Belt System

ITA Belt Rank System

BELT RANK
BELT COLOR FORM Movements Meanings of the Belts & Forms

White Belt Solid White Seed 14 In law of harvest, preparing the ground and planting the seed; in artistic development, the beginning student; in TaeKwonDo history, Chon-ji, the beginning of human history

Yellow Belt Solid Yellow Sun 18

Green Belt Solid Green Plant 24 In law of harvest, the protected sprouting of the seed as it springs from the earth; in artistic development, the growth of the Ho-Am martial artist; in TaeKwonDo history, patriot Do-San (pen name of Ahn-Chan-Ho) who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement

Senior Green Belt Green w/ Black Stripe

Blue Belt Solid Blue Water 23 In law of harvest, the irrigation required for life; in artistic development, the welling up of the Ho-Am spirit; in TaeKwonDo history, Master Won-Hyo, the warrior-monk who unified Korean ideologies into one after the unification of the Three Kingdoms

Senior Blue Belt Blue w/ Black Stripe

Brown Belt Solid Brown Earth 26 In law of harvest, the foundation for the plant’s root system and the nourishment required for life; in artistic development, the martial artist’s increasing physical skills; in TaeKwonDo history, the Korean Hwa Rang, which was a youth group of warrior-scholars who protected the king

Senior Brown Belt Brown w/ Black Stripe

Red Belt Solid Red Fire 28 In law of harvest, the increasing warmth of the sun and/or the weeding out of elements that might prevent the plant’s optimal growth, as in controlled burning; in artistic development, the passion for martial arts that must be properly focused; in TaeKwonDo history, Choong-Moo, the Korean Admiral Hi Sun-Sin who died before achieving his full potential

Senior Red Belt Red w/ Black Stripe

Probationary 1st Degree Black Belt Half Black
Half White Sky 34 Ho-Am Black Belts are grounded in physical art while reaching for the sky, their infinite minds seek to proceed beyond the outer limit of the known world to discover knowledge beyond the sun. In TaeKwonDo history, Gwang-Gae was a famous Korean king who regained lost territories during his reign.

1st Degree Black Belt
Level 1 & 2 Black w/ one Gold Bar and the student's name

1st Degree Black Belt level 3 & 4
Tiger 44 HoAm/Tiger Rock Black Belts admire the tiger’s power and sagacity, suggesting why this noble beast, in conjunction with the Earth’s most permanent manifestation, rock, is immortalized in the name of our style. In TaeKwonDo history, Ge-Baek was a great Korean general known for his severe and strict military discipline.

2nd Degree Black Belt level 1 & 2 Black w/Two Gold Bars Oak Tree 68 Long considered the king of trees, the mighty oak is prized for its impressive stature as well as its timber and acorns. Indeed, on the ground of Korea’s seat of national government, the Blue House, stands a magnificent eight-hundred-year-old oak tree, representative of the Korean national spirit which gave rise to TaeKwonDo. In TaeKwonDo history, Yoo-Sin was the general who united Korea in 668 A.D.

2nd Degree Black Belt
level 3 & 4 Eagle 43 Because of their strength, eagles have long been symbols of martial power, just as Ho-Am Black Belts develop their powerful martial arts skills. In TaeKwonDo history, Ul-Ji Moon Dok was the general who successfully defended Korea against an invading force of nearly one million soldiers.

3rd Degree Black Belt
level 1 & 2 Black w/Three Gold Bars Ocean 53 The global, interconnected body of salt water, called the World Ocean, dominates Earth’s surface and is essential to the cycle that makes life possible. There is still much to learn about the depths of the ocean, just as Black Belts realize that they have much to learn about their art. In TaeKwonDo history, Choong-Jang was the pen name of Korean General Kim Duk Ryang.

3rd Degree Black Belt
level 3 & 4

River

53
Rivers are powerful natural streams of water that flow in defined banks. Ho-Am Black Belts channel their powerful martial arts skills according to Ho-Am TaeKwonDo’s defined essence. In TaeKwonDo history, Juche is the Korean philosophy that man is the master of everything and decides everything; in other words, the idea that humanity rules the world, and each human controls his or her own destiny

4th Degree

Black w/Four Gold Bars

Bear

48
Bears are archetypal images of strength yet can move surprisingly fast even through dense cover. Ho-Am TaeKwonDo also combines strength with speed. In TaeKwonDo history, Choi-Yong was a Korean general greatly respected for his loyalty, patriotism, and humility.

Senior 4th Degree

5th Degree

Black w/Five Gold Bars

Mountain

67
The epitome of earthly grandeur and Earth’s most massive land forms are also metaphors for challenges to overcome just as the mountain is there to be scaled. Even though Senior Fifth Degrees have passed their last physical test, they are well aware that their journey is never-ending; even though the mountains are the highest physical level on Earth, the human mind is ever aware of the expanse of the universe. In TaeKwonDo history, Moon-Moo was the Korean king who, according to his will, was buried in the sea “where my soul shall forever defend my land.”

