Yellow belt

Forms

• Pyung-Ahn Cho Don
• Tae Guk Sam Don
• Kuk Mu E Don

Can perform the basic pattern, can distinguish the general target areas. Stances are starting to be developed with good bend in front knee for front stance and bend in back knee for side stance.

Kicking

• Roundhouse kick (in side-stance with back-leg)

Can raise the knee up high and hit with the ball of the foot.

Sparring

• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

Shows appropriate distancing, can move well in free sparring.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+
• Know colors for different belt ranks, and there are two levels per belt until black belt where there are nine.
• Know that you should have good moral character in Tae Kwon Do classes and improve, yourself, others, the do-jang, and the art of Tae Kwon Do.
• Know that we show respect with bowing and saying thank you, but we should also learn to appreciate and be grateful to our instructors and other students. Also that bowing and respect are integral to the art and should never be skipped.
• Know that Sam Bo Da Ryun represents the highest ability in the martial arts -- to fell an opponent with a single perfect technique.
• Know that the spirit of Tae Kwon Do goes back 2000 years ago to the hwa-rang-dan, and the Chung Do Kwan to the 1940's.
• Know that the purpose of free-sparring is to practice techniques learned under combative conditions -- but with control so no one gets hurt.
• Know that although training in Tae Kwon Do will help in an altercation -- it can NOT guarantee your personal safety.
• Know a few basic commands for class and techniques in Korean:
  • Know command for turn around (dwee-lo, dol-yah)
  • Know three target levels (Ha-Dan, Joong-Dan, Sang-Dan)
  • Know terms for shout, forms and stance (ki-ahp, hyung, and sa-ghee)
  • Know terms for block, strike, and kick (mak-kee, chee-ghee, cha-ghee)
  • Know term for knife-hand (sudo)
  • Know terms for front, inward and outward (ahp, ahn, ba-kat)
  • Know term for raising and punching exersice (ol-lee-ghee, pal-bop-ghee)
  • Know term for moving forward, and reverse side, and retreat movement (joon-jin, yok-jin, and who-jin)
  • Know terms for sparring (ill-bo dae-ryun, sam-bo dae-ryun, jae-yo dae-ryun)

Forms

• Pyung-Ahn E Don
• Pyung-Ahn Sam Don
• Kuk Mu Sam Don

Can perform the pattern correctly, can attack the target areas correctly. Has good stances and good motion.

Kicking

• Back kick

Can turn quickly and see target before kicking, with the hip in correct position (NOT in a front kick position).

Sparring

• One-step free sparring
• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

  Makes good use of space, moving well with opponent. Starts to show good power and snap in techniques.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+
• Know some reasons why control is important.
  • To prevent injury to self.
  • To prevent injury to opponent.
  • To keep good balance.
  • To improve form and technique.
  • To gain control over all movements of the body.
  • To gain coordination
  • To gain control of power.
  • To have better timing and aim a kick or punch at the right place and right time.
  • To aid in controlling ourselves outside the do-jang.
  • To aid the spiritual side of Tae Kwon Do.
  • To help us to further respect our opponent.
  • To add to the beauty of the art and make it an exciting sport.

Forms

• Tae Guk Ill Jang
• Tae Guk E Jang
• Tae Guk Sam Jang

Can perform the patterns correctly, can attack the target areas correctly. Has good stances and good motion.

Kicking

• Back kick

Can turn quickly and see target before kicking, with the hip in correct position (NOT in a front kick position) and has good power in the technique.

Sparring

• Self-defense (can demonstrate defense against wrist-grab, simple-choke, bear-hug)
• Target areas (know the famous 5 prime target areas: throat, groin, knees, eyes, and nose)
• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

Makes good use of space, moving well with opponent. Starts to show good power and snap in techniques.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+.
• Know commands to turn left and right (Jwa-lo, Woo-lo)
• Know that HuShin-Sool is self-defense technique, and Sang-Soo is twin fist attack.
• Know all Korean terms to start and end classes.
• Know something about moral instruction in the martial arts.
• Know what "Noong doon jah" means and why it's important.

