Tae Kwon Do Club at Virginia Tech
Curriculum
White Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The white belt signifies purity, nothingness, cleanliness, and the readiness to change color.
​Stances
Ready Stance (Junbi)
Walking Stance
​Front Stance
Fighting Stance
Horse Stance
Blocks
Inward Block
Outward Block
High Block
Low Block
Hand Strikes
Punch (front and reverse, mid and high)
Hammerfist
Kicks
Front Kick
Axe Kick
​Roundhouse Kick
Side Kick (front leg, back leg, cross, shuffle)
​Physical Requirements
20 Push ups
20 Sit ups/crunches
Combinations
Basic Stances
Basic Blocks
1. Front, Front, Round, Round
2. Front, Round, Axe, Side
Sparring Requirements
None required
Forms
Taegeuk Il Jang (First form) - Heaven "Keon"
Board Breaking
Hammerfist
Front Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Break Fall (Front, Back, Side)
Front and Back Rolls
​Weapon Defense
Understand Danger Behind Weapon Use
Participate During Weapon Defense Drills, but No Testing Requirements
Chokes/Grabs
Single Wrist Grab (Low Kick, punch, back away)
Cross Hand Wrist Grab (Snake to Thumb, Attack)
Double Wrist Grab (kick, release, and punch)
2-1 Wrist Grab (Grab own hand, curl out, backfist)
Yellow Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The yellow belt signifies the sunrise and openness to receive knowledge
​Stances
Back Stance
Blocks
Single Knife Hand Block
Hand Strikes
Knife Hand Strike
Kicks
Crescent Kick
Back Kick
Physical Requirements
30 Push ups
30 sit ups/crunches
Combinations
1. Crescent in, Crescent in, Crescent out, Crescent out
2. Step front, Jump front, Step round, Jump round, Skip side
Sparring Requirements
45 Second Stamina (1 round minimum)
Learn Rules
Block basic body shots
Recognize openings
Forms
Taegeuk Ee Jang (Second Form) - Joyfulness "Tae"
​Board Breaking
Back Leg Side Kick
Choice Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Bridging
Front and Back Shrimping
​Weapon Defense
Overhead Club (Pass by-X-Block, step out-side kick, back away)
Side Club (Step in, Wrap, Palm Heel Strike)
Chokes/Grabs
Understand variants of Wrist Grab Escape
Two-Handed Front Choke (Have at least one)
Two-Handed Lapel Grab (Have at least one)
Green Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The green belt signifies the spring, starting to grow and beginnings.
Stances
None
Blocks
Double Knife Hand Block
Knife-Hand High Block
Hand Strikes
Spear Hand
Kicks
Pump Front Snap Kick
Pump Roundhouse Kick
Head Level Kicks
Physical Requirements
40 Push Ups
40 Sit-ups/Crunches
Combinations
1. Round, Back, Step Round, Back, Axe
2. Low-High Round, Low-High Front Snap, Cross Low-High Side
Sparring Requirements
90 Second Stamina (1 round minimum)
​Show General Improvement
Create Openings
Varied Strikes
Forms
Taegeuk Sam Jang (Third Form) - Fire "Ri"
Taegeuk Sa Jang (Fourth Form) - Thunder "Jin"
Board Breaking
Knife Hand Strike
Choice Head Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Mount Escape (Bridge and Roll)
Mount Escape (Shrimp Out)
Weapon Defense
No new techniques
In-depth knowledge of club defense
Chokes/Grabs
Two-Handed Back Choke
Shoulder charge (step out of the way, redirect)
Purple Belt
Meaning of your Belt:​
The purple belt signifies the color of majesty, representing dignity and power.
Stances
Cross Stance/Twist Stance
Blocks
None
Hand Strikes
Elbow Strikes (Up, Down, Round, Side, Back)
Kicks
Hook Kick
Tornado Kick
Physical Requirements
50 Push Ups
50 Sit Ups/Crunches
Combinations
1. Round, Tornado, Spinning Back
2. Round, Tornado, Spinning Hook
Sparring Requirements
90 Second Stamina (multiple rounds)
Show General Improvement
Utilize Space
Control Distance
Employ various movements (Sliding, Switching feet, Circling, etc.)
Forms
Taegeuk Oh Jang (Fifth Form) - Wind "Seon"
Board Breaking
Choice Elbow Strike
Choice Sideways Head Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Side Escape (Shrimp Out)
Russian Tie Takedown (Off of shoulder grab or single lapel grab)
Weapon Defense
Stabbing Knife (Catch, 2-handed wrist lock)
Chokes/Grabs
Bear hug (stomp, roll shoulders, repeated elbows)
Bear hug (stomp, roll shoulders, step out and around, explode)
Blue Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The blue belt signifies the sky, youth, and ambition.
