Our school awards patches (to be sewn onto the belt) for 50 perfect sit-ups, 50 perfect push-ups and splits/stretch. They also use colored tape to signify that you have proven you know your required poomse (black for taegeuk and white for palgue...I have both for Sam Jang) but have not officially tested yet. There are a variety of other patches at our "mother" school that include stars, club patches, etc...but I'm uncertain of what they're for since our club apparently doesn't use them. I have no particular opinion on them one way or the other (although I don't mind training hard to earn them... ). "Tested" for my splits/stretch patch tonight and passed. Obviously they're a motivational tool and it seems to work well . What does your school do? Anything similar? I'm just curious...hoping to spur some conversation . Kelly
Kelly, we have patches and tape. Nothing fancy just black electrical tape showing that you have the required attendance, knowledge of your form, tenets, etc. to promote for your next rank. Patches are earned, usually for the kids, for attendance, indominable spirit, respect and the like. They usually give out different colored stars that get sewn on the lapel of the dobak. We have school patches, WTF patches, Korean Flag patch, etc that can be sewn on the sleeves.
ooooohhhh.... that's right Raggy we forget your club is too HARDKOR. Let me guess... for the older ones....they get the right to grow their golden locks long and post copious pictures of themselves posing on internet forums. So silly of us... how could we not know?!
In our club: Standard belt system - the same as ITF. For junior black belts - half black/half red belt (the same as WTF Poom). For under-12's additional stripes on belts. Two stripes to be earned between each grade, so the kid has to have e.g. white belt with 2 black stripes (electrical tape) to test for 9th. We don't have that many tests for kids so that's a compromise between holding them longer on one grade and "promoting" them. No additional charge for stripes. No Dan stripes on black belts. Everybody wears either a plain black belt, or an embroidered one (with name and/or style). School patch is compulsory. Competition team patch and national flag patch is allowed. Gizmo
I think you're just jealous ya know. But er.... Yeah our club is a little above awarding people a badge for doing 50 press-ups. Infact I think that's what we call a "warm-up"
it's pretty hard to work up much jealousy over the hair-care club. but I guess I can concede I think it's nuts to give awards for 50 pushups.
In my kids class I award 5 Tenet Certs a month based on the conduct of the members. It seems to work? And they get and understanding of what they mean in real terms instead of rattling off learnt words that they don't know the meaning of!
50 perfect push-ups is quite a challenge for me (I'm pretty excited to be up to 35 though !!). It's the 50 sit-ups patch that I think is funny . There's not a student in our advanced class that *can't* do it but no one has "tested" for it...I think more out of feeling silly "proving" that you can do 50 sit-ups . I can understand those with disabilities, beginners, elderly etc...not being able to but it's a more than reasonable goal for healthy, advanced students. When we first heard they were offering the patch for students who wanted to earn it we were sure it'd be 100 . Neryo, nope, we don't have to pay for them at our club. Narcsarge, yeah, that's all ours is too...electrical tape. It's amazing how motivational it can be . Estranged, my son joined TKD about 7 months before I did (he's almost 9). I couldn't join at that time due to some physical issues. So what is a "perfect push-up" in your minds? I can't imagine doing 50 as a "warm-up" . We're not required to go chest-to-ground but our elbow joint is to be at a 90 degree angle, hands facing forward (shoulder-width apart), on toes (obviously) and preferrably looking up (although I don't think it's required...not sure). Kelly
We use electrical tape for stripes to show that you have mastered the areas needed to be promoted including forms, techniques, sparring. We also have stars for attendance and student of the day. The stars have a lot of motivational value for the kids but I have never put them on my belts. A perfect push is chest to the ground and back up smoothly while keeping your body straight. My wife and my twelve year old can't do 50 perfect pushups. Considering that 45 pushups is a perfect score for a woman aged 32 in the military, 50 isn't the easiest thing. Of course for Rags, he would have to do 77 to get the same score. When you are young and in good shape, it is easy to consider that everyone else should be the same. However, getting older has a way of dropping ability.
This has got me to wondering at bit actually, surely any tape put on a belt must start peeling off relatively quickly? Maybe it's stronger stuff than I'm thinking of but I know most tape isn't going to stick to belt material very well in the first place, let alone when the sweat starts to come through.
CK, The tape is at the very tip of the belt so sweating doesn't cause an issue. It seems to stay pretty secure; I've never had any problems with it. My husband can whip 50 of those out like it's no harder than taking a deep breath...amazes me. He says we "cheat" since we only go to a 90 degree elbow angle . He'd be awesome at TKD...wish he'd join :love: ! Another question...do you think it's a matter of can or can't in regards to the splits. I mean do you think that no matter how hard some people (even young-un's) try they'll never be able to do them? I think of some of the odd bent yoga poses I've seen...can anyone do that if they work at it hard enough? Kelly
everyone i know in tkd used electrical tape to show tip grades while at kup level! i've never had any problems with it?? though i don't have tip grades in my club now.
Im the reverse, as Ive seen most use ribbon sewn onto the belt tips. Ive seen the odd bit of electrical tape that usually is peeling off one end or has one of the belt ends missing a stripe where it has peeled off altogethor! TBH, reading this thread I didnt realise it was so widely used! Stuart
The above statement is on of the many reasons Taekwon-Do is not taken seriously in the Martial Arts community. Sorry Kelly, I'm not trying to pick on you, but I've been with quite a few schools where it was like that. A class of 12 year old blackbelts terrier-humping the floor 20 times. One of our regular exercises is to be in pairs, threes and to work the bag for 30 seconds then off and do push-ups while your partner is on. Then back on the bag. As you wear out you do begin to get sloppy push-up techniques. But we manage to get out way more than 50.
