2 Easy Ways to Tie a Taekwondo Belt

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A step-by-step guide to tie your Taekwondo belt evenly

Co-authored by Julee Peck Jones and Bailey Cho

Last Updated: July 29, 2024 Fact Checked

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Traditional Way to Tie a Taekwondo Belt

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Tying a Belt with a Longer Right Side

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Expert Interview

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Expert Q&A

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Whether you’re starting your first Taekwondo class or you’ve been training for years, knowing how to tie your belt is essential. In this article, we’ll walk you through 2 simple methods for tying a Taekwondo belt properly. We even interviewed Taekwondo expert Julie Peck Jones for more information on how to tie your belt so it’s snug, secure, and comfortable.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Traditional Way to Tie a Taekwondo Belt

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1
Fold the belt in half to find the center. If you have a new belt, there might be a crease that indicates the halfway point. If not, make sure both ends of the belt are even before folding it in half.^{[1]
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- According to Taekwondo expert Julee Peck Jones, the ends of the belt should always be even because “it is a representation of the balance of Yin and Yang...and the Korean philosophy that one side represents your mental strength, and one side represents your physical strength.”
Position the tape (or label) of the belt on your right side, facing toward your body.^{[2]
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Wrap the 2 ends behind your waist, tucking the right under the left. Take the right side of the belt and wrap it underneath the left side, switching your hands behind your back as you do so. The right side of the belt will become the new left side, and the left side will become the new right.^{[3]
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- Tuck the new left side under the belt as you bring it around to the front so it looks like a seamless line all the way through.
Pull the ends of the belt in front of your body to make sure it’s even on both sides.^{[4]
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Research source} If the ends are uneven, adjust the belt behind your back so the crossed area is centered perfectly.
The right side will lay on top of the left side. At this point, the tape (or label) on the belt will be on the right side, facing toward your body.
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Tuck the left side under both layers of the belt and pull taut. Take the left side that’s sitting on top and tuck it under all the layers of the belt, folding it over. Tug the ends until it’s snug, then make sure both ends are even.^{[5]
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- According to Taekwondo expert Julie Peck Jones, “your belt should be snug, but you should still be able to breathe comfortably.”
Flip the right side of the belt so the tape (or label) is facing upward. Place the left side on top of the right side to make a “X.”^{[6]
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Tuck the left side of the belt underneath and pull it through the center. Reach into the hole you just created and pull the left side of the belt through. Then, pull both ends of the belt to the sides to tighten it. The knot in the center will be open on the left side, and the tape (or label) will be on the left side as well.^{[7]
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- The ends of the belt will hang down when tied correctly.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Tying a Belt with a Longer Right Side

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Position the belt so the right side is about 2⁄3 the total length of the belt and the left side is about ⅓ the total length of the belt.^{[8]
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Make sure the belt is crossed in the center of your body, right under your belly button.^{[9]
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Continue holding the shorter end of the belt in place as you wrap the longer end over your body. Once you cross the left side of the belt behind your body, it will become the new right side.^{[10]
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If the belt has shifted to your belly button or above, adjust the placement and then tighten the belt so it fits comfortably.
The right side of the belt will be crossed on top of the left side, creating an “X” shape.^{[11]
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Take the right side that’s sitting on top and tuck it underneath both layers of belt. Pull both ends until it feels snug, then make sure both ends are even in length.^{[12]
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Put the left side on top of the right side to create the base of the knot.^{[13]
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Tuck the left side of the belt underneath and pull it through the hole you just created. Pull both ends sideways to tighten the belt. Just like the traditional tying method, the knot in the center will be open on the left side, and the tape (or label) will be hanging on the left side too.^{[14]
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Question

Why does a Taekwondo belt need to be even?

Julee Peck Jones
Taekwondo Expert
Julee Peck Jones is a Taekwondo Expert and the Owner of Pecks TaeKwonDo America in Raleigh, North Carolina. Julee has over 35 years of experience and teaches self-defense, the benefits of exercise, and leadership development. The objective of her work is to help improve physical health and build confidence for students of all ages through martial arts training. She was Taekwondo America's President & CEO from 2013 to 2017 and is a licensed Master Instructor. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Theater Arts from the University of St. Thomas, Texas.

Julee Peck Jones

Taekwondo Expert

Expert Answer

There's symbolism behind having the ends of the belt be even. It's a representation of the balance of the Yin and Yang that are in Taekwondo and the Korean philosophy. One side represents your mental strength, while the other side represents your physical strength. So, you want to have those belt ends be even because you want to be balanced both mentally and physically.

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Question

Does this tell me how to tie a white belt?

Community Answer

Yes, it is the same steps regardless of what color the belt is.

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I'm interested in resuming Taekwondo after a three year gap. What practice should I do before joining my academy?

Community Answer

Work to become more flexible, do some yoga, and eat a healthy diet.

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Tips

Generally, it takes about 3 to 5 years to get a black belt in Taekwondo. However, the process depends on your age, skill level, and the number of classes you attend each week.

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If an instructor ties your belt, bow to them afterwards as a sign of respect.

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