Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the name of the style of Taekwondo in the ATA?
A: Songahm
Q: What does Songahm mean?
A: From the New Student Orientation Handbook (which is actually fairly old now) : "Pine Tree Temple". From The Way of Traditional Taekwondo: "Pine Tree and Rock". The first definition is the one most commonly used at Niblock's ATA Black Belt Academy.
Q:When were the Songahm forms first introduced?
A: August 13, 1983
Q: Who assisted Grand Master Lee in the creation of the Songahm
forms?
A: (Now) Senior Master William Clark, assisted by (now) Grand Master Soon Ho Lee, (now) Senior Master In Ho Lee, and (now) Chief Master Robert Allemier.
Q:How many moves are in my form? Where are the kihaps (yells)? Etc.
| Belt Color | Form | Moves | Kihaps |
| White | Songahm 1 | 18 | 7 & 16 |
| Orange | Songahm 2 | 23 | 10 & 21 |
| Yellow | Songahm 3 | 28 | 7, 8 & 17 |
| Camouflage | Songahm 4 | 31 | 7 & 24 |
| Green | Songahm 5 | 34 | 10 &25 |
| Purple | In Wha 1 | 44 | 14, 24 & 34 |
| Blue | In Wha 2 | 42 | 13, 23 & 33 |
| Brown | Choong Jung 1 | 44 | 12, 22 & 32 |
| Red | Choong Jung 2 | 46 | 11, 21 & 31 |
| Black Belt | Shim Jun | 81 | 21, 41 & 61 |
Q: What does In Wha mean?
A: "An Unbroken Glory"
Q: What does Choong Jung mean?
A: "All things turn out perfect and beautiful"
Q: What does Shim Jun mean?
A: "Begin Planting Seeds for the Future"
Q: What does Jung Yul mean?
A: "With your noble character, you will develop a new permanence in your life"
Q: What does Chung San mean?
A: "Peace of Mind and Tranquility"
Q: What does Sok Bong mean?
A: "You will live comfortably and in peace"
Q: What does Chung Hae mean?
A: "Mastered all kinds of knowledge and utilizes tis to do many things"
Q: What does Jhang Soo mean?
A: "Long life"
Belts and Uniforms
Q: What is the Korean name for your belt?
A: Thee
Q: In what type of knot do you tie your belt?
A: A Square knot.
Q: Why tie your belt in a square knot?
A: Being the strongest knot, it symbolizes strength.
Q: On which side of your belt does your "decided stripe" go?
A: The left side of the knot as you face someone (the right side as you look down at your belt). Note: A white belt does not have a "decided stripe."
Q: On which side of your belt do your grade/"Merit System" stripes go?
A: The right side of the knot as you face someone (the left side as you look down at your belt). Note: A white belt puts the grade stripes on the opposite side.
Q: Why is your belt supposed to be tied so that the ends are even?
A: To symbolize balance of mind and body, physical and spiritual, etc.
Q: For what two things does your white uniform symbolize?
A: Unity and Purity.
Q: On which side of your uniform does your ATA Patch go?
A: Your right side.
Q: On which side of your uniform does your school patch go?
A: Your left side.
Senior Ranking ATA Black Belts
Q: What is the title of a 9th degree Black Belt?
A: Grand Master Instructor (SahBoo Nim)
Q: What is the title of an 8th degree Black Belt?
A: Chief Master Instructor (BaubSah Nim)
Q: What is the title of a 7th degree Black Belt?
A: Senior Master Instructor (JongSah Nim)
Q: What is the title of a 6th degree Black Belt?
A: Master Instructor (TaeSah Nim; note that The Way of Traditional Taekwondo says the title is TaeSah Nim, but Master Niblock's Master's certificate says Tae Sah Boo)
Q: What rank is Mr. Haeng Ung Lee?
A: Eternal Grand Master Instructor -- 10th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Soon Ho (S.H.) Lee?
A: Grand Master Instructor -- 9th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Robert Allemier?
A: Chief Master Instructor -- 8th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. In Ho Lee?
A: Chief Master Instructor -- 8th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. William Clark?
A: Chief Master Instructor -- 8th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Richard Reed?
A: Chief Master Instructor -- 8th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Gyung Kung (G.K.) Lee?
A: Senior Master Instructor -- 7th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Mal Kun (M.K.) Lee?
A: Senior Master Instructor -- 7th degree Black Belt
Q: What rank is Mr. Micheal Caruso?
A: Senior Master Instructor -- 7th degree Black Belt
Other FAQs
Q: What's so special about the number 9 in taekwondo?
A: (Paraphrased from Grand Master Lee's The Way of Traditional Taekwondo, p. 13 ff) To understand the significance of the number 9, you must first think about the number 3! In Asian culture, the number 3 (the character ) represents earth, man, and heaven; in other words, all things. In fact, if you look carefully at the Chinese characters for king (), you'll see (in the lower-left radical) the three horizontal lines with a vertical line, which then basically means the ruler of all things. So 3 is basically an important, all-encompassing number. The number 9, then, represents 3 times 3, that is to say, "more of a good thing!" It is not by accident that the white belt form has 18 moves (1+8 = 9) or that the 1st degree black belt form has 81 moves...!
Q: What in the world are we saying at the end of a class?
A: "Sahbumnim, khamsa hamnida" means "Instructor, thank you very much." When a Master Instructor teaches class, it is more correct to say "Taesah Nim, khamsa hamnida," which means "Master instructor, thank you very much."
Q: What is the Korean name for the nunchaku (small sticks connected by a rope or chain)?
A: Ssahng Jeol Bong
Q: What is the Korean name for the staff?
A: Jahng Bong
Q: What is the Korean name for the single or double short sticks?
A: Bahng Mahng Ee
Q: What is the Korean name for the cane?
A: Jee Pahng Ee
Q: What is the STF?
A: The Songahm Taekwondo Federation, which is the organization that spreads Grand Master Lee's Songahm style throughout South America. Click here for more information.
Q: What is the WTTU?
A: The World Traditional Taekwondo Union. This is the parent organization to the ATA and STF, to which organizations in Canada and overseas belong. Click here for more information.
