It is common that when you walk into a taekwondo studio, you will see that the students are wearing belts of different colors. The students wearing the white and yellow belts are beginners while green and blue are mid level. The red and black level belts indicate higher ranks. The following are some of the implications for the belt ranks:   1. Knowledge The belt colors indicate the amount of knowledge that you have of taekwondo. The white and the yellow belts indicate knowledge about basic blocks, punches and kicks. As you advance to the next level, you will be able to apply most of these techniques during sparring and practice. At the black belt level, you will be able to instruct other lower belt rank students.                                  2. Skills There is a very big difference between a white belts front kick and that of a black belt student. The white belt will have less balance, power and speed in their kicks when compared to that of the black belt. As a student advances through the ranks, they gain more skill and are able to polish up on minor details. For instance, the black belt will know how to pivot their feet or how to turn their hips in order to deliver a powerful kick.   3. Perseverance The more a student advances through the various belt ranks, the more they are seen as being able to persevere and endure the trials of learning taekwondo. Taekwondo is a sport that involves a lot of physical activity. There are also many patterns to learn which can take a toll on anyone because they are not easy to learn. In addition, there are breaking techniques that the students have to learn at every stage. They are also likely to encounter bruises and bumps in the course of their training. The fact that they are able to get through these frustrations and advance to the next level shows that they have perseverance.   4. Dedication The belt ranks that a student has acquired shows that they are dedicated to learning taekwondo and are willing to advance to the highest rank. Training in taekwondo requires time and effort. Students should be able to set aside a significant amount of time in order to be able to learn and train in taekwondo. Juggling between work and school and training takes dedication and commitment. PREVIOUS PAGE

In taekwondo, it does not matter whether you are male or female or what age bracket you are in, in order to be promoted to the next level. However, you must meet certain requirements at each level in order to be promoted to the next level. These requirements must be met under a test that is given by a panel of scrutinizing black belt instructors. Below is a discussion of the various belt levels and what one requires to achieve in order to be promoted to each belt rank.   Yellow Belt Requirements Form In order to be promoted to this belt level, the students must be able to perform certain patterns precisely. The first form that they have to be able to perform is the tae guk il jang pattern. This pattern has a total of 16 movements. The movements represent heaven or when creation began. Techniques included in the form include, low, high and middle blocks, front and walking stances, front kick and middle punch. The taek guk il jang pattern is the first pattern in the tae guk form. There are other schools which require the student to be able to perform the palgwe il jang which is composed of twenty patterns.                                Self-Defence The students have to show case self defense drills. These may include the basics of one step drills to block against throws, joint locks, kicking attacks or single punching. The drills may also include free sparring techniques stimulated by a combination of kicks.   Board Breaking Even though not all schools require the students to board break, most of them require the students to do so. There are various techniques that students will be required to perform when breaking the boards. These include: forward or reverse punch, side kick, roundhouse kick, and front kick. The board is usually an inch thick and is made of pine wood.   Basic knowledge The students will have to demonstrate that they are knowledgeable about taekwondo and its origins. They have to know the meaning of the pattern that they perform and the symbols on the Korean flag.   Green Belt Requirements Forms The students in this stage have to be able to properly perform the Won Hyo pattern which consists of 28 movements.                                 Self-Defence Students will learn how to defend themselves from holds. They will also need to learn one step sparring. The self defense techniques wil include but may not be limited to: crescent kicks, knife hand blocks, etc. The students should be able to defend themselves from hair grabs from the front, and from waist grabs from behind.   Board Breaking The breaking techniques used in this stage include the jump reverse kick.   Basic Knowledge The students have to display considerable knowledge on the history of taekwondo and ITA.   Blue Belt Requirements Form Students have to show that they are knowledgeable of the Joong Gun pattern. This pattern consists of 32 movements all of which have to be executed flawlessly.                               Self-Defence The student has to be able to defend themselves against the upright neck hold from behind. This is where the opponent has one arm around the defender's throat and is standing behind him. The students have to also demonstrate how they would defend themselves from a bent over neck lock. This is where the attacker has the defender's neck locked at the side of his hip. The students have to be able to demonstrate that they can break from this hold.   Breaking The student has to demonstrate that they can break the boards using an axe kick.   Basic knowledge The students have to show that they are knowledgeable in the origin of the patterns, Taekwondo and ITA.   Red Belt Requirements Form The students have to show that they are knowledgeable in the Hwa Rang pattern. This pattern consists of 29 movements all of which the student has to demonstrate flawlessly. They are also required to be able to do one step sparring, free sparring and multiple free sparring.                                Self-Defence Students should be able to demonstrate excellent skills in defending themselves from the following attacks: club attacks, knife attacks, multiple unarmed opponents and against holds.   Breaking The students should show that they are able to break 3 inch boards using any kick.   Knowledge Just like the previous ranks, the student is required to know about the origin of taekwondo and ITA.   Black Belt Requirements Forms The student must demonstrate knowledge in and ability to execute the Kwang-Gae pattern. It consists of 39 movements. The students have to also be able to perform multiple free sparring, two step and one step sparring.                                 Self-Defence Just like the previous red belt rank, the student has to demonstrate that they are able to defend themselves against holds, club attacks, knife attacks and attacks from several unarmed opponents.   Board Breaking The students should be able to break 3 inch boards with any hand or kicking technique.   Knowledge The students have to demonstrate they are knowledgeable in other martial arts, taekwondo and ITA. PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE

