Belts & Tests

Martial Arts of Westchester is a certified school under the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation 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.

You can view your requirements here:

• • Children's Requirements - Attached at bottom of page

  • Adult's Requirements - Attached at bottom of page

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:

• 1. White Belt - Symbolizes winter, purity, innocence. Brand new to the art, you are like a new-born child new to the world.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Midnight Blue - Symbolizes autumn, maturity, passive (Um). After about 4 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.