Forms

• Pyung-Ahn Sa Don
• Pyung-Ahn O Don
• Kuk Mu Sa Don

Can perform the pattern correctly, can attack the target areas correctly. Has good stances and good motion, good speed and power.

Kicking

• Wheel kick

Can kick at least mid to high chest level, hitting with heel.

Sparring

• Instant Sparring
• Self-defense (can demonstrate defense against wrist-grab, simple-choke, bear-hug)
• Target areas (know the famous 5 prime target areas: throat, groin, knees, eyes, and nose)
• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

Makes good use of space, moving well with opponent. Starts to show good power and snap in techniques. Has good speed in movement and attacking. Can perform the Grandmaster Kim's standard seven one-step techniques (punch-uppercut,duck,snake,knife-hand-punch,knife-hand-reverse-elbow,side-kick-back-kick, crescent-side-kick).

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+
• Know all Korean terms to start and end classes.
• Start understanding some of the reasons we do things the way we do (non-contact sparring etc.)

Forms

• Tae Guk Sa Jang
• Tae Guk O Jang
• Tae Guk Yook Jang

Can perform the pattern correctly, can attack the target areas correctly. Has good stances and good motion, good speed and power.

Kicking

• Wheel kick

Can kick at least neck level, hitting with heel and good spin in technique.

Sparring

• Instant Sparring
• Self-defense
• Target areas (know the famous 5 prime target areas: throat, groin, knees, eyes, and nose)
• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

Makes good use of space, moving well with opponent. Starts to show good power and snap in techniques. Has good speed in movement and attacking.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+
• Start understanding of moral character attributes for martial artists and black belts.

Forms

• Chulgi Cho Don
• Kuk Mu O Don
• Surprise forms from previous low belt level forms (Pyung-Ahn, Tae Guk 1-3 Don, Kuk-Mu)

Kicking

• Flying kicks (front and side)
• Combination kicking

Has good height and power in all kicks. Can jump off ground and get a good kick off.

Sparring

• Instant Sparring
• Self-defense (wrist, shoulder grab, bear-hug (both directions), choke, sleeper, lapel-grab
• Target areas (know the Big-12 target areas: eyes, ears, temple, throat, upper-lip, nose, collar-bone, arm-pit, solar-plexus, groin, knee, instep)
• One-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Previous sparring drills

Makes good use of space, moving well with opponent. Shows good power and snap in techniques. Has good speed in movement and attacking.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Previous terms+
• Know tournament rules for sparring, both for TCS and Olympic style.
• Know something about training methodology for flexibility, strength and speed.
• Know the importance and reasons for the different training parts of class: warm-up, basics, forms, sparring, self-defense, and warm-down.
• Understand the meaning of the black belt rank.
• Know something about your martial arts training lineage and history.
• Know what the Chung Do Kwan membership oath means, how to apply it and why it's important.

Forms

• Tae Guk Chil Jang
• Tae Guk Pal Jang
• Surprise forms from ALL previous forms

Sparring

• Instant Sparring
• Self-defense (wrist, double-wrist grab, two-hand wrist grab, shoulder grab, bear-hug (both directions), choke, sleeper, lapel-grab, chicken-wing, hair-grab, push, tackle)
• Target areas (know the Big-12 target areas: eyes, ears, temple, throat, upper-lip, nose, collar-bone, arm-pit, solar-plexus, groin, knee, instep)
• One-step sparring
• One-step free sparring
• Three-step sparring
• Free sparring
• Two on one sparring

Breaking

• 3 boards with kicking technique.

Korean Terminology and Martial Arts Philosophy

• Has letters of recommendation from black belts that they deserve the rank both from physical standards, but also mental and moral aspects as well.
• Puts together a project showing something about what they have learned over the years (paper, article, etc.).

Black Belt Rank

At Black Belt rank, students (like graduate level academic students) take some responsibility for their learning. And they take part in setting of their own goals and techniques that they want to learn. This part of the curriculum is addressed as Black Belt Electives.