AKANA Membership

American Karate Academies National Association was founded by GM Jerry Piddington. SideKick Karate of Salisbury is a chartered lifetime member of AKANA, along with karate academies across the United States. AKANA endorses all American Open Karate certifications.

• Kyu Rank Certification (Below Black Belt) 
• Dan Rank Certification (Black Belt)
• Title Certification (Tashi, Renshi, Kyoshi, Hanshi)
• Teaching Credential Title Certification (Sensei, Shihan)
• Proclamation of Style Certification (Heads of System)

Students are required to join this organization to receive rank certification endorsed by GM Piddington. When a student joins AKANA or renews their AKANA membership, they receive an AKANA patch and AKANA membership certificate. Members are also eligible to test in an annual AKANA Tomoe Warrior Exam and AKANA Sun & Moon Test, which are required for certain belt ranks.

• School Charter Membership for dojo owners.
• Individual Membership for Mudansha (below Black Belt) students.
• Individual Membership for Yudansha (Black Belt) students.

AKANA membership dues are based on belt rank. Students are required to join AKANA or renew their AKANA memberships before they are promoted to certain belt ranks in American Open Karate.

• Beginner Membership:  (Due at Yellow Belt/9th Kyu)
• Intermediate Membership:  (Due at Green Belt/6th Kyu)
• Advanced Membership:  (Due at Red Belt/3rd Kyu
• Black Belt Membership:  (Yearly)

Any dojo that would like to be a part of GM Jerry Piddington's American Karate Lineage is given the opportunity to join AKANA. There are two types of school charter memberships.

• Associated School Charter (schools that teach common kata of Hanshi Piddington's American Open Style Karate, sanctified by O'Sensei Robert Trias under the U.S.K.A. in 1972)
• Affiliated School Charter (schools that teach any legitimate system of martial arts)

AKANA dues are processed at your AKANA chartered dojo. If a student does not belong to an AKANA dojo where rank is obtained, they can mail their application directly to AKANA Headquarters listed below. AKANA applications can be completed at AKANA.org.

AKANA Headquarters

P.O. Box 922

China Grove, NC  28023

AKANA.org