I have been pursuing hapkido since the middle of July and am getting so much out of it. Our dojang doesn't put a lot of emphasis on belts. As a matter of fact, there are only 2 colors: brown and black. The brown belts are broken down into 9 levels or gueps, which I am presuming are roughly equivalent to belt levels. Last night, my instructor told me that I am being moved up from guep 9 to guep 8. That was definitely exciting to know that he apparently sees the progress that I have been feeling.

I love the dojang I have found. The classes are generally very small, and the emphasis is on real-life application of the techniques. In this day and age, that is really the only way to fly.

Matt

Its great to hear that you are enjoying HKD. I like they 2 belt color idea. It helps to eliminate the focus on the next belt color. I will hopefully be opening my own dojang within a year and plan on doing something simular. I will only have 2 belt colors. Whit and black. The white belt will have levels just like the black. Of coarse The white belt will only be awarded one time, and the diferences in gups will be anotated by stripes on the white belt. Right now in my teachers dojang we have 7 gup levels ( Whit to Red ) before you get to black. And after 1st dan we do not do anything to the belts to identify the different Dan ranks. I really do like it this way, and to me it kinda takes it back to the traditional days.

Don't the strips on the belt have the same kind of effect as different belts though? Instead of wanting that next belt they want the next stripe?
Excuse my ignorance if I've misunderstood.

In a way it does, but not so much as a belt of color. With maintaining a white belt they can see through time their belts getting dirty and worn from training, and I'm hoping this will give them more pride and take the focus somewhat off of the stripe.

yeah...in the dojang I take classes at, there aren't even belt stripes. Your ranking is only seen on a chart on the wall in the front room...It's either a simple brown belt or a black belt. I like the simplicity of the system, too.

Hey...

ya.. that is kinda cool about the 2 belt system.. but you can look at both systems that same.. weather your going for a stripe or belt.. both have its advantages.. and im not knocking either.. we have the color belt system.. I like it!! but the aging white belt is a cool concept as well!! every school has its differences.. but hey.. that's how is suppose to be right?? I mean if we were all the same.. what would we be in here talking about??

See ya all around!! :asian:

p.s fcpsp... glad to see you are enjoying your HKD classes.. and that you have found a school that shares in your philosophys!!