Your Uniform and Belt
Uniform
Martial arts students take pride in their doboks. A well-cleaned and -displayed dobok can add an air of sophistication to one's appearance. As such, one should take care of one's dobok to present the best possible image in class, at tournaments, and other events at which you represent the school. Doboks should be hung up nicely on a hanger or folded when they're not being used, even when they're dirty.
You might notice some of the students and instructors with different-colored uniforms. Certain types of students are allowed to purchase the uniforms:
- Black: fully-certified instructors
- Red: students in the instructor certification program working toward being fully certified
These uniforms may be worn only to regular classes. Students are allowed to wear only their white uniforms to tournaments, tests, and other official events.
Patch placement
The taekwondo uniform, or dobok, represents a student's journey through and their current status in the discipline of taekwondo. Patches and their locations on the dobok have specific meanings for leadership and advancement.
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School patch: A symbol of our academy.
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Belt: All students begin as white belts. Students advance through blue belt in full steps. After students earn their brown belt, they advance a half belt at each testing.
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U.S. Flag: Represents the country of our school
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South Korea Flag: Represents the country of our martial art.
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Program patch: Indicates the program the student is in: Black Belt or Leadership
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Instructor patch: Earned when a student completes the instructor certification program
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Honor stripes: Students earn Honor Stripes for doing good deeds.
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Progress stripes: A green (form), black (kicks), white (board breaks), or purple (self defense) progress stripe is earned after showing proficiency with specific techniques.
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Instructor collar: Given when one joins the instructor training program. As one moves upward through the certification program ranks, more of the inital red is replaced by black. School owners have a 1-1/2-inch wide collar. Otherwise, the ribbons are 1 inch wide.
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Judging chevrons: Earned by Black Belts, they signify permission to judge at tournaments and the level at which they can judge.
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Honor stars: Earned when one is one of the top honor stripes earners in a testing cycle.
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Black pant stripe: Fourth-degree or higher Black Belts wear a black stripe down the outside of their pants legs.
If you need help in putting on your patches, Mrs. Bovitz can help you.
Washing
Keep your standard white dobok clean. As a color belt student who attends class twice a week, you will likely need your dobok for more than two years and even longer if your attendance is less frequent. Since doboks are mostly white, wash it in warm water. Hot water will cause colors to run or fade. Use low heat when drying your dobok, because in the dryer is where most of the shrinkage will occur. Heavier-weight doboks tend to hold their size, but too much improper washing and drying will cause discoloration, unusual wear, or faster deterioration of your dobok.
The black and red doboks, which are heavier weight (and color), should be washed in cold water with similar colors to avoid bleeding.
Despite your best efforts, your dobok will probably become discolored. To ensure that your top and pants wear in the same way (so they at least match each other), when you need to wash one, wash the other in the same load.
Belt
Along with your uniform, your belt is a symbol of your journey as a student through taekwondo. In fact, as a color belt student, your belt will change more often than your uniform. The most obvious change will occur as you rise through the color belts, but less obvious changes will be due to red honor stripes or knowledge stripes (white, green, or black). Adornments are not allowed on black belts.
One of the tenets of martial arts, including taekwondo, is a balance between the body and the mind. This balance is illustrated by the ends of one's belt: The ends of the belt should hang in equal lengths to illustrate the balance.
Belts should be tied snugly about the waist, but not too tight to restrict movement. They should not be so lose as to hang on the hips.
One should keep one's belt from touching the ground. Allowing the belt to touch the ground shows disrespect to the belt, the uniform, and the progress one has made in this martial art. Fold your belt when you are not wearing it.
Caring for your belt includes not washing your belt. In the history of martial arts, the darkening of one's belt represents the knowledge one has accumulated as a student. Washing a belt "washes away" this knowledge. The belts used in our organization will not hold up well under washing because they're not built to be washed.
Belt stripes
Here is our progression of color belts from white belt to first-degree (decided) black belt:
Tigers follow this belt progression:
When Tigers move out of the Tiger Program into our Leadership Program, they will wear the corresponding Leadership color belt. For example, would move to either if it's between graduations or if it's at a graduation.
Other clothing
These other items are suggested to complement your dobok.
A plain, white short-sleeved T-shirt or tank top is recommended for women and girls. Men and boys are also allowed to wear a plain white T-shirt beneath their dobok. Pants are not allowed beneath the dobok pants. Along with the obvious distracting appearance issues, they can restrict a student's movement so that he or she would not be able to fully participate in class. Along with the loose fit's being unrestrictive for one's working out, they also allow air to flow next to the body, keeping a student cool.
While bare feet are always acceptable at taekwondo events (and mandatory for class unless otherwise stated or approved by your instructor), one might wish to wear athletic shoes ("sneakers") for comfort, especially on hard floors. The shoes (and socks) should be as plain and white as possible. Sandals, clogs, flats, moccasins, slippers, and similar footwear are not allowed, nor is anything with a raised heel. Also, many taekwondo events - such as tournaments - take place on gym floors, and one should not wear "street shoes" at these events. Shoes and socks should be taken off when one is participating in a class or competing in a tournament.
Jewelry should be removed before performing in a tournament or training in a class. Rings and bands on one's fingers and toes are acceptable, but they should be taped over. Stud earrings are also acceptable.