March and Wisbech Mark Farnham Schools of Tae Kwon-Do martial arts students pass grading exams

Four times a year, students within the 15 Mark Farnham Schools of Tae Kwon-Do have the opportunity to take part in colour belt grading examinations.

These gradings are taken at the King’s Lynn School located on Providence Street.

Gradings are on Sundays and start with a one-hour training session where the student runs through the requirements for their grading, and then they take part in their grading session.

These ‘gradings’ are conducted by 9th Dan Tae Kwon-Do Grand Masters from around the country, who each have over 45 years’ experience. To take part in a grading a student needs to have worked for an allotted time and be up to a good standard for the grade they are taking.

Students all start at white belt and work through yellow, green, blue and red belt grades until they are ready to aim for their black belts, which they take at Bristol in front of a panel of five, 9th Dan Grand Master.

To get to this stage will take a minimum of three-and-a-half years but four years is more common. The grading on January 19 saw 126 students passing the required standard, with some children down to the age of 4 years as well as adults of all ages.

The examiner was Grand Master Paul Donnelly 9th Dan.

This makes a total of 14,533 students passing colour belt gradings with the schools in the last 32 years. Students receive their grades and belts at presentations during the following week.

Results from local schools are on the left. Anyone interested in martial arts should call Mark Farnham on 07771644460 or 01553 841880 or visit www.mftkd.co.uk