Practicing martial arts is often a demonstration of perseverance, determination and grit that requires both physical and psychological commitment. Your level of achievement is most often referred to as your rank.
The rank is often indicated by the color of the belt you wear with your uniform, also known as Dobok in TaeKwonDo tradition. It has a special meaning, and it is interpreted in different ways, depending on the country of origin, and the founders of a particular system.
All of the degrees are obtained through technical examinations in front of official masters that are certified by their respective federations. The programs have variations depending on age, gender, and physical abilities of the new belt’s aspirants.
In most styles of practice, you begin your journey wearing a white belt, and the one that signifies mastery is the black belt. Reaching the coveted rank of black belt is a significant milestone that takes years of practice. There are different ranks of black belt, starting with first dan (or first degree in English), which is the level of black belt you are when you’re first promoted to black belt, and going up – usually – to 9th dan. The 10th Dan is only granted in a posthumous capacity because complete perfection in life is considered unattainable.
The belt’s practical purpose is to hold the uniform in place and to allow the martial artist to be free to move during training.