School Uniforms
When you sign up for classes at the American Academy of Martial Arts, you will receive your first uniform. Everyone starts out with a simple, white, medium weight uniform with a white belt. Over time, you will add color to your uniform by way of belts, patches, and if you stick with it long enough, the uniform itself may be a different color too.
Here you will find basic information on the different belts, uniforms, and patches; as well as how to earn and display them.
If you have any further questions, you are of course always welcome to ask any of the black belts at either of our locations and we would be more than happy to assist you.
Uniforms
The first uniform you will receive will be white, and a medium weight.
We have sizes starting at triple-zero (yes they get that small). After reaching the rank of 1st-degree black belt, or becoming a black belt S.W.A.T. member, you are allowed to wear a black uniform. 2nd-degree black belts are allowed to wear red uniforms, and once a black belt is promoted to the rank of Sensei they are allowed to wear blue. The AAMA dress uniform is considered to be the white top with the appropriately colored bottoms for your rank.
Belts
The first belt you will receive when you sign up is the white belt. This is the only belt you don’t get to keep; you will give it back when you earn your first colored belt, and all belts you earn from that point on are yours forever.
The order of belts in the AAKS system are: White, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Brown, and Black. Some of the belts have multiple stages such as a white or black stripe through the middle to further distinguish between ranks.
Name & School Patches
The name and school patches are the only patches that we require all students to have on their uniform.
They go on the chest on either side of the lapel with the name patch on the student’s left side, and the school patch on the right.
The school patch is kept in stock, but we have the name patch embroidered with the student’s name, so it does take a little while to get back. See the office to order both of these patches.
Star Patches
Star patches are earned through getting A’s in school. For every ten A’s a student earns at his/her academic school they receive a green star patch. After five green star patches are earned, it takes twenty-five A’s to receive the next blue star patch.
It is up to the student to turn in a copy of their report card twice a year (once per semester) and Sensei Tom keeps track of everyone’s A’s, then passes out the star patches at the end of each class. There is no additional cost for the star patches, we are happy to help encourage success in academics as well as martial arts.
Sponsor Patches
Sponsor patches (a.k.a., AAM KA JUTSU patches) are earned by bringing in others to share in your martial arts, and they are worn on the left sleeve, just below the elbow.
None of us would be here at the school if Sensei Tom had kept his martial arts training to himself, so to encourage everyone to share their positive martial arts experience with friends and loved ones, we award these patches to students who recommend us to someone who eventually signs up as well.
There are three of these patches total, but multiples of each can be earned to put on to multiple uniforms.
Rank Patches
We have two patches that you must reach a certain belt and earn to acquire: the flag patch, and the BU KARA DO patch.
The flag patch is earned when you reach the rank of blue belt and are then invited to advanced class. It goes on the left shoulder.
The BU KARA DO patch is earned along with the 1st-degree adult black belt, to further signify the student’s dedication to the code of BU KARA DO. The BU KARA DO patch sits diagonally on the right arm below the elbow.
SWAT Patches
SWAT (Sensei’s Winning Attitude Team) patches are awarded to students who are a brown belt or higher who have also been nominated to join SWAT by a black belt instructor. They volunteer their time for one class per week to help the black belts and their fellow students. The S.W.A.T. members are greatly appreciated by both the black belts and the students that they help, but they are also receiving great lessons while helping others that they would not receive otherwise.
The patch is worn on the right shoulder.
Back Patches
The back patch is purely cosmetic, not required. There are four different back patches to choose from, though two of them have rank requirements before a student is allowed to have them on their uniform.
The two Blue back patches can be worn by anyone, the red back patch can only be worn by blue belts and higher, and the white back patch can only be worn by black belts.
The back patch is appropriately named, as it goes on the back.