Wasatch Martial Arts Academy is a certified school under the World Moo Duk Kwan and is authorized to hold official promotional examinations. All students registered with the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation are eligible to test and receive international rank certification. Gup Shim Sa (or Color Belt Tests) are held quarterly.
To register for your next test, make sure you have a current membership for the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation and then register for the next test.
Belt System
You will find that each martial art has a different assortment of belts. Soo Bahk Do’s belt ranking system is rooted in history and philosophy. Each color belt increases in darkness and symbolizes one of the seasons:
- White Belt – Symbolizes winter, purity, innocence. Brand new to the art, you are like a new-born child new to the world.
- Orange Belt – Symbolizes early spring. After 3-6 months of training, you begin to acquire a sense of Soo Bahk Do and begin understanding its philosophy and curriculum. The snow begins to melt.
- Green Belt – Symbolizes spring, growth, advancement. After 1 year of training, your understanding continues to grow. This is the season where you have a grasp on the art and begin to grow rapidly in your development.
- Red Belt – Symbolizes summer, heat, activity (Yang). After about 2 years of training, you are considered an advanced student in Soo Bahk Do. You are vibrant and full of energy.
- Midnight Blue – Symbolizes autumn, maturity, passive (Um). After 4-5 years of training, you go through a rebirth and enter into a new phase of your training as a dan member. This is similar to other styles’ “black belt”. This time is a fruitful result of your training and a time to explore Soo Bahk Do with new eyes and even personalize your training to suit your needs.
Rank Requirements
| Rank | Hyung | Dae Ryun | Ho Sin Sul | Kyo Pa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9th Gup 3 months |
Gi Cho Hyung Il Bu | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 8th Gup 3 months |
Gi Cho Hyung Il Bu Gi Cho Hyung E Bu |
N/A | Adults: Basic wrist releases | Adults: Pahl Koop |
| 7th Gup 3 months |
Gi Cho Hyung E Bu Gi Cho Hyung Sam Bu |
Adults: Basic footwork | Adults: Basic wrist pressures | Adults: Yup Podo Cha Gi
|
| 6th Gup 3 months |
Gi Cho Hyung Sam Bu Pyung Ahn Cho Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 1-2 Children: Side Step Counter #1 |
Adults: Cross Wrist 1-2
Children: N/A |
Adults: Teul Oh Choong Dan Kong Kyuk Children: Yup Podo Cha Gi |
| 5th Gup 3 months |
Pyung Ahn Cho Dan Pyung Ahn E Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 3-4 Children: Side Step Counter #3 |
Adults: Cross Wrist 3-4
Children: Cross Wrist 1-2 |
Adults: Dwi Podo Cha Gi Children: Pahl Koop |
| 4th Gup 3 months |
Pyung Ahn E Dan Pyung Ahn Sam Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 5-8 Children: Il Soo Sik 1 & 3 |
Adults: Straight Wrist 1-4
Children: Straight Wrist 1 |
Adults: Station Break Children: Full Board Break |
| 3rd Gup 3 months |
Pyung Ahn Sam Dan Pyung Ahn Sa Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 9-12 Children: Il Soo Sik 5 |
Adults: 2 on 1 Wrist 1-3
Children: Straight Wrist 2 |
E Dan Cha Gi and Soo Gi
|
| 2nd Gup 6 months |
Pyung Ahn Sa Dan Pyung Ahn O Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 13-14 Children: Il Soo Sik 7 |
Adults: 2 on 2 Wrist 1-4
Children: 2 on 1 Wrist 1-2 |
Adults: Station Break Children: Dwi Podo Cha Gi |
| 1st Gup 6 months |
Pyung Ahn O Dan Bassai Naihanji Cho Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 15-18 Children: Il Soo Sik 9 |
Adults: Side and Back Wrist 1-2
Children: 2 on 2 Wrist 1-2 |
Jump Spinning Back Kick |
| Cho Dan 1 Year |
Bassai Naihanji Cho Dan Chil Sung E Ro |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: Il Soo Sik 1-18 Children: Il Soo Sik 1-9 odds |
Adults: All Wrist Grips
Children: Cross, Straight, 2 on 1, |
Jump Spinning Back Kick |
| E Dan 2 Years |
Chil Sung Il Ro Du Mun Jin Do Naihanji E Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring 2 on 1 Sparring Adults: 3 Step Sparring 1-5 Children: Il Soo Sik 1-17 odd |
Adults: Lower Sleeve Grips Knife Defense Children: All Wrist Grips Knife Defense |
Double Jump Front Kick |
| Sam Dan 3 Years |
Chil Sung Sam Ro Joong Jul Ro Hai Naihanji Sam Dan |
Everyone: Free Sparring
Adults: 3 Step Sparring 6-10 Children: 3 Step Sparring 1-5 |
Adults: Upper Sleeve Grips Staff Defense Children: Lower Sleeve Grips Staff Defense |
Ro Hai Kyok Pa |