1. Back And Side Falls A student can fall anywhere, including on the stairs, being pushed in the streets, or while sparring. Falling properly is therefore important and must be instinctive. The most important things that the student must remember when learning the falling technique is always to keep the head from hitting the ground, spread the force of hitting the ground evenly throughout the body and shouting to force air from the lungs. For the back fall, the students should begin by bringing their hands up in front of their face or their chest. The chin must be tucked into the sternum by bending the head forward. For a smooth fall, the student must curl their body and form a ball. As their upper back makes contact with the mat, they should slap the mat with open palms. The arms should also be at a 45 degree angle from the body. Similar to the back fall is the side fall only this time, the student curls like a ball to one side and slaps the mat with the hand on that side. The other hand should come up and rest on the stomach with the chin tucked into the opposite shoulder. One thing the student should remember is to always remain calm during falls.                                 2. Higher Side And Back Falls At first, students will learn how to absorb the shock of basic falls from a standing position. Once they feel that they are comfortable with the basics, they can then safely begin practicing their self-defence tactics. The students have to be able to absorb the impact of higher falls as they practice techniques that are more advanced. In order to begin, students should begin with small hops and landing back onto their feet before doing the fall. This movement should progress until the student is able to jump into the fall directly. The timing of the slap on the mat and the angle at which the arm is to the body should be accurate enough to prevent the body from injury. These are important elements which must come naturally to the students before they are allowed to perform throws on one another in the more advanced techniques.   3. Forward rolls Forward rolls are probably one of the moves in taekwondo that causes much apprehension among students. This is because they disorient the body and force them to take up uncomfortable inverted body positions. However, students must protect themselves since many attackers are taken into inverted aerials during throws. Smooth rolls are important because they protect the student from real life instances such as bike crashes, or trips on stair cases. In the forward roll technique, the head must always be protected. In order to perform this technique, the student must stand with their feet as wide as their shoulders and their right foot forward. Beside the right foot, the student should place their left hand and in front of the left foot. The right hand will then be placed in between the left foot and the left hand on the mat. The head should look over the shoulder. If the head is not turned during the roll, it may impact the floor and this would defeat the whole purpose of doing the rolls in the first place. With the left foot, the student should push forward and roll on the outside of their right arm, across the back in a diagonal manner and land on their left side. The body should be curled like a ball when rolling. At the end of the roll, the student should shout and slap the mat.                                  4. Front Fall Like all the other falls, the aim should be to protect the torso and the head. In order to learn this fall and perfect it, three steps are involved: learning from the kneeling position, from the standing position and from the jumping position. Learning should take place in these three positions respectively, with each step being perfected before moving on to the next one. The defender should bring both his hands in front of the body with the fingers open. While falling forward, the impact of the fall should be broken by the defender by using his fore arms and the palms of his hands. The elbows should be at a 45 degree angle and the hands should form a triangle like shape in front of the face. To avoid hitting the nose, the defender should turn the face to the side. Once the defender lands on the mat, they should kick their feet out and spring to their feet. The forearms and the feet should be the only parts of the body touching the mat. This fall is very important during sparring. The defender should naturally be able to bring their hands up instinctively and turn their faces the other way in order to prevent their face from hitting the ground.                                    Throws These basic throws can be included in a taekwondo curriculum once the students have mastered the art of falling and are able to sufficiently protect themselves. Throws can be executed from a range of attacks and positions such as sparring situations, punches, chokes, wrist grabs, etc. The following are some of the throws most commonly used in taekwondo:   1. Forward Body Drop/ Floating Drop Once an attacker has thrown a punch, this throw is meant to maintain their forward momentum. The defender may wish not to use any move such as a hard block that may impeded the attacker's forward motion such as a hard block. The block and grab technique is applicable to this throw. The main work of the defender would be to avoid the attacker's strike and at the same time push him forward along the path he created. In order to execute a floating drop, the defender must stand on the opposite side of the hand that is attacking. For instance, if it is the left hand punch, they should block and grab with the right hand and step to the left. The defender will then place their left hand on the attacker's right ear. With the arm high up and in front of them, the defender should make 180 degree turn to face the same direction as their opponent. In order to force the attacker to roll to the ground, they must at the same time twist their opponent's head down and around. The footwork involved in the forward body drop is the primary defense. This move should be performed by the defender stopping in front of the opponent with their first move instead of stepping outside the opponent's momentum. To make the opponent trip over the defender's leg, the defender should make a 270 degree turn into a front stance. The move can be varied such that the defender grabs the opponent's arm and pulls on it. The maximum number of steps allowed in both the throws is two; more than that would not make the movements fluid.                                   2. Major Outer Reap This throw is a sweeping style. Instead of sweeping in between the opponent's legs, the defender sweeps the opponent's front leg from the outside of it. This technique begins with a Judo style grab. This is whereby the opponent will hold the defender's right elbow with his left hand his left lapel with his other hand. The defender will also perform the same move. The defender will then try to push back the opponent's shoulder while pulling down his elbow. These two moves should be performed simultaneously after the defender has moved to the right side of his opponent with his left foot. This throw is applicable in several situations. For instance, it can be applied when the opponent lashes out with a front punch. It is also an effective technique if in a fight the stance is close. Regardless of the attack, as long as it is a grab, the defender should be able to maintain their own balance when trying to throw their opponent with this technique.                                 PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE

