This page is for school owners and instructors. It is a sharing of ideas, skills, drills, and general information one might consider covering in class. There are many years of experience within the WTSDF organization and with that a wealth of knowledge and experience. This is a place where some of that knowledge can be gathered and shared. The information below comes from seminars, notes, presentations, and projects presented by WTSDF black belts. (Some links will lead to printable documents.)
Safety
- For those of you who have your own karate studio here is a list of basic first aid supplies you might want you have on hand.
General Introductory Information
- Meanings behind the WTSDF patch
- Meanings behind the United States flag
- Meanings behind the Korean flag
- How to tie your karate belt
- Respectfully addressing Black Belts
- 1st Dan to 3rd Dan are addressed as Mr., Mrs., or Ms.
- 4th to 7th Dan are addressed as Master
- 8th Dan and up are addressed as Grandmaster
- In all cases Mr., Mrs., or Ms. are acceptable
- Brian Mable Karate Studio — History and Vocabulary Handout — Introductory information
Teaching
- A variety of teaching styles presented by Grandmaster Mable
- Incorporate Life Skills into the martial arts curriculum
- Video Night — Teaching tip from Grandmaster Mable in June 2021 Newsletter
- While teaching Tang Soo Do, I was also a professional ski instructor for 25 years and one thing our ski school used to highlight a client’s performance was to record their technique and let them see what they were doing right and wrong using constructive criticism. This proved to be very successful in that the client gained a better grasp of how to improve with the advice of the instructor. Professional athletes use this technique all the time so why not you? You can do the same thing by recording a student doing a form or whatever and let the whole class view the student on a large enough monitor so all can see well enough and everyone benefits from this learning experience. Have a “Video Night” and give students a chance to see exactly how they are doing or use regular class time.
Attacking Combinations
- These attacking combinations come from Grandmaster Douglas’ files. It is a starting point for students to learn and create their own attacking techniques.
Breaking
- This breaking document is a guide created by the WTSDF Black Belt Board for presenting your board and/or brick breaking skills and strength at testings and tournaments.
Competitions/Tournaments
Grappling
- Grandmaster Roger Quinlan has taught grappling techniques at a couple of our WTSDF November seminars in Las Vegas. With his permission video clips taken during the 2017 seminar are posted here as a reminder of the grappling moves he covered. The clips range from 56 seconds to over 7 minutes. As always, your instructor has the final determination as to how to do the moves.
Hand Techniques
Kicking
- There are six phases of jump kicks.
- Mr. Solomon presented at the November 2020 seminar: “Improving and Developing Jumpkicks!”
One-Steps
- Video of Mr. Clark and Mrs. Bejarano performing one-steps and three-steps for a black belt test in 1998.
Self-Defense
- Women’s Self-Defense
- List of considerations for women’s defense — submitted by Ms. Houser
- Self-Defense Seminar for Kids — Handout
- Steps in a Self-Defense Situation — Handout
Sparring
- Mr. Bledsoe presented at the November 2014 seminar: “Sparring Techniques and Strategies”
Stretching
- Ms. Becca Bledsoe Searle taught a forty-minute “Stretching for Flexibility” seminar at Solomon Karate in July of 2020. She created this 5-minute “Stretching for Flexibility” video showing her change in flexibility after using this stretching routine fifteen minutes a day for four weeks. It is of course a sped-up version of her stretching routine. It can be used to refresh your memory of the various stretches included. Greater flexibility improves your martial arts as it increases your overall range of motion and it allows you to kick higher. Ms. Searle reminds us over and over that anyone and everyone can improve their flexibility by stretching on a regular basis. Also remember to move throughout the stretches to keep blood flowing through all the muscles.
- Notes from Stretching for Flexibility – This PDF is Mrs. Nelson’s notes taken at the above seminar presented by Ms. Searle. This PDF gives details of the variety of stretches and key points given by Ms. Searle.
Three-Steps
- Video of Mr. Clark and Mrs. Bejarano performing one-steps and three-steps for a black belt test in 1998.
Vocabulary
- Korean and Its Words – A brief history of the Korean language and a list of common phrases
- The Tang Soo Do martial arts style comes from Korea and has Chinese and Japanese influences. Depending on the training history of your instructor your martial arts school may use a variety of English, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese words. The following vocabulary chart is provided to help us become more aware of the languages we are using.
Testing Applications
- WTSDF 1st Degree Black Belt Testing Application
- WTSDF 2nd Degree Black Belt Testing Application (revised July 2023)
- WTSDF 3rd Degree Black Belt Testing Application
- WTSDF 4th Degree and up Black Belt Testing Application
Testing Requirements
- 1st Dan
- Hyungs: Geicho Hyung Il Bu through Ro Hai
- Jump Kicks: favorite leg; favorite phase
- Self-Defense:
- 2nd Dan
- Hyungs: Ro Hai through Yun Bi
- Weapons: Basic Staff Form #1; Gee Hyung
- Jump Kicks: both right and left legs; phases of your choice
- Self Defense:
- 3rd Dan
- Yun Bi through Tae Gi Hyul
- Weapons: Basic Staff Form #1; Gee Hyung; Na Mu a Podam
- Jump Kicks: both right and left legs; phases of your choice
- Self Defense:
Western Tang Soo Do Federation 