Belt Colours PLZ I NEED HELP!

Hey,
I'll get straight to the point. My TKD Academy (Universal Tae Kwon Do Academy) seems to have a different belt system to many others. A lot of people on this site talk about different colour belts eg green and brown etc so I can't understand what many people say because if they say 'I'm a brown belt.' (for example) I don't know what rank that is.
So here is how my belt system goes from beginner to advanced:
White
Yellow 1
Yellow 2
Yellow 3
Blue 1
Blue 2
Blue 3
Red 1
Red 2
Red 3
Black Belt (plain)
Black Belt 1st Dan
Black Belt 2nd Dan
Black Belt 3rd Dan
Black Belt 4th Dan
Black Belt 5th Dan
Black Belt 6th Dan
Black Belt 7th Dan
Black Belt 8th Dan

Please give me a hand by telling me the belt system that your Dojang uses and also can someone tell me which is the most common belt system?
Tankyou and sorry for my ignorance but I am willing to learn,
-Kat

Schools use different belt colours to designate rank, so it is usually easier to understand if the actual rank is stated in the posts.

Our school uses 3 belts colours for kyu ranks, white, green and brown.

I don't understand the "plain black belt" before the 1st dan. In most systems the first black belt IS 1st dan.
Sharon

[QUOTE]Originally posted by still wadowoman:
I don't understand the "plain black belt" before the 1st dan. In most systems the first black belt IS 1st dan.
Sharon[/QUOTE]

There are some places in TKD that have "recremended blackbelt" right before blackbelt. This isnt a 1st dan, but rather the last kup before blackbelt 1st dan. The reason the school might have it as a "black" belt (as opposed to another color) is an ego boost for the student and it might be cheaper for them too. Buy a black belt, keep it until 1st dan then use it for your 1st dan belt and so on.

As for the colors themselves, it isn't important. The "correct" way is to have 10 levels before black belt called Kups. White is 10th Kup. When you reach 1st Kup your next test will take you to 1st Dan.

If I can remember the old WTF belt system...

White
Yellow
Yellow Stripe (sometimes another color for studios that didn't want stripe)
Green
Green Stripe (ditto)
Blue
Blue Stripe (ditto)
Red
Red Stripe (ditto)
REC. Black (This color could be about anything)
Black Belt 1st Dan.

Somewhere Brown, Orange and Purple sometimes fit in for the "Striped" belts.

Hell I've seen camoflauge belts...

At my old School the beltsw were as follows:

White
orange
yellow
green
blue
brown
red
red with black stripe
black


Before you can reach the next belt you have to get three pieces of black tape on the end of your belt

The "plain black" looks like it is just 1st kup/kyu. They may not recognize white belt as being 10th kup/kyu. I agree with uriel as to why they use a black belt for this rank. It also makes other students and possible students feel like they can achieve it too. The sad fact is some people walk into a school with no knowledge of the martial arts and like to see a school full of black belts. It makes them feel like that instructor is accomplishing more for some reason.

white
yellow
orange
green
dark green
blue
dark blue
red
brown
black

In ITF-style TKD, the belt progression is as follows:

10th Gup White
9th Gup White/Yellow Stripe
8th Gup Yellow
7th Gup Yellow/Green Stripe
6th Gup Green
5th Gup Green/Blue Stripe
4th Gup Blue
3rd Gup Blue/Red Stripe
2nd Gup Red
1st Gup Red/Black Stripe
1st Dan Black
2nd Dan Black
3rd Dan Black
4th Dan Black
5th Dan Black
6th Dan Black
7th Dan Black
8th Dan Black
9th Dan Black

belt colouers depend on your country, organization,style and institution. they may be different colors but it all mean the same. in vietnam yellow belt is equivalent to our black belt. So there arer really differences. Anyway don't consider much on the rank I consider the skill. Some are awarded Blackbelts but are not that good. Being one of those higher belts does not mean you are a better jin than those of the lower ranks. So don't worry about the belt, concentrate on improving your skill never mind the promotions coz' they are just rites of ascencion but does not impeove your skills and abilities

At my school it goes
white
yellow
purple
orange
blue
blue stripe
green
green stripe
green double stripe
red
red stripe
red double stripe
black

I see that the ranks are related and everyone starts at white and ends in black.

Sorry to chime in so late. In my TKD organization we have a "Cho Dan Bo" ranking between the 1st Gup/kyu and 1st/cho Dan. This belt is black and is the end of the colored belt curriculum. It is listed as the last grading on the students grading card. 1st Dans are issue with a dan certificate. This rank learn the WTF form "Koryo" and 1st Dans learn "kum gang". I know this is different to the standard WTF format but I have seen that it works well and the students have a year to extra to learn to 1st Dan. (It isn't for extra money!!!) We have 9 Gup/kyu ranks and then Cho Dan Bo. I have trained in several school prior to starting with this school in 94 due to a group of great and friendly instructors. No school had the same belt colors, but all had 9 or 10 Gup/kyu ranks. I hope this sheds a little light on the plain black belt.

That sounds a lot like Recremended Black. Which basically is your 1st kup that is right before 1st Dan.

I have seen some schools do Koreo for that belt and Kum Gon (spelling?) for the 1st dan.

I have word that the time tables have shifted also for time between black belts. I believe it starts off as 1 year between 1st and 2nd instead of 2 now.

Anyone doubts the "martial art" part of Taekwondo just has to look at WTF forms. My god they are boring [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif[/IMG] (then compare to ITC)