Introduction To The Art Of Throwing And Falling Techniques In every martial art, falling is a technique that every student must learn at the beginning of their training. This is because there are many instances in which one is prone to falling. For instance, in taekwondo, there are many kicks involved. This has the potential of knocking down an individual and earning points even if the strike didn't cause the opponent to fall with significant force.   When students learn early in training some of the most basic falling techniques, they can be able to avoid back, neck, arms and even head injuries which could be fatal. Learning the basics in falling will sharpen their reflex and they will avoid incorrect falls. Learning the art of throws is also another advantage to winning a competition in martial arts; especially where a physically weaker opponent is faced with an opponent that is stronger. Even though this is against the rules in Taekwondo because all the opponents are matched according to their techniques and weights, it is still a useful alternative.   How To Execute Methodology For Practice And Instruction? Martial arts cannot encompass all the known fighting techniques into their training sessions and that is why falling and throwing techniques in taekwondo have to be chosen carefully. The techniques that are chosen must be in line with various rank levels and must be compatible with the basics taught in this level.   Instructors should only introduce techniques that will be frequently practiced instead of introducing many techniques. Throwing and falling techniques require constant repetition in order to perfect them and therefore introducing too many of them would be pointless. Incorporating falls and throws into the regular taekwondo practice may seem awkward at first. However, the basics of any technique should be learned first before combining it with another technique. One way of encouraging students to learn the techniques is by incorporating them and making them promotional requirements.                               PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE

