Learn taekwondo
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Taekwondo beginners start at white belt (10th Kup) and grade up through the coloured belts to black belt (1st Dan). Gradings test technique, set patterns, self-defence and sparring. British Taekwondo says black belt takes about three years.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsWith othersUK and US
Belts, gradings and your first class
New students start at 10th Kup, the white belt, and work up to 1st Kup; black belt is 1st Dan. British Taekwondo says Kup gradings usually come round about every three months in a club and test basic technique, poomsae (set patterns), self-defence and sparring. It puts the time from beginner to black belt at about three years.
At TTA Taekwondo London's adults-only Barbican club, beginners can book a free trial lesson. Any sports clothing will do, such as tracksuit bottoms or shorts with a T-shirt, and classes are barefoot. If you join, the club arranges your dobok (uniform).
British Taekwondo says most newcomers will find a martial-art-based club, focusing on fitness, confidence and self-defence. Some clubs specialise in the combat sport, and many offer poomsae, which are non-contact. Not every club belongs to British Taekwondo; TTA's Barbican club, for example, is part of the Traditional Taekwondo Association, so ask which body a club grades and insures you with.
What adult beginners pay
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| British Taekwondo membership, UK | Twelve months; includes insurance for training and competition and access to gradings | £31 (regular member, all ages), plus any club fees |
| TTA Taekwondo London, Barbican | Adults only; Tuesday and Thursday evenings; free trial lessons | £55 a month for beginners (£60 standard), plus annual licence, dobok and grading fees |
| Marshalltown Parks and Recreation, Iowa | Beginner class (white and yellow belts), Tuesday and Thursday evenings; no uniform needed; follows USA Taekwondo guidelines | $45 (sessions run about five weeks) |
| Cameron Park Community Services District, California | Teen/Adult White Belt, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, about nine weeks | $129.50 |
USA Taekwondo says its coaches and members must complete SafeSport training and background screening, and that many clubs run programmes for all ages, from children to adults.
How to start
- Use the British Taekwondo club finder or USA Taekwondo's club locator, then ask clubs about beginners' classes and a free trial.
- Wear ordinary sports clothes to your first class; you train barefoot, so avoid trousers long enough to tread on.
- Ask what the monthly fee covers and what is extra, such as a licence or membership, the uniform (dobok) and grading fees.
Where to go
- British Taekwondo: find a club UK
- British Taekwondo: join (membership and insurance) UK
- USA Taekwondo: how to find a taekwondo school US
- Cameron Park, California: Teen/Adult White Belt classes US
We opened these links on 11 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
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Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to get a black belt in taekwondo?
British Taekwondo says it can take about three years of training from beginner to black belt, with coloured-belt gradings usually about every three months.
What should I wear to my first taekwondo class?
Ordinary sports clothes such as tracksuit bottoms or shorts and a T-shirt. You train barefoot, and clubs arrange a dobok (uniform) once you join.
How much do taekwondo classes cost?
As last listed, TTA Taekwondo London charged beginners £55 a month plus licence, uniform and grading fees, and British Taekwondo membership was £31 a year. In the US, Cameron Park in California charged $129.50 for a nine-week adult white-belt session.
What is the difference between taekwondo and karate?
Each has its own grades and set patterns; taekwondo gradings test basic technique, poomsae (patterns), self-defence and sparring. Many clubs offer a free trial, so try a class of each if you are choosing between them.
Where this comes from: British Taekwondo, Find a Club; British Taekwondo, Join British Taekwondo; British Taekwondo, Belts and promotion; TTA Taekwondo London, Barbican; USA Taekwondo, How to find a taekwondo school; City of Marshalltown, Taekwondo; Cameron Park Community Services District, Cameron Park Taekwondo. Opened 11 November 2026.
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