Question

[neoinarien]

Also,

How does one go about converting my poom to a full fledged 1st Dan? Does this have to be done thru a school, or can I do that on my own?

 

[JWLuiza]

If you are in DC, my school is on the MD side, and you would keep your BB, but have to learn all our underbelt stuff. We're Tang Soo Do, not TKD, so it would be a change. But if you just want to work out with a good group of people, look us up.

Good luck in your move.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Hello all, first post here.

I wonder if anyone can help me with a question.

I used to do TKD for about 10 years (ages 5-15ish) and achieved the rank of 1st Dan with several stripes. I still have my belt and certificates. I'm now 23 and am looking to get back into it.

I remember the striking and the intuitive parts of TKD... and maybe a few of the lower level forms (who could forget them after doing them and teaching them for so long).

Would I be required to start from white belt again, or do you think a school would allow me (upon showing the requisite certifications, etc) to pick up where I left off and slowly fill in (many) gaps? Would this be on a school-by-school basis or am I entitled to certain rights about maintaining my rank?

Thanks much,

~Tom

I am not sure why someone would want to wear a black belt if they are not in black belt shape.

Seems like it makes it a bit of an empty symbol.

 

[IcemanSK]

Also,

How does one go about converting my poom to a full fledged 1st Dan? Does this have to be done thru a school, or can I do that on my own?

You'd do best if you were a part of a school. Seek out a Kukkiwon affiliated school.

 

[neoinarien]

I am not sure why someone would want to wear a black belt if they are not in black belt shape.

Seems like it makes it a bit of an empty symbol.

Entirely valid thought. And I'm not sure that I will yet. I am just exploring possibilities right now to see what options are out there.

At the same time, I did pour in around 10 years... so I don't think it would be, at the least, an entirely 'empty symbol' because it would always represent a heck of a lot of work to obtain it to begin with. I didn't go to one of those BB factories where they pass em out like candy (nor am I saying that you implied any such thing).

I think it will mostly hinge on what ever the school wants me to do. If they 'need' BB's, even way out of practice ones (which I could see because the time it would take me to get up to snuff vs. the time it would take me to run the rank gamut once more are very disproportionate, so I would fill a spot in their instructor ranks much earlier than otherwise possibly) then I would probably take that route. If they have more than enough BBs to instruct, etc, and would therefore prefer me to start fresh: not a problem.

I guess that brings me to yet another question.

In Milwaukee, any Dan was likely to be leading an ordinary class. If it was a Saturday class (more popular) then perhaps you had to be a 2-3rd Dan. Otherwise if you were a BB or 1st Dan you could expect to be instructing whatever night you showed upon weekdays (if memory serves the master of the dojang was a 7th(?) and his two main assistants were both 3rds).

Question part: what role does a BB/1st-2nd Dan play in your dojangs? Perhaps my experience was limited to my own region and is atypical. Just wondering.

Thanks once more!