CONFIDENCE
LEADERSHIP
Before you register you must already have your pink stripe.
Ready to grade but can't make the grading day?
It's possible to do a private grading.
You'll need to purchase your grading, plus the "special grading" then go to "Private Lessons" to contact one of our trainers to organise a time/day that suits you both.
Black Belt Grading
By invitation only
You must be hand selected by the head instructor to be eligible to grade.
You must have also passed the "beep test" and have completed at least 15 sparring sessions over the previous 4 months, know your terminology and have practiced your free flowing self defence with a partner.
Yong Muki Grading
Taekwondo Grading
Sparring Gear
Sparring Gear - Compulsory and recommended items
Groin Guards, Head Guard, Mouth Guards
Groin: Compulsory for males to attend a Team tournament or grading to Red Belt or higher.
Head: Compulsory for anyone to attend a Team tournament or grading to Red Belt or higher.
Mouth: Compulsory for any teen/adult to attend a Team tournament or grading to Red Belt or higher.
*please note - we highly recommend these items to keep your kids safe even if its just a "once off" sparring class to qualify for grading.
We understand there is some resistance for parents to purchase these items for beginner students so in those cases we make this compromise:
Students can attend a "once a term" sparring session to qualify for their grading without safety gear, however they will not be permitted to partake in the freestyle sparring section without a head guard and groin guard (males) and can only partake in the drills. Drills we can control to a much greater degree than the actual sparring which poses a much greater risk.
*A word on mouth guards for kids - The basic mouth guards we sell for kids are no where near the quality that you will get from a dentist and can be quite uncomfortable for the kids to wear as they do not often mold exactly to your child's mouth. Given that breathing correctly is quite important, especially during an activity like sparring, wearing the mouth guard may be more of a concern than trying to mitigate a relatively small potential of a striking risk.
If you have a dentist fitted mouth guard by all means wear it, if not, its optional.
*Also note - Every grading from blue 3 stripe to red and beyond, students will be required to perform full contact sparring on the day with their own gear. Contact sparring is relatively safe with the right gear, definitely not safe without it.
Arm and Leg Guards
Highly recommended but not compulsory for anyone participating in any sparring event - class, grading, tournament.
Hogu (Body Protector) We have plenty of these we can loan out, although if you're sparring regularly you will be better off with your own. Recommended but not compulsory for anyone participating in any sparring event - class, grading, tournament.
Missing Gradings
Missing gradings is part of your journey on the path to black belt. It's normal to miss gradings and it's up to us as parents to help your child have the right perspective. It's a long and rewarding journey and as part of that journey you're expected to develop the character to overcome disappointments from time to time. As our motto states, we teach Skills for Life! Please bear in mind that if you miss this grading the next one is only 3 months away.
If you’ve collected all of your stripes and you’re ready to grade but just can’t make it on the grading day due to other commitments you have three options
1 – grade in 3 months time having honed your skills to an even higher level
2- double grade at the next grading (this is something that will need to be managed on a case by case basis)
3 – book in a special grading on a different day (currently charged at an extra $39 on top of your normal grading fee)