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GETTING READY FOR TAEKWONDO

If you have to wear a uniform to school, or know someone who does, you may think that wearing a uniform to taekwondo class will be a drag. However, the uniform you wear to the dojang carries a lot of history and is meant to help you get into your role as a taekwondo student. When you see someone—whether in real life, on TV, or in the movies—practicing taekwondo in their white uniform, you get a sense that this person is someone who is serious about his or her martial art. Wearing the uniform helps you feel like a serious taekwondo practitioner. Not only that, the uniform unites all students, from beginners to the most advanced. When you’re in a room full of white uniforms, you will feel like you’re part of a big family.

WHAT YOU SHOULD WEAR

When you begin taekwondo, you will wear a white belt and a uniform, called a dobuk in Korean. Dobuks are made up of pants and a jacket. The pants have either a drawstring waist or an elastic waist. If your pants have a drawstring waist, be sure that you tie them securely—but not too tightly. You’ll need to move freely in your uniform, so your pants must fit comfortably.

The dobuk jacket comes in two different styles—one with a deep V-neck opening, which you slip over your head, and one that ties in the front. Be sure to find out which style your school uses. Also, it may take you a while to feel comfortable in your jacket because it will be big and loose, so you might want to wear a white T-shirt underneath it, especially if you get cold. The belt is tied over the dobuk at the waist and holds everything together.

Words to Know

Sabumnim: Your taekwondo instructor

Dobuk: The taekwondo uniform

HOW TO TIE THE BELT

To tie your belt correctly, first fold the belt in half so that you can find the center. Place the center of the belt on your belly button and wrap your belt around your waist two times. Make sure that one of the belt straps is underneath the other, all the way around. Tug on the ends of the straps so that they’re even. Cross the straps over each other, so that they make an “X.” Tuck the left strap up through the other layers around your waist. Next, fold the right strap in half so that it makes a loop. Now bring the left strap down in front of the loop. Pull the end of the left strap up through the loop, and at the same time tug on the end of the right strap so that your knot will be tight. When you are finished, both straps should hang at the same length.

Taekwondo Tip

Tying the belt is a very important part of taekwondo. Your midsection, where the belt is tied, is your center of gravity— tanjun in Korean—and therefore is a key part of your body. By tying your belt carefully and precisely, you are showing respect toward your tanjun.

WHAT THE DIFFERENT BELT COLORS MEAN

When taekwondo was first practiced, there were no differences in rank; everyone just wore a white belt, which was there to hold up their pants and didn’t mean anything. The more someone practiced, the dirtier his belt became. The sign of an experienced taekwondo student was a really grimy belt. Today, there are different belt colors that come before the black belt. Just as in the past, the darker the belt is, the more experience the student has. Your belt is therefore very important. It shows everyone how much you know, and so it would be silly to wash your belt. In ancient times, that would have been like washing away all you had learned about taekwondo! (However, you can—and should—wash your dobuk and keep it clean.)

Nowadays, the different color belts represent different levels of experience. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that all black belts have the same amount of experience, or that once you become a black belt you will know as much as your taekwondo instructor. Becoming a black belt is only the beginning for those who are serious about taekwondo—there’s always more to learn and many different ways to improve.