THE CHILDREN OF OKITO AMERICA

Thus taken collectively "Tae Kwon Do" indicates the mental training and the techniques of unarmed combat for self-defense as well as health, involving the skilled application of punches, kicks, blocks and dodges with bare hands and feet to the rapid destruction of the moving opponent or opponents.

EXPLANATION OF TENETS OF TAEK KWON DO
Needless to say, the success or failure of Tae Kwon Do training depends largely on how one observes and implements the tenets, pr the basics of Tae Kwon Do which should serve as a guide for all serious students of the art.

COURTESY (Ye Ui)
It can be said that courtesy is an unwritten regulation prescribed by ancient teachers of philosophy as a means to enlighten human beings while maintaining a harmonious society. It can be further be as an ultimate criterion required of a mortal.

Tae Kwon Do students should attempt to practice the following elements of courtesy to build up their noble character and to conduct the training in an orderly manner as well.

1) To promote the spirit of mutual concessions
2) To be ashamed of one's vices, contempting those of others
3) To be polite to one another
4) To encourage the sense of justice and humanity
5) To distinguish instructor from student, senior from junior, and elder from younger
6) To behave oneself according to etiquette
7) To respect others' possessions
8) To handle matters with fairness and sincerity
9) To refrain from giving or accepting a gift when in doubt

INTEGRITY (Yom Chi)
In Tae Kwon Do, the word integrity assumes a looser definition than the one usually presented in Webster's dictionary. One must be able to define right and wrong and have a conscience, if wrong, to feel guilt. Listed are some examples where integrity is lacking:
1) The instructor who misrepresents himself and his art by presenting improper techniques to his students because of a lack of knowledge or apathy.
2) The student who misrepresents himself by "fixing" breaking materials before demonstrations.
3) The instructor who camouflages bad technique with luxurious training halls and false flattery to his students.
4) The student who requests ranks from an instructor, or attempts to purchase it.
5) The student who gains rank for ego purposes or the feeling of power.
6) The instructor who teaches and promotes his art for materialistic gains.
7) The students whose actions do not live up to his words.
8) The student who feels ashamed to seek opinions from his juniors.

PERSEVERANCE (In Nae)
There is an old Oriental saying, "Patience leads to virtue or merit, One can make a peaceful home by being patient for 100 times." Certainly happiness and prosperity are most likely brought to the patient person. To achieve something, whether it is a higher degree or the perfection or a technique, one must set his goal, then constantly persevere. Robert Bruce learned his lesson of perseverance from the persistent efforts of a lowly spider. It was this perseverance and tenacity that finally enabled him to free Scotland in the fourteenth century. One of the most important secrets in becoming a leader of Tae Kwon Do is to overcome every difficulty by perseverance. Confucius said, "one who is impatient in trivial matters can seldom achieve success in matters of great importance."

SELF CONTROL (Guk Gi)
This tenet is extremely important inside and outside the dojang, whether conducting oneself in free sparring or in one's personal affairs. A loss of self-control in free sparring can prove disastrous to both student and opponent. An inability to live and work within one's capability or sphere is also a lack of self-control.

According to Lao-Tzu "the term of stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than someone else."

INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (Baekjool Boolgool)
"Here lie 300, who did their duty," a simple epitaph for one of the greatest acts of courage known to mankind. Although facing the superior forces of Xerxes, Leonidas and his 300 Spartans at Thermoplylae showed the world the meaning of indomitable spirit. It is shown when a courageous person and his principles are pitted against overwhelming odds.

A serious student of Tae KwonDo will at all times be modest and honest. If confronted with injustice, he will deal with the belligerent without any fear or hesitation at all, with indomitable spirit, regardless of whosoever and however many the number may be.

Confucius declared," It is an act of cowardice to fail to speak out against injustice." As history has proven, those who have pursued their dreams earnestly and strenuously with indomitable spirit have never failed to achieve their goals

Significance of belt colors

There are six belts: white, yellow, green, blue, red and black. White is given to beginners and black is given to students who have progressed through the grades and have a solid foundation for learning the techniques of Tae Kwon Do.

Students must grade through the following belts in the following order:
 white belt given to the beginner (10th gup)
 white belt yellow tags (9th gup)
 yellow belt (8th gup)
 yellow belt green tags (7th gup)
 green belt (6th gup)
 green belt blue tags (5th gup)
 blue belt (4th gup)
 blue belt red tags (3rd gup)
 red belt (2nd gup)
 red belt black tags (1st gup)
 through to Black Belt (1st dan/degree)

White Belt

Signifies innocence, as that of the beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Tae Kwon Do.

Yellow Belt

Signifies the earth from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the foundation of Tae Kwon Do is being laid.

Green Belt

Signifies the plant's growth as Tae KwonDo skills begin to develop.

Blue Belt

Signifies the Heaven towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training in Tae KwonDo progresses.

Red Belt

Signifies Danger, cautioning the the student to exercise control and warning the opponent to stay away.

Black Belt

Opposite of white, therefore signifying the maturity and proficiency in Tae Kwon Do, also indicates the wearer's imperviousness to darkness and fear.

Tying your Black Belt