Black Belts and Instructors

The Black Belts of Song's International Hapkido come from all across the globe and have an equally diverse martial arts backgrounds. His students often spend years studying other martial art disciplines earning recognition and differing degrees of black belts before coming to Grand Master Song. They are instructors in their own fields but come to Song's Hapkido to become students once again. Grand Master Song has over 60 years of martial art experience and has mastered numerous forms and experienced even more. This broad range of knowledge and experience allows Grand Master Song to take in students of all backgrounds and train them in a unified form that is both comprehensive to all aspects of the martial arts but also has an easy to understand lexicon. So no matter what your background or how many years you have studied, Hapkido will launch you from your individual starting point towards becoming a fully developed martial arts practitioner.

You can often see our Black Belts instructing the Children's Classes and helping our Color Belts on their self-defense. Our Black Belts are community leaders and as such they become instructors to our students. Not only does this allow for more one-on-one instruction time with our students but it allows our Black Belts to continue to review, solidify and hone all the skills Hapkido offers to its students.

There are eight stages in the Song's Hapkido Belt Program. Testing for belt advancement takes place quarterly.

One Initiate Stage - White

Six Colored Belt - Yellow through Red

The eighth stage of Song's Hapkido Belt Program is the 1st Dan Black Belt.

Once you have reached 1st Dan Black Belt in Song's Hapkido you are far from complete with your Hapkido training. Most martial art masters agree that martial arts begin at black belt-

At Song's Hapkido you will use all you have learned from your color belt training to expand into advanced joint locks and pressure point manipulation. You will also explore advanced self defense scenarios to develop your body, mind and spirit to be ready for any situation no matter what. As you progress through the Dan's of Black Belt you will also develop advanced weapon training with a wide arsenal that will cover disarming your opponent and turning that weapon against them as well as deploying that weapon from your own possession against multiple opponents. Emphasis is put on flexibility of skills to fit any situation.

Once you have reached Black Belt you will also assume your place in our community as a leader and as such you will become an instructor and if you desire you may discuss with Grand Master Song about developing your own Song's International Hapkido Chapter.