level belt will be. Because taekwondo is not just a practice of fighting, the type of tests given may vary. Often, a written test is given along with a skills test. In higher levels, a student may also be required to demonstrate his skill through sparring.
The white belt of a beginner signifies that he is innocent. This is because he is entering into taekwondo with little or no knowledge of the art. He begins to learn the Five Tenets of Taekwondo, which are Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit. He also begins to learn the poomse, or forms. These are a combination of controlled movements that become more difficult in each level. Once he has demonstrated a complete understanding of the white belt, a student is allowed to test for the next belt, yellow. Yellow indicates that a student is nurturing the roots of taekwondo in his life. He is grasping the basic concepts and practices of taekwondo and is ready to move on.
Next up is the green belt. It expresses the significance of the student’s growth, much like a plant sprouting leaves for the first time. The blue belt follows, representing the new plant reaching up to the sky. After the blue belt comes the red belt. It points to danger. A student who has become a red belt is considered very skilled. Control of one’s movements and attitude becomes natural. The black belt is the final belt color. There are nine dans that can be achieved with a black belt. This belt is for students who have grown to full maturity in taekwondo. Additional belt colors may include orange, camouflage, brown, and purple. Additionally, a student under the age of sixteen who has reached a black belt level will be given a poom until he is sixteen. It is similar to a black belt. The World Taekwondo Federation does not allow black belts to be given to anyone under sixteen. These taekwondo belts provide structure to the taekwondo uniform and practice.
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Dec 11
24
Dangerous Taekwondo Kicks
Some taekwondo kicks are considered more dangerous than others. Kicks are used heavily in taekwondo because striking with the leg gives one an advantage in both strength and distance. Strikes may also be delivered with other body parts in taekwondo. However, the leg is usually the favored weapon. For competitive purposes, strikes are restricted to the front of the head, torso, and chest. In non-competitive self defense classes and situations, the entire body is a strike zone. One may learn to aim for specific areas when striking in self defense. However, the ultimate goal is to defeat one’s attacker and run away. To do so, one may need to strike at different areas of the body as the opportunity arises.
The simplest and most effective of the more dangerous kicks are the low kicks. They usually involve a great amount of force ending with a blow to the opponent’s groin area. In a self defense situation, this kick would allow for a quick escape. Of course, in practice or competition, one’s opponent will be wearing protective gear. Another basic kick is the front kick. This is one of the first kicks taught to new students. The knee is brought up, followed with an extension of the leg. To properly execute this kick, one must snap the leg up forcefully. Technique is very important here, as incorrect execution can cause injury.
The side kick is basically a front kick that is directed at an opponent or target on the side. Using the torso to balance the kicking leg, the student brings the knee up. The rest of the leg is extended and the target is struck with the heel or side of the foot. One must be careful that there is enough force behind the kick to make it an effective strike. To do so, the kick must begin at the hip and push outward. This kick is ideal for striking at higher targets because it uses the torso to balance the extension, rather than requiring great flexibility on the part of the student.
While the front and side kicks are performed from the basic stance, a back spin kick involves a little more movement. Proper delivery involves rotating the head and body around as the leg comes up. The blow is aimed at an opponent or target that is behind the student. For a flying kick, the student begins by running. He then jumps into the air, kicking out with his leg as he approaches his opponent or target. The combined momentum from the running start and jump provide the main force of the strike. The flying kick is one of the most exciting taekwondo kicks to watch.
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