1st Kup Theory

Belt colour

Black Belt is the opposite of white. Therefore signifying maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do. It also indicates the wearer’s imperviousness to darkness and fear.

Notes

This stage marks the end of your colour belt journey. Your knowledge here should be comprehensive and your ability to answer theoretical questions should be as sharp as your physical techniques.

The black belt grading will usually be a 3-day national seminar. On the first and second days you will be training with the most senior practitioners in the country - they will go on to examine you on the third day.

In this regard, you will actually be assessed on all three days, and you should display the five tenets of Taekwon-Do in everything you do. Make sure you give 100% in your training, and display a positive and focused attitude.

Make sure you express proper etiquette to:

Fellow students
Grading partner(s)
Seniors
Examiners
Grading assistants

Remember: COURTESY, INTEGRITY, PERSERVERANCE, SELF CONTROL, and INTOMITABLE SPIRIT.

Good luck!

Grading syllabus

The following techniques form part of your grading requirements, and the examiner may ask you to demonstrate some of all of these, as well as anything from previous gradings:

Pattern Choong Moo.
One step sparring. Ibo matsogi.
Free sparring. Jayu matsogi.
2 vs. 1 free sparring. Idil matsogi.
Breaking. Weeryok.
- Side piercing kick. Yop cha jirugi.
- Turning kick. Dollyo chagi.
- Reverse turning kick. Bandae dollyo chagi.
- Choice hand technique on a standard house brick.

Patterns

Choong Moo

Choong Moo was the name given to the great Admiral Yi Soon-Sin of the Lee Dynasty. He was reputed to have invented the first armoured battleship (Kobukson) in 1592, which is said to be the precursor of the present day submarine.

The reason why this pattern ends up with a left hand attack is to symbolise Admiral Yi's regrettable death, having no chance to show his full potential, checked by the forced reservation of his loyalty to the King.

The pattern has 30 moves and forms the shape of a capital I (⌶).

New movements introduced in the pattern:

Flying side kick - Twimyo yop chagi
L stance middle section knifehand checking block - Niunja so, kaunde sonkal momchau makgi
Walking stance twin palm heel upward block - Gunnun so, sang son badak ollyo makgi

Here I leave Taekwon-Do for mankind as a trace of man of the late 20th century

- General Choi Hong Hi, IX