Red Belt

So, red belt was special for me in Tae Kwon Do.  When I started, our rankings went white, yellow, green, red, and then black.  We had 3 levels of white belt - 10th, 9th, and 8th gup/grade, 1 for yellow - 7th gup/grade, 3 for green - 6th, 5th, and 4th gup/grade, and 3 for red - 3rd, 2nd, and 1st gup/grade.  The various levels were indicated by black electrical tape around one end of the belt.  Then you advanced in Black Belt Dan/Rank - 1st through 9th. My instructor, Master Shin, was a 7th Dan/Degree when I first met him and began training.

I started Tae Kwon Do on Monday, June 18, 1979 - and never looked back.   I was 14 (just about to turn15) and it was summer, so I was at class ALL the time. Three classes a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Two classes a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Saturdays there was only the morning class, so I went to it too.  Fifteen classes a week and every tournament that our school attended.  Once my academic school year started, I could not attend the weekday morning classes, so I fell down to a paltry 12 classes per week.

Within 10 months I tested for my first red level.

Then I was a red belt for over 3 and 1/2 years.

Training, even consistently (what do you mean obsessively?) like I did, it was not unusual to have at least 4 years time in before testing for black.  Three was considered a minimum.  It was unusual to have spent most of that time at red.  What can I say?  I was and still am... unusual.

I grew to love the red belt and the energy and intensity we were told it represented.

I never tested, nor did I ever receive my final level red.  Back then half ranks were often handed out.  So my last underblack certificate was for level 1and 1/2.  I tested for black from that rank and did not learn my results from that testing until a year and a half afterwards, when I finally received my black belt and rank.

Like I said ... unusual.
:)

Respectfully,
Kathy Wiz