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Writer's pictureTrish Polak

Martial Arts Black Belt Grading - 2022

Updated: Jan 30, 2023

It doesn't get easier, you just get BETTER...


Earn you black belt at Koryo Martial Arts, because we do not simply give them away. With Koryo Martial Arts, you will also be registered as a Black Belt with the offical Korean Federation, so your black belt will be recognised around the world with all Taekwondo schools, not just with us.


Your Black Belt grading is tough ! But you are prepared from white belt for this, we will teach you everything you need to know. Check out our colour belt grading stories to see the journey of our students from white belt, yellow belt, blue belt and red belt. You will also be assessed for a provisional Black Belt before you attempt the real thing ! You will progress at your pace and skill level, and you will get here ...


The Black Belt Tile Break

This is normally the scariest part ! Breaking tiles...

but if you can break some tiles you can do anything !


Your training for breaking tiles for your Black Belt grading starts at white belt, as soon as you step on the mat. Getting to black belt takes years of training, commitment, courage, wisdom and integrity, but eventually you will get here and you will succeed. This may be the scariest part of a Black Belt grading, but its also the most satisfying. We will never put you in a position you are not ready for.


Here's some behind the scenes of the preparation and set up of a tile break during a Black Belt grading. The tiles are set up in a way to ensure it is safe for you to break. You bow to your masters before you break tiles, we always show respect to those who have been where you are now, and have earnt the prestige of being a Master of their martial arts. Before you break, you will also take a few practice aims, take those deep breaths to calm yourself, and gain power... breathing gives you power, and a loud yell gives you a bit more, the louder the more powerful your strike.


The Board Breaks

Up until this point, you only need to do 1 board break for every assessment grading. You will learn different strikes and kicks to break a board, so when it comes to your black belt grading you will demonstrate at least 4-5 different board breaks in a row !!! Your first board break training will start from white belt, and as you progress your confidence, power and ability will grow. We do not hold you back, so you will also not hold back. The ability to give it your all and stay in control is an amazing life skill you can apply to any situation.



Your Taekwondo and Hakido Masters

Your masters sit at the front, assessing you but also providing you with support and encouragement. They will guide you when you stuff up, because everyone stuffs up under pressure. This is why martial arts is amazing at building confidence, not only will you be comfortable making mistakes in critical and underpressure, but you will also learn to succeed under pressure. This is life skills you can use any where, and succeed with anything that seems hard at first.


All Black Belts must learn a weapon and will demonstrate the skills

Choose your weapon ! During your Taekwondo training you will choose a weapon, at your black belt grading you must do a weapons demonstration to pass. There are many weapons to choose from including nun chucks, bo staff, sword and more. You get to practice with many weapons while you are progressing through the coloured belt syllabus, so you will be able to try out and choose the weapon that suits you the most.


For your First Dan Black Belt you will demosntate ALL the skills you learnt from white belt

Black belt is not just about showing you can do the hard stuff, it also means you understand and can demonstrate the basic fundamentals of your art. During your Black Belt grading assessment you will demonstrate the entire syllabus of your art, from white belt to black belt, including all your kicks, strikes, self defense, and poosae patterns. As belt belts you are now leaders and teachers, you are not in a position to teach new students so you need to know and perfect all the skills of your art, and you masters need to know you can do this.



I GOT MY BLACK BELT NOW WHAT?

First of all congratulations to all our amazing, talented black belts ! Our 2023 grading was amazing and one of our best. Everyone that watched the black belt students perform were amazing and also very very scared ! But this is not the end, this is just the beginning


BLACK BELTS HAVE 9 LEVELS! ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL?

There are 9 Levels of black belt in both Taekwondo and Hapkido. At Black Belt 5th Dan you gain the title of Master, and at 9th Dan you gain the title of Grand Master. Martial Arts is a bit a like University, your first Black Belt is your first year of your Bachelors degree, your 4th Dan is the first year of your Masters Degree and your 8th Dan is like your Doctorate. It takes commitment, skills, training and education to earn a degree that requires your body, mind and knowledge to succeed.


Each level doesn't get easier BUT you do get better !

Don't believe me ? Check out our white and colour belt gradings !









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