The belt, or "ti", plays a central role in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Given the ceremonial significance of graded colored belts, it is important to know how to tie them correctly, whether you are a beginner or a black belt. The two most common methods of tying the belt in Tae Kwon Do are the single loop and the double loop; both require wrapping the belt around the waist just below the navel and securing the ends with a firm square knot. The single loop method is used in more modern Tae Kwon Do schools, while the double loop method may be more appropriate if you are attending a traditional "dojang" or if you have been given a particularly long belt.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Single Lap
Step 1. Fold the belt in half to find its center
Hold the belt in front of you and fold it in half, adjusting the two parts to be of equal length. This will make it easy for you to find the exact midpoint. Pinch the center of the belt between your thumb and index finger to mark its position.
- Finding the center of the belt before starting to tie it will ensure that the two ends are the same length.
- Always turn your back when tying your belt. Traditionally, it is considered disrespectful to tie your belt in front of your instructor or other students, especially if they are of a higher grade than yours.
Step 2. Place the center of the belt on your waist, just below the navel
Align the waistband with your midline, then slide your hands until they are on your hips. Stretch the belt against the abdomen without tightening too much.
- A belt fastened too high may be uncomfortable, while if you fasten it too low, it may interfere with your movements when performing certain techniques.
- If there are stripes on your belt to indicate an intermediate degree between two colors, start with the end that has the stripes on your left side.
Step 3. Wrap both ends of the belt around your waist, making one full turn until they are in front again
Keep running your hands along the belt from the center out to wrap the ends around the waist. The left side must pass over the right side and end on your right side. Likewise, the right side of the belt must end on your left hip.
- Carefully, you will need to pass the ends of the belt from one hand to the other to get them to complete a full circle.
- Keep a firm grip on the belt to make sure it doesn't get out of hand or you'll have to start over.
Step 4. Stretch the two ends of the belt in front of you and adjust them so that they are the same length
Some tugging may be required. If you started by folding the belt in half, it shouldn't take long to get two equal ends.
Having one end of the belt longer than the other will give you a scruffy look, so don't rush and don't skip this step
Step 5. Thread one end around both wrapped segments from bottom to top
Pass one end of the belt, no matter what, under the section that is already wrapped around the waist and pull it out from the top. Now one end of the belt will be at the top and the other at the bottom, forming a half square knot. Check the ends once again to make sure they are the same length.
- This is a good time to tighten or loosen the belt. It must be tight enough to keep your "dobok" or training uniform closed and stationary, but not tight enough to restrict movement or breathing.
- In most modern Tae Kwon Do schools, it doesn't matter which part of the belt goes below and which part above. However, tradition has it that the right side of the belt is the one that passes below and ends above. This way, any stripes on your belt will go to your right side.
Step 6. Pass the top of the belt over the bottom, thread the top end into the hole and pull
The top end of the belt is now wrapped around the other end, down, and then back up through the gap between the two ends. This will complete the two halves of the square knot. Pull the ends of the belt outward to tighten the knot, then give it a firm tug to make sure the knot doesn't come undone. You are now ready to start training!
If the belt becomes untied during exercise, remember that the upper end must pass over the lower end when you fasten it again
Advise:
To determine if the belt fits properly, try a quick thumb test: insert the thumbs of both hands between the belt and waist and see if there is enough room to move them easily.
Method 2 of 2: The Traditional Double Round
Step 1. Place one end of the belt over your lower abdomen
The belt should be placed just below the navel, making sure that the end of the last quarter ends on one side. The remaining three quarters will be on the ground in front of you. If there are stripes to indicate an intermediate rank, or the "dans" of a black belt, start by holding them on the left side, so that when you finish tying the belt they will be on the right.
- If you are right handed, it will probably be easier for you to start with the longest part of the belt on the right. If you are left handed, start with the long part on the left.
- Remember to always turn your back to your instructor and your companions when tying the belt.
Step 2. Wrap the long end around your waist until it comes back to the front, over the short end
Hold the belt tightly against your waist with one hand, while with your free hand wrap around the long end, then swap hands to finish wrapping. Make sure the ends of the belt are placed directly on top of each other.
- Make sure the belt fits snugly around your waist, but don't tighten it to the point that it causes discomfort.
- Covering the short part with the long part will keep it in place so you can focus on wrapping the rest of the belt.
Step 3. Wrap the free end of the belt around your waist a second time
Continue to pull the long part against your lower abdomen, then wrap it around your waist again until it comes back to the front. As with the first round, tighten it so it's snug, yet comfortable. Now on each side you should have just enough length left over (from the center point where the knot will be) to tie the belt.
Traditional Tae Kwon Do belts are quite long and make the double wrap method necessary to shed excess length. For this reason, the double wrap method may not be suitable for modern, shorter belts
Advise:
check the entire length of the belt to make sure both layers are perfectly aligned. If they aren't, the end result might look a bit sloppy.
Step 4. Wrap the free end around the wrapped part, front and underneath
Pass the end of the belt from the bottom under both layers and pull it out from the top. This will form the first half of the knot and prevent it from accidentally unraveling.
The end of the belt you started with should still be where you left it, snug under the double-wrapped section
Step 5. Free the trapped part and adjust the ends so they are the same length
Without letting go of the end you just went under, use your other hand to pull out the other end, trapped under the wrapped part. If necessary, pull the two ends of the belt to even out the lengths.
- Before finishing the knot, take a moment to tighten or loosen the belt as needed, so that it fits snugly around your waist without inhibiting your movements.
- At this point, the outer part of the belt will be at the top and the inner at the bottom.
Step 6. Pass the top of the belt over the bottom, thread the top end into the hole and pull
Wrap the end of the belt that emerges from the top of the knot around the other end. From there, insert it from below into the space created between the two ends, so that it comes out from the top. This will complete the second half of the square knot. After tightening the knot, give both ends a firm tug to make sure it doesn't come undone during training. You are ready to start!
- Remember that any stripes will need to be on your right if you have tied the belt correctly.
- A possible problem with the double twist method is that the knot may gradually loosen until it comes undone. If it begins to sag or loosen too much, you will have no choice but to undo it and start over.
Advice
- If you are a new learner, don't hesitate to ask your instructor for help with buckling up and getting ready for your first lesson. Don't forget to bow down afterwards as a sign of respect.
- These are the two most common methods of tying a Tae Kwon Do belt, but your instructor may teach you a different variation. It is best to use the method most used in your school.
