Testing for the next rank

Kuk Sool Won has an extensive syllabus. In order to progress, students need a thorough and confident understanding of the relevant material for their rank.

However, knowing the syllabus alone does not automatically qualify a student for promotion. Students must also meet the school’s testing criteria, demonstrate continued improvement and show that they are ready for the increased expectations that come with the next rank.

Coloured Belt Testing

There are 13 ranks in Kuk Sool Won leading up to Black Belt. School tests are normally held three or four times each year, and the list of testing candidates is published approximately two weeks before each test.

Information about test day and what will be expected of you will be provided beforehand. If you are ever unsure about your progress or what is required, please speak to an instructor.

In order to qualify for your first test, you will need to meet the following criteria:

• Have attended a minimum of six months of regular classes, or approximately 48 lessons.
• Have rank-appropriate knowledge of Korean terminology and consistently demonstrate good etiquette and martial arts spirit.
• Be able to perform all required hand strikes and kicks to the expected standard.
• Understand and demonstrate proficiency in your Forms, Techniques, Weapons and Break-falls.
• Be familiar with the Rules of the DoJang and the Kuk Sool Won Creed. These are available online, in the Kuk Sool Won textbook and in the dojang.
• Have attended at least one WKSA tournament or seminar.
• Be physically prepared to complete the test. Youth and Adult tests can last upwards of five hours and may include outdoor training.
• Be prepared to push yourself beyond the level of effort normally required during a regular class.
• Be ready for the increased standard of training and responsibility that comes with the next rank.

Continued Testing

To qualify for subsequent tests, students must continue to meet the requirements above as well as progressing through the official Kuk Sool Won syllabus.

Different levels of technical skill and proficiency will be expected as you progress. Your instructor will discuss these with you during class.

While students will have plenty of opportunity to practise during normal lessons, some areas will require additional work outside class if they are to reach the standard required for promotion.

Regular attendance at WKSA tournaments is required to be considered for continued testing.

• Test places are not guaranteed simply by progressing through the syllabus. They are earned.
• Regardless of syllabus knowledge, students must demonstrate continuous improvement. Completing the required material without improving its quality is not enough for promotion.
• Attendance, effort, attitude, etiquette and consistency are all considered alongside technical ability.
• Regular conversations with your instructor will help you understand what is required for your next test.

Fitness and Testing

Kuk Sool Won is a large and technically demanding martial art, so the majority of our class time is necessarily focused on developing technique, syllabus knowledge and martial arts-specific skills.

There is a physical conditioning element within our training, but students should not rely on their regular Kuk Sool classes alone to develop all of the strength and cardiovascular fitness required for longer tests.

Youth and Adult testing can last for several hours. As fatigue builds, students are still expected to demonstrate good technique, concentration, control and martial arts spirit.

For that reason, adding some supplementary cardiovascular and/or strength training to your weekly routine can make a significant difference to both your regular training and your performance on test day.

It is always disappointing to see a technically capable student unable to demonstrate their true standard simply because they no longer have the stamina to perform it properly.

Your instructors will help you prepare technically, but developing the general fitness required to sustain that performance is also part of preparing yourself for promotion.

Black Belt Testing

Testing for Black Belt is different from normal coloured belt promotion and becomes a much longer process once a student reaches DBN.

From DBN to 1st Dahn there is a minimum two-year testing period. During this time, students continue to train and test both at Widnes Martial Arts and at national WKSA testing events held alongside tournaments.

DBNs are expected to attend each school test and will normally receive a Black Belt testing stripe following a successful test. These stripes record progress through the testing process, but the number of stripes does not determine when a student will be promoted.

Promotion to 1st Dahn depends on the student:

• Completing the minimum two-year testing period.
• Completing and demonstrating the required Black Belt syllabus to the appropriate standard.
• Maintaining regular attendance at classes, tests and WKSA events.
• Demonstrating the etiquette, attitude and conduct expected of a senior student.
• Taking greater responsibility within the dojang and setting a good example for more junior students.

If the two-year minimum period has passed but the required syllabus or promotion criteria have not yet been completed, the student simply continues to train and test until the required standard has been reached.

Kuk Sool Won is a closed martial arts system. Students who choose to train simultaneously in other martial arts are not eligible for promotion within Kuk Sool Won.

DBNs are also required to have copies of Kuk Sool Won Textbooks 1 and 2 and will need these when completing their Black Belt application.

Full information about the DBN and Black Belt testing process will be given to students when they reach that stage of their training.

Know your syllabus

Copies of the official WKSA syllabus are displayed in the main entrance hallway opposite the trophy cabinet.

Students should familiarise themselves with the syllabus and take some responsibility for tracking their own progress. Knowing what you have learned, what still needs work and what comes next becomes increasingly important as you move through the ranks.