Taekwondo White Belt : Signifies a Beginner with no previous knowledge of Taekwondo.
All beginners come in as a Low White Belt, otherwise known as 10th up. After training for the minimum amount of time, you may be ready to grade to High White Belt, or 9th Kup.
10th Kup Training Guide
Warm-up Exercises – Practice every day and the 20 becomes so easy, you can add more. Starting off light with joint rotations and then getting more vigorous.
NOTE: Let your Breathing be the Guide.
- Joint Rotations starting from the top of the body, down to the toes.
- 20 x Punches (alternating hands).
- 20 x Low Front Kicks (alternating legs).
- 20 x Star jumps
- 20 x Sit ups
- 20 x Press ups (Adult & Black Belts = First Two Knuckles)
- 20 x Single Leg Squat thrusts or Mountain Climbers
- 20 x Sky Divers
Stances
The First Stances of Taekwondo.
- Parallel Stance
- Attention Stance
- Bowing Posture
- Sitting Stance
- Walking Stance
Hand Parts (Sang Bansin)
In Taekwon-Do, “Sang bansin” is simply the Korean way of saying “upper body.” It refers to any part of the body from the waist up, including your hands, arms, and elbows. Instructors use this term to group together strikes or blocks that use the upper half of the body, as opposed to “Ha Bansin,” which refers to the lower body and foot techniques.
Essentially:
Sang bansin: Upper body (hands/arms)
Ha bansin: Lower body (feet/legs)
Here are some of the Hand Parts you’ll be using at this grade:
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Open Hand (Hand in General) | Son |
| Knife Hand (Side of Open Hand) | Son Kal |
| Fist (Clenched Fist) | Joomuk |
| Forefist (First 2 knuckles) | Ap Jookuk |
| Outer Forearm | Pakat Palmok |
Hand Technique (Son Gisool)
Using the Specific Hand and Elbow parts to perform Punches, Blocks, Strikes, Thrusts
A Hand Technique Requires a Stance to Execute.
Therefore, the Movement (simply put) will be: STANCE + TECHNIQUE
Example : Walking Stance, Middle Punch
In Korean : Gunnun Sogi, Kaunde Jirugi
HINT: Learn each of the words in the glossary at the end.
Crossing Hands
When executing a Hand Technique, there are correct Hand Positions before the technique is fired, and after; particularly for Blocks and Strikes.
PRACTICE:
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Forefist Punch | Ap Joomuk Jirugi |
| Forefist, Middle, Punch | Ap Joomuk, Kaunde, Jirugi |
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Outer Forearm, Low, Block | Pakat Palmok, Najunde, Maki |
| Outer Forearm, MIddle, Block | Pakat Palmok, Kaunde, Maki |
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Knife Hand Block – Sonkal Maki | Sonkal Maki |
| Knife Hand, Low, Block | Sonkal, Najunde, Maki |
Foot Parts (Habansin)
“Ha Bansin” is the Korean martial arts term for the lower body.
Think of it as the “bottom half” of your body. In Taekwon-Do, it covers everything from your waist down, your hips, legs, and feet.
Quick Breakdown:
- What it means: Lower body (literally “low half-body”).
- What it includes: Kicking tools like the ball of the foot (Ap Kumchi) or the heel (Dwitkumchi).
- The Opposite: It is the partner term to Sang Bansin (the upper body).
Basically, if you are talking about stances or kicking techniques, you are focusing on your Ha Bansin.
Here are some of the Hand Parts you’ll be using at this grade:
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Foot (In General) | Bal |
| Instep (top of foot) | Bal Dung |
| Sole of Foot (underside) | Kumchi |
| Front Sole (Ball of foot) | Ap Kumchi |
Foot Techniques (Bal Gisool)
Using the Specific Foot and Knee parts to perform Kicks
A Foot Technique does not require a Stance to Execute.
Therefore, the Movement (simply put) will simply be: TECHNIQUE
Example : Front Kick
In Korean : Ap Chagi
HINT: Learn each of the words in the glossary at the end.
PRACTICE:
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Front Kick | Ap Chagi |
| Low, Front Kick | Najunde, Ap Chagi |
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Front Snap Kick | Ap Cha Busigi |
| Low, Front Snap Kick | Najunde, Ap Cha Busigi |
| ENGLISH | KOREAN |
| Front Rising Kick | Ap Cha Olligi |
| (No variation required). |
FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENTS (Gibon Yonsup)
There are several variations of the Four Directional Sequences, but you only need to earn TWO.
- Four Directional Punch
- Four Directional Block
They are a test of your technique, balance, breathing, concentration, memory, effort and power.
Four Directional Punch (Saju Jirugi)
The sequence Four Directional Punch helps you practice the techniques you’ve learned so far in different directions, both Left and Right sides, moving, stepping and rotating.
- Starting In Parallel Stance
- STEP 1: Right Foot forward to Walking Stance, Right Middle Punch.
- STEP 2: Turn Left pivoting on Left Foot, step Right Foot Backwards to Walking Stance, Left Low Outer Forearm Block.
- …The sequence continues doing the same 2 techniques, for a count of 7 steps.
- Then return to Parallel Stance for Step 8.
OK that might seem a lot to read and do but the lesson in class and the videos take you through Step by Step.
It is easy, because millions of people have done it!
You can find the full series of Steps (Step by Step) at the back of the book.
Four Directional Block (Saju Maki)
The sequence Four Directional Block also helps you practice the techniques you’ve learned so far in different directions, both Left and Right sides, moving, stepping and rotating.
- Starting In Parallel Stance
- STEP 1: Right Foot backwards to Walking Stance, Left Knife Hand Low Block.
- STEP 2: Right Foot, Forward to Walking Stance, Right MIddle Outer Forearm Block.
- …The sequence continues doing the same 2 techniques, for a count of 8 steps.
- Then return to Parallel Stance for Step 9.
OK that might seem a lot to read and do but the lesson in class and the videos take you through Step by Step.
It is easy, because millions of people have done it!
You can find the full series of Steps (Step by Step) at the back of the book. Or check out the Beginners Playlist on the PREMIER DOJANG YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
9th Kup Training Guide
Warm-up Exercises
Stances
Hand Techniques
Foot Techniques
Combinations
Fundamental Movements / Patterns
Sparring
Power Test
Theory Questions