Stances
None
Blocks
Palm Block
Hand Strikes
Ridge Hand
Kicks
Jump Back Kick (180)
Jump Hook Kick (180)
Skip-back Kicks (Front Snap, Roundhouse, Side)
​​Physical Requirements
60 Push Ups
60 Sit Ups/Crunches
Combinations
1. Crescent in, Skip-back Round (front), Skip-back Round (back)
2. Jump Round, Tornado, Skip-back Round (back)
3. Jump Front, Jump Round, Skip-back Front, Skip-back Round, Skip Side
Sparring Requirements
90 Second Stamina (multiple rounds)
Show General Improvement
Create opportunities to counter
Consistently counter
Avoid telegraphing
Forms
Taegeuk Yuk Jang (Sixth Form) - Water "Gam"
Board Breaking
Choice Hand Technique
Choice Spinning Head Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Shot from Russian Tie defense
Arm Drag Takedown
Weapon Defense
Slashing knife first swing (Double knife blocks, chop, palm)
Slashing knife back swing (Step back, come in double fist block, grab wrist, forearm strike to shoulder, palm to elbow)
Chokes/Grabs
Head lock (Have at least 2)
Brown Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The brown belt signifies the sun, its brightness, and energy, and the physical acts of the individual.
Stances
Tiger Stance
Blocks
Double Knife-Hand Low Block
X-Block (High, Low)
Scissor Block (Gawi Makgi)
Hand Strikes
Double Uppercut
Kicks
Knee Strike
Physical Requirements
80 Push Ups
80 Sit Ups/Crunches
Combinations
1. Front, Double Front, Round, Double Round, Side, Jump Back
2. Round, Low-High side, Spinning Hook, Jump Spinning Hook
3. Tornado, Back, Step Spin Hook, Side
Sparring Requirements
90 Second Stamina (multiple rounds)
Show General Improvement
Refine and Understand Personal Fighting Style
Compensate for Weaknesses
Develop “backup” Fighting Style
Forms
Taegeuk Chil Jang (Seventh Form) - Mountain "Gan"
Board Breaking
Choice Hand Technique Speed Break
Choice Jumping Head Kick
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Using Mount and Side Control
Weapon Defense
Understand varied and well-performed knife attacks (stabbing and slashing)
Knife to throat (pin the knife, groin shot, peel knife from you, break wrist)
Chokes/Grabs
Bar arm (Pin and spin)
Red Belt
Meaning of your Belt:
The red belt signifies the earth or mountains and the development of a strong foundation.
​Stances
Reverse Front Stance
Blocks
Double Middle Block
Mountain Block
Hand Strikes
None
Kicks
Double Kicks (front snap, roundhouse)
Flying Side Kick
Jump Spin Back Kick (360)
Jump Spin Hook Kick (360)
Physical Requirements
100 Push Ups
100 Sit Ups/Crunches
Written Assignment
Depending on the situation regarding testing
Combinations
Make 2 of your own: three kicks from green up, a minimum of six kicks
Sparring Requirements
90 Second Stamina (multiple rounds)
Show Skills Worthy of Black Belt Status
Manipulate the match
Multiple opponents
Manage expenditure of energy
Forms
Taegeuk Pal Jang (Eighth Form) - Earth "Gon"
All forms must have a black belt-level technique
Board Breaking
One Hand Technique
Two Foot Techniques
All breaks must demonstrate skills worthy of black belt status
Breaks must fall into one of three categories: Speed Break, Impulse Break, Power Break
Self Defense
Ground Techniques
Submissions from Mount
​Weapon Defense
All weapon defense should show a thorough understanding of the danger of weapons as well as well-performed defense techniques
Knife to throat from back (Pin and Spin, punch)
Psycho Stab (Redirect into the leg)
Chokes/Grabs
All chokes and grabs should be well performed, understand the varying levels of danger behind each attack, you should have multiple defenses to each attack
Should be able to break a hold and regain control instead of just escaping
Black Belt
Meaning of the Black Belt:
The Black Belt contains all of the colors of the previous belts. This signifies the deepest and most dense knowledge and the accumulation of all preceding levels. The title of black belt in Tae Kwon Do signifies a depth of knowledge that takes years of training to achieve, and many more years of training to master.