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| Belts 101 |
| Songahm means "pine tree and rock". In Songahm taekwondo, the journey of the
student in his or her quest for black belt is likened to the growth of a pine tree. The pine tree must be planted then
nurtured as it grows into a strong member of the forest community. By analogy, the student must start by planting the seed
of knowledge at white belt and work continually to expand their skill and knowledge to become a strong member of the martial
arts community. As with any hurdle that must be overcome or mountain that must be climbed, one must first make their way
to the foot of the mountain. For our youngest students the attributes of each color belt take on an animal form which they will wear
on their belts as a reminder of what they trying to achieve. |
| White Belt - 9th Grade - White Tiger
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 | Philosophy: Pure and without knowledge
of Songahm taekwondo. As with the pine tree, the seed must be planted and nourished to develop strong roots.
The student has no knowledge of Songahm Taekwondo and begins with a clean (pure) slate.Purity is often
signified by the color white. |
| Orange Belt - 8th Grade - Tiger
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 | Philosophy:
The sun is beginning to rise. As with the morning's dawn,
the beauty of the sunrise is seen rather than the immense power.
The beginner student sees the beauty of the art of Taekwondo but has not yet
experienced the power of the technique.Orange is found among the many colors of the sunrise. |
| Yellow Belt - 7th Grade - Cheetah
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 | Philosophy: The seed is beginning to see the sunlight.
The student begins to understand the basics of Taekwondo. The sun appears to be yellow. |
| Camouflage Belt - 6th Grade - Lion
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 | Philosophy: The sapling is now hidden amongst the
taller pines and must now fight its way upwards.
The student begins to realize his/her place in the world's largest martial art. The student
must now begin to spar in order to promote in rank. Camouflage(greens) is used to hide among the trees in the forest. |
| Green Belt - 5th Grade - Eagle
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 | Philosophy: The pine tree is beginning to develop and grow in strength.
The student's technique is developing power. The components of the basic techniques are beginning to work in
unison. As the pine tree develops, it sprouts green pine needles. |
| Purple Belt - 4th Grade - Pheonix
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 | Philosophy: The student has come to the mountain. The pine tree is in mid-growth and the path to maturity now becomes steep.
The student has crossed over over into a higher level of Songahm Taekwondo. The techniques, poom-sae
(forms), and level of gyeo-roo-gi (sparring) becomes more difficult, creating a "mountain" that must be overcome.
Mountains are often depicted as being purple. |
| Blue Belt - 3rd Grade - Dragon
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 | Philosophy: The pine tree reaches for the sky toward new heights.
Having passed the mid-way point, the student focuses his/her energy upward toward black belt.
The sky appears as blue. |
| Brown Belt - 2nd Grade - Cobra
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 | Philosophy: The pine tree is firmly rooted in the Earth.
At this point the student has mastered the basics and developed deep roots in
Taekwondo. Brow is known as an earthy color, such as dirt. |
| Red Belt - 1st Grade - Panther
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 | Philosophy: The sun is setting. The first phase of growth has been accomplished.
The first day (the period of time from white belt to red belt) of growth is coming to an end.
The physical skill has been developed but lacks control; therefore, physical and mental discipline must now be
achieved. Variations of red are found among the many colors of the sunset. |
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