Senior 5th Degree

BELT RANK	BELT COLOR	FORM	Movements	Meanings of the Belts & Forms
White Belt	Solid White	Seed	14	In law of harvest, preparing the ground and planting the seed; in artistic development, the beginning student; in TaeKwonDo history, Chon-ji, the beginning of human history
Yellow Belt	Solid Yellow	Sun	18
Green Belt	Solid Green	Plant	24	In law of harvest, the protected sprouting of the seed as it springs from the earth; in artistic development, the growth of the Ho-Am martial artist; in TaeKwonDo history, patriot Do-San (pen name of Ahn-Chan-Ho) who devoted his entire life to furthering the education of Korea and its independence movement
Senior Green Belt	Green w/ Black Stripe
Blue Belt	Solid Blue	Water	23	In law of harvest, the irrigation required for life; in artistic development, the welling up of the Ho-Am spirit; in TaeKwonDo history, Master Won-Hyo, the warrior-monk who unified Korean ideologies into one after the unification of the Three Kingdoms
Senior Blue Belt	Blue w/ Black Stripe
Brown Belt	Solid Brown	Earth	26	In law of harvest, the foundation for the plant’s root system and the nourishment required for life; in artistic development, the martial artist’s increasing physical skills; in TaeKwonDo history, the Korean Hwa Rang, which was a youth group of warrior-scholars who protected the king
Senior Brown Belt	Brown w/ Black Stripe
Red Belt	Solid Red	Fire	28	In law of harvest, the increasing warmth of the sun and/or the weeding out of elements that might prevent the plant’s optimal growth, as in controlled burning; in artistic development, the passion for martial arts that must be properly focused; in TaeKwonDo history, Choong-Moo, the Korean Admiral Hi Sun-Sin who died before achieving his full potential
Senior Red Belt	Red w/ Black Stripe
Probationary 1st Degree Black Belt	Half Black Half White	Sky	34	Ho-Am Black Belts are grounded in physical art while reaching for the sky, their infinite minds seek to proceed beyond the outer limit of the known world to discover knowledge beyond the sun. In TaeKwonDo history, Gwang-Gae was a famous Korean king who regained lost territories during his reign.
1st Degree Black Belt Level 1 & 2	Black w/ one Gold Bar and the student's name
1st Degree Black Belt level 3 & 4		Tiger	44	HoAm/Tiger Rock Black Belts admire the tiger’s power and sagacity, suggesting why this noble beast, in conjunction with the Earth’s most permanent manifestation, rock, is immortalized in the name of our style. In TaeKwonDo history, Ge-Baek was a great Korean general known for his severe and strict military discipline.
2nd Degree Black Belt level 1 & 2	Black w/Two Gold Bars	Oak Tree	68	Long considered the king of trees, the mighty oak is prized for its impressive stature as well as its timber and acorns. Indeed, on the ground of Korea’s seat of national government, the Blue House, stands a magnificent eight-hundred-year-old oak tree, representative of the Korean national spirit which gave rise to TaeKwonDo. In TaeKwonDo history, Yoo-Sin was the general who united Korea in 668 A.D.
2nd Degree Black Belt level 3 & 4		Eagle	43	Because of their strength, eagles have long been symbols of martial power, just as Ho-Am Black Belts develop their powerful martial arts skills. In TaeKwonDo history, Ul-Ji Moon Dok was the general who successfully defended Korea against an invading force of nearly one million soldiers.
3rd Degree Black Belt level 1 & 2	Black w/Three Gold Bars	Ocean	53	The global, interconnected body of salt water, called the World Ocean, dominates Earth’s surface and is essential to the cycle that makes life possible. There is still much to learn about the depths of the ocean, just as Black Belts realize that they have much to learn about their art. In TaeKwonDo history, Choong-Jang was the pen name of Korean General Kim Duk Ryang.
3rd Degree Black Belt level 3 & 4		River	53	Rivers are powerful natural streams of water that flow in defined banks. Ho-Am Black Belts channel their powerful martial arts skills according to Ho-Am TaeKwonDo’s defined essence. In TaeKwonDo history, Juche is the Korean philosophy that man is the master of everything and decides everything; in other words, the idea that humanity rules the world, and each human controls his or her own destiny
4th Degree	Black w/Four Gold Bars	Bear	48	Bears are archetypal images of strength yet can move surprisingly fast even through dense cover. Ho-Am TaeKwonDo also combines strength with speed. In TaeKwonDo history, Choi-Yong was a Korean general greatly respected for his loyalty, patriotism, and humility.
Senior 4th Degree
5th Degree	Black w/Five Gold Bars	Mountain	67	The epitome of earthly grandeur and Earth’s most massive land forms are also metaphors for challenges to overcome just as the mountain is there to be scaled. Even though Senior Fifth Degrees have passed their last physical test, they are well aware that their journey is never-ending; even though the mountains are the highest physical level on Earth, the human mind is ever aware of the expanse of the universe. In TaeKwonDo history, Moon-Moo was the Korean king who, according to his will, was buried in the sea “where my soul shall forever defend my land.”
Senior 5th Degree