Green Belt (7thGup)
Traditional Meaning:
The seed has taken root and the seedling is emerging from the earth. Upon emergence the seedling notices it is only one of many saplings struggling for survival. It wishes to grow into a strong oak with many branches and leaves. A green belt is a student whose Tae Kwon Do skills are, like the seedling, emerging. You feel proud of your accomplishments, but notice that your fellow students are developing as well, possibly at a faster pace. This growth results in changes and may cause insecurity, but these changes must be accepted so you can grow past any insecurity. You must also acknowledge your past achievements as part of this growth, but do not rely on them as it can hurt your progress. The green belt symbolizes growth, and in Tae Kwon Do you must always be growing never remain content with your knowledge.
Our Interpretation:
At green belt level you are becoming more confident with your techniques. You should have started to develop a familiarity with free sparring and are learning more advanced techniques. You are also a senior belt in a class for the first time and must display this advancement in knowledge and mind set to the gold belts you have to realize that you are no longer and gold belt and your technique and attitude should reflect this. This is also the level where others may start to grow faster than you. Do not allow this to affect you. There will always be people who you perceive to be doing better than you and you must learn to not let that fact change how you act. If others are learning at a faster pace and you want to catch up this is the level where you will realize you are going to have to work harder to do so. You may ask our great instructors for help in doing so and we will all be more than happy to oblige.
Do-San – (24 moves) Do-San is a pseudonym of the patriot Ahn Chang-Ho (1876 - 1938). The 24 movements represent his entire life which he devoted to furthering education in Korea and the Korean independence movement.