Belt Color and Rank System
General & Advanced Classes
As a certified member studio of the World Tang Soo Do Association (WTSDA), we follow the testing guidelines and requirements set forth by the association. We also use the same belt color and ranking system as the WTSDA for our general and advanced classes. Association tests are generally held every three months at our studio for the following ranks.
Students start as a white belt (10th gup). At this stage they are not actually members of the WTSDA. After their first test, students become a 9th gup. They receive a black tip to be added on the left side of their white belt approximately an inch from the end. At this time the student becomes a member of the WTSDA and is given a student manual, their testing certificate and all the patches to be affixed to their uniform. The WTSDA issues them a membership number that will determine their specific rank. The lower the number that is issued, the higher rank they are. No two students are the exact same rank, but many are the same belt level. This prevents confusion when lining up during classes to make things more efficient.
When the student has met all the requirements and passed their next rank exam, they receive with their testing certificate an orange belt for the rank of 8th gup. Upon passing a rank test for 7th gup, the student receives a white tip to affix to the left end of their orange belt.
The green belt is issued for those students that have successfully met requirements and passed the exam for 6th gup according to the guidelines of the WTSDA. Ranking up to the 5th gup level awards students with a white tip for their green belt.
Students that continue to progress through exams to the 4th gup level receive a brown belt, followed by adding a white tip to that belt at the 3rd gup level.
Progressing further into our advanced ranks, passing the 2nd gup exam has the student changing belt colors to red. The 1st gup level adds a white tip to the red belt.
Running out of "gup" ranks, passing the next exam rewards students with a blue belt and the rank of Cho Dan Bo - black belt candidate. This is the last color belt a student will have before becoming a black belt. This belt also does not have tip for it.
Little Dragons Class Ranking and Belt System
Students of the Little Dragons class start out as white belts (10th gup) like the general class students. This program is designed for students to rank up at a slower pace than the older students so instructors can spend more time having fun with games and to not overwhelm young children with information overload. In order to allow these youngsters to have a sense of accomplishment, additional degrees of each rank has been added. By the time the students are reaching age 11, they will have the knowlege and ability to be ready for an exam of the 6th gup green belt rank to transition into general class. Tests are approximately every 3 months.
The first test of a Little Dragon promotes them to the 9th gup rank, adding a black tip to the left side of their white belt about an inch from the end. From this rank, students follow the guidelines of the Little Dragons program planned and assembled by the instructors (and advanced students) of Range Martial Arts. Each exam rewards students with a new tip to add to their belt.
While wearing a white belt with a black tip, students have 5 degrees of little dragon to progress through, each teaching them something new while participating in fun and games. The 1st degree Little Dragon adds an orange tip above the black one currently on their belt. 2nd degree adds a green tip above the first tips, 3rd degree is a brown tip, a red tip for 4th degree and finally a blue tip for 5th degree Little Dragon.
Once a student has reached 9th gup, 6th degree little dragon level, they will be prepared for their next WTSDA rank test. Upon passing this exam, they are rewarded with an orange belt 8th gup rank. The tests immediately following this association test rewards the same 5 degrees of little dragon tips to the belt.
Once again when the student has received their 5 degrees they are ready to test for the next WTSDA rank of 7th gup (orange belt with a white tip), and the 5 degrees of little dragon apply to this belt as well. By the time the student has reached 7th gup, 5th degree Little Dragon they should be approximately age 11 and ready to transition into the general class.
Tiny Tigers Class Ranking and Belt System
The Tiny Tigers program is designed for our youngest students. In this program the student doesn't become a member of the WTSDA. Rank is designated similar to the little dragons classes with different degrees for each belt. Instead of using an association-issued membership number, students are assigned a rank number based on the date they started.
The first belt of the Tiny Tigers program is a pre-tied, velcro belt. (Students get the privilage of tiing their own belt when they graduate to the little dragons class.) This belt is white with two yellow stripes running down its length. Level 1 Tiny Tigers then go through a degree system like the Little Dragons. The 1st degree tiny tiger adds an orange tip on the left end of their belt. 2nd degree adds a green tip above the first tip, 3rd degree is a brown tip, a red tip for 4th degree and finally a blue tip for 5th degree Tiny Tiger.
Following all the degrees on their Level 1 belt, students will receive a new belt for Level 2 Tiny Tiger. This belt is also a pre-tied, velcro belt; yellow with two black stripes running down the length. Examination through this rank also adds tips to the left side of the belt until Level 2 5th degree Tiny Tiger. Once this rank has been reached, the student will be approximately age 7 and ready to graduate to the Little Dragons program.