As mentioned earlier, stretches in taekwondo have to target certain muscle groups in your body so as to increase your flexibility. The following target taekwondo stretches will give you an idea of how to do your stretches.   1. Achilles Tendon Stretch To begin with, it is important to understand where the Achilles tendon is located and what it is. This is the tendon that runs from your lower back, to the muscles in your calf and down to your heel bone. This tendon contracts during a powerful move such as a round kick. It is important therefore to protect this tendon from injury by stretching. How To Stretch It With both arms touching the wall or a sturdy object, lean forward. The hands should be shoulder width apart. Next, extend your right foot backwards and have a 90 degree bend on your left foot ensuring that the heel is firmly placed on the ground. Lean forward into the wall until you feel that your back and leg muscles are being stretched. In order to make the stretch deeper, you can sink down with your hips slowly. Half a minute should be enough to hold this stretch before changing sides.                                 2. Ankle Stretch Taekwondo involves a lot of turning and spinning and this requires that you work on the flexibility of your ankles so as to improve your technique of kicking. How To Stretch It The ankle stretch is very simple. Simply lie down on your back with your knees straight. Move your ankle such that you can comfortably push your foot forward. Try as much as possible to keep the knees straight when dong this stretch. Continue pushing your foot forward until you feel you cannot push anymore. Hold the position for about 15 seconds before releasing and going back to your neutral position. This procedure should be done in ten repetitions. This kind of ankle stretching is known as the plantar flexion.                                  3. Back Stretches There are two popular ways in which you can stretch your back after and before your taekwondo work out: cat stretch and child's pose. Cat Stretch This is a very simple way of stretching your back. Simply get down on your hands and knees. Just as the name suggests, you will have to arch your back up as far as possible towards the ceiling just like a cat. Hold this position for about 15 seconds and get back down. Do this at least ten times.                                  Child's Pose This pose will not only stretch your back but it will also help you to stretch your ankles, thighs and hips. This position requires you to get down on your hands and knees on the floor. Spread your knees and ensure that your toes touch. Sit down on your heels and lean forward, ensuring that your belly rests in between your thighs. Stretch your arms as far in front and hold the stretch for fifteen seconds. This move should be repeated at least ten times.                                   4. Calf Stretches It's very easy to tear your calf muscles during training. The following technique will help you to stretch it out before and after a training session. How To Stretch It Stretching your calf muscles is similar to doing the Achilles tendon stretch. You have to stand at arm's length from the wall and put your hands on it. Lean forward stretching your right foot as far back as you can with a 90 degree bend in your left foot until you feel your calf muscles stretch out. Hold the pose for about thirty seconds before switching legs. Note that the foot extended backward should be straight with no bend at the knee. The stretch can be deepened by sinking deeper with your hips.                                   5. Hamstring Stretch Having heard about all the horror stories of people tearing at their hamstrings when doing an axe kick or any other movement during the taekwondo training sessions, the following are some of the stretches that you can do. Touch Your Toes This is a very simple stretch to do. To begin, stand with your legs crossed while ensuring that your feet are touching. Keeping your rear knee straight, bend over and reach for your feet. Hold this position for about 30 seconds before switching feet.   Lying Down This is also another technique that you can use to stretch your hamstrings. To begin, lie on your back with both knees straight on the floor. Raise your right leg and straighten it until you feel that the back of your thigh is stretching. Ensure that there is a slight bend on your left leg. Hold this pose for thirty seconds before switching legs.                                  6. Chest Stretches Chest stretches are very important because the taekwondo training sessions will require you to throw powerful punches, blocks, etc. If you injure your chest, chances are that you will have to sit it out for a while until you can be able to train again. If you are preparing for a tournament, this is a risk you would not want to take. How To Stretch It With your palms facing up, clasp your hands behind your back. Pressing your shoulder blades together, pull your hands down and stick out your chest as far out as you can. Hold this position for about twenty seconds.                                PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE

In taekwondo there are basically three kinds of stretches that you can do. You can perform one of them every day or you can combine all of them. When you combine all of them before and after a training session, you obviously stand to gain a lot more out of the stretches.   1. Dynamic Stretching This kind of stretching is especially useful when it comes to kicking and gaining height. This kind of stretching involves lengthening of the muscles and the tendons while at the same time incorporating some movements. An example would be to swing your leg like you are doing an axe kick. Lift the leg as high as possible until you encounter a certain amount of resistance.                                 2. Relaxed stretching This is probably the most popular and most known kind of stretching. This kind of stretching is best done after stretching. It simply involves stretching the target muscles until you feel you have hit tension. Release the muscle and continue with stretching. Most people time themselves when doing this kind of stretch. The best way to go about it is to just stretch until you feel that you have reached your limit, instead of timing yourself.                                   3. Isometric stretching This kind of stretching is similar to relaxed stretching but there are certain differences. When you are doing the isometric stretch, you should tighten the target muscles and then release once you feel you have reached maximum tension. Your muscles will feel loose and relaxed and you can stretch some more. Repeat this procedure until you feel you cannot stretch anymore.                                 PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE

As mentioned earlier, stretching is an essential part of your taekwondo training. However, it is important to show its importance in your training. The following are some of the benefits of taekwondo stretching:   1. It will help you to increase your flexibility In taekwondo you need to be flexible enough to do your axe kicks, round kicks, etc. You also need to be flexible to kick high up without tearing your hamstrings or causing other soft tissue injuries. Flexibility can be defined as the length to which your muscles can stretch. When you stretch, you lengthen your muscles thus enabling you to do a variety of movements without straining your ligaments.                                 2. It helps you to improve the circulation of blood After a very intense taekwondo work out, you muscles need time to repair. They require sufficient blood flow in order to hasten the repair process. This can be achieved by stretching your muscles every day. Not only does an increase in blood flow to the muscles hasten the repair process but it also helps to nourish them and helps to get rid of toxins.   3. It will help you to improve coordination and balance As mentioned earlier, when you stretch you increase flexibility. When you acquire flexibility, you will be at a better position to improve your coordination and balance. This reduces your chances of falling and getting injured during training.   4. It helps to reduce lower back pain The main cause of lower back pain is tight and stiff muscles in the buttocks, hips, hamstrings and lower back. Stretching allows the muscles to become more flexible and thus helps to alleviate the pain.   5. It helps to improve your cardiovascular health Studies show that when you stretch, you lower blood pressure by improving the function of your arteries. PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE

Introduction To Taekwondo Stretching If you are studying or thinking of taking up a taekwondo class, it is important to know that stretching is an integral part of your routine becuse it reduces the risk of injuries. It should not be done like a warm up where you only do it before and after training; it should be done three to four times a week whether you go for your classes or not. Stretching should be done a minimum of half an hour. Experts recommend that you perform your stretching routine everyday especially if you incorporate weight training into your exercise. This will allow your muscles a chance to repair themselves. When doing your stretches, do not push your body beyond its limits; if it hurts do not continue. The aim is to improve flexibility and not to inflict pain to your body.                               PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE

The following are some of the sparring rules in taekwondo: 1. All contestants are required to wear protective gear during sparring. They must also wear the traditional taekwondo gi. For protection, they need to have pads to protect their shin, forearms, hands, chest and head. For men, they must wear groin protection. They must also wear mouth guard.                                 2. Kicks and punches can be very powerful and can therefore cause permanent if not fatal injury. This is why taekwondo only includes certain strikes which are mentioned before the competition. When it comes to using your hands, only a closed fist is allowed. All other moves such as using your elbow, open hand or hammer strikes are not allowed. Kicks, on the other hand, are allowed on the head but you cannot strike the unprotected area of the face.   3. For every penalty you receive, your opponent gains a point. Intentional and repeated fouling will get you kicked out of the competition or even expelled from the tournament. Some of the moves that can attract a foul include: running away from your opponent, grappling of any kind, striking with your elbow or your knee, punches to areas below the waist and to the face, etc.                                 4. A certain number of points are awarded to certain moves. For instance, a kick to the head will earn an opponent three points, a spinning kick to the chest will earn them two points, etc. The strikes have to be of significant force, a glancing or a grazing blow is not enough to earn any points. PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE

The following are some of the sparring tips that you can use against your opponent in order to gain an advantage: 1. Determine whether your opponent is a defensive or an offensive striker. If they attack you first, then they are an offensive striker; if they wait for you to make the first move, then they are a defensive striker. 2. Find out whether your opponent is a kicker or a puncher by doing a fake move. If they throw up their hand, then they are a puncher if they kick, then they are a kicker. 3. Every opponent has their favorite technique. This is probably a technique that they feel is the most effective or that they feel they have mastered. In order for you to know which technique your opponent relies on, try and attack them first. Note that you should not attack blindly; have a counter attack plan in mind.                               4. When you are hitting your opponent, your stance should never be wider than the width of your shoulders. You want your strikes to be precise and fast. A wider stance will only make your movements slower. 5. Do not show any fear when you are sparring. Your opponent will sense the fear and use it to their advantage. However, you can also use fear as a fake. 6. The right moment to strike is when your opponent is about to strike or when he is about to land from a strike. 7. Economize on the amount of energy that you use. Do not kick unnecessarily. Kicking utilizes more energy than punching or other hand techniques. If you get tired too early into the sparring, your opponent will see it and take advantage. 8. The most obvious and most important tip is to never underestimate your opponent. Your opponents come with different styles and techniques and underestimating them could predict your loss. PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE