AOKS Promotion Requirements

General Promotion Requirements

Required for all promotions:

All dues must be current.
Must be a current AKANA member.
All patches must be in correct place on uniform.
Respect must be exemplified inside and outside of dojo.
Every promotion is based on 99.9% attitude.
Must have required stamps on promotion attendance card.
Must have required time-in.
If classes are continually missed, more hours will be expected for promotion.
All tape stripes are required.
Material is accumulative at Green Belt, Red Belt, and Black Belt Levels.

Promotion Etiquette:

It is disrespectful for students to ask the instructors when they will be promoted.
Once students are promoted, it is disrespectful for them to question whether they deserve the belt.
It is disrespectful to question another student's rank.
Students must show a good attitude and practice respect procedures at all times, or they will not move forward in rank.
All promotions are at the instructor's discretion. If the trust and judgment of your instructor is not there, please consider another school.

Explanation of the instructor's decision on promotion:

Promotion guidelines are just that, guidelines. An instructor's decision is based mainly on the individual student and their potential for martial art development. There is a fine line between encouragement and motivation. Promoting too early will set the student up for discouragement later. As the student progresses to advanced belts, the belt should become less important, with material, technique, and practice becoming the primary goals. The higher the belt rank, the more the instructor judges on overall heart, intent, and spirit of the technique.

Stripe Testing:

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts
Orange Stripe - Sequences
Green Stripe - Weapon Kata
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique/Sparring/Pad Drills
Red Stripe - Empty-hand Kata

Screaming Eagle Rank

Yellow Stripe Belt - Black Stripe Belt

Must be a Beginner AKANA member.
Must have 24 class hours stamped on promotion card.
No certain time-in is required for SE rank.
All tape stripes are required.

Stripe Testing

White Stripe - Knowledge of Self-defense Waza (1-6) according to time-in (executed from a fighting stance).
Yellow Stripe - Knowledge of Grab Arts (1-6) according to time-in (executed with instructors as uke).
Orange Stripe - Knowledge of Sequences according to time-in (stances, blocks, strikes, and kicks).
Green Stripe - Knowledge of Bo Pivot Form & Nunchuck Pivot Form according to time-in.
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique (1-8)/Sparring/Pad Drills according to time-in.
Red Stripe - Knowledge of Left & Right Pivot Form according to time-in.

Jr. Solid Rank

White Stripe Yellow Belt - White Stripe Black Belt

Must be at least 9-12 years old.
Responsible for same solid belt rank requirements listed below
Material does not have to be performed at the same physical and mental maturity level of a solid belt rank.
Will be evaluated for solid belt rank when age and maturity requirements are met.

Beginner Solid Rank

Yellow Belt - Green Belt

Must show a maturity level of physical and mental development.
Must be a Beginner AKANA member.
Each rank requires 24 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Every promotion requires 2-3 months of time-in.
Two tournament stars are required.
Beginner Sun & Moon Patch is required.
Two Kata Bronze Tomoe Patch is required.

Yellow Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-3
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-3
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 1
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-4
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form

Gold Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-6
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-6
Orange Stripe - Elbow Sequence 1
Green Stripe - Nunchuck Pivot Form
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-6
Red Stripe - H-Pattern 1

Orange Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-9
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-9
Orange Stripe - Blocking Sequence 1
Green Stripe - Two-Man Bo Set (1)
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-8
Red Stripe - H-Pattern 2

Green Belt

White Stripe - Grab Arts 1-12
Yellow Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-12
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 1 (1-12), Blocking Sequence 1 (1-12), Elbow Sequence 1 (1-12)
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1)
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-8
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3

Intermediate Solid Rank

Light Blue Belt - Red Belt

Must be an Intermediate AKANA member.
Each rank requires 36 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Every promotion requires 3-4 months time-in.
Four tournament stars are required.
Intermediate Sun & Moon Patch is required.
Five Kata Silver Tomoe Patch is required.

Light Blue Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-15
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-15
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 2
Green Stripe - Bo Kata 1
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-12
Red Stripe - Lion Form

Dark Blue Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-18
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-18
Orange Stripe - Elbow Sequence 2
Green Stripe - Two-Man Bo Set (2)
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-14
Red Stripe - Swift Like the Deer

Purple Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-21
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-21
Orange Stripe - Blocking Sequence 2
Green Stripe - Tonfa Kata 1 or Nunchuck Kata 1
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-16
Red Stripe - White Crane 1

Red Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-24
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-24
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 2 (1-24), Blocking Sequence 2 (1-24), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24)
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Tonfa Kata 1 or Nunchuck Kata 1
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-18
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1

Advanced Solid Rank

Light Brown Belt - Black Belt

Must show a maturity level of physical, mental, and spiritual development.
Must be an Advanced AKANA member.
Each rank requires 48 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Every promotion requires 4-6 months time-in.
Six tournament stars are required.
Advanced Sun & Moon Patch is required.
International White Crane Patch is required.
Seven Kata Diamond Tomoe Patch is required.

Light Brown Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-27
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-27
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3
Green Stripe - Tonfa Pivot Form
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-20
Red Stripe - Naihanchi Sho

Medium Brown Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-30
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-30
Orange Stripe - Blocking Sequence 3
Green Stripe - Tonfa Kata 1
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-22
Red Stripe - Sanchin

Dark Brown Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-33
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-33
Orange Stripe - Elbow Sequence 2 on both sides
Green Stripe - Sai Pivot Form
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-24
Red Stripe - Bassai Dai

Shodan Black Belt

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-36
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-36
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3 (1-36), Blocking Sequence 3 (1-36), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24) on both sides
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Nunchuck Kata 1, Tonfa Kata 1, Sai Pivot Form, 1 empty-hand kata with any weapon
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-27
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1, Naihanchi Sho, Sanchin, Bassai Dai

Nidan Black Belt

Must be a Yudansha AKANA member.
Requires 150 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Requires 12-24 months time-in.
Eight tournament stars are required.
Yudansha Sun & Moon Patch is required.
Ten Kata Tomoe Patch is required.

Tape stripes

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-12 with alternative finish
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-12 with alternative finish
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3 (1-36), Blocking Sequence 3 (1-36), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24) on both sides
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Nunchuck Kata 1, Tonfa Kata 1, Sai Pivot Form, Bo Kata 2, Two-Man Bo Set (3), 2 empty-hand kata with any weapon
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-27
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1, Naihanchi Sho, Sanchin, Bassai Dai, Naihanchi Ni, White Crane 2, Empi, 5-Animal Form

Sandan Black Belt

Must be a Yudansha AKANA member.
Requires 300 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Requires 24-36 months time-in.
Ten tournament stars are required.
2 Yudansha Sun & Moon Patches are required.
Five Kata Black Belt Tomoe Patch is required.

Tape stripes

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-24 with alternative finish
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-24 with alternative finish
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3 (1-36), Blocking Sequence 3 (1-36), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24) on both sides
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Nunchuck Kata 1, Tonfa Kata 1, Sai Pivot Form, Bo Kata 2, Two-Man Bo Set (3), Two-Man Bo Set (4), 3 empty-hand kata with any weapon
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-27
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1, Naihanchi Sho, Sanchin, Bassai Dai, Naihanchi Ni, White Crane 2, Empi, 5-Animal Form, Naihanchi San, White Crane 3, Go Pei Sho, Dan Enn Sho, Sun & Moon Form

Yondan Black Belt

Must be a Yudansha AKANA member.
Requires 450 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Requires 36-48 months time-in.
3 Yudansha Sun & Moon Patches are required.
Teaching credentials are required.
Seventeen Kata Gold Diamond Tomoe Patch is required.

Tape stripes

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-36 with alternative finish
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-36 with alternative finish
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3 (1-36), Blocking Sequence 3 (1-36), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24) on both sides
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Nunchuck Kata 1, Tonfa Kata 1, Sai Pivot Form, Bo Kata 2, Two-Man Bo Set (3), Two-Man Bo Set (4), 4 empty-hand kata with any weapon
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-27
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1, Naihanchi Sho, Sanchin, Bassai Dai, Naihanchi Ni, White Crane 2, Empi, 5-Animal Form, Naihanchi San, White Crane 3, Go Pei Sho, Dan Enn Sho, Sun & Moon Form, O'Naihanchi, White Crane 4, Unsu

Godan Black Belt

Must be a Yudansha AKANA member.
Requires 600 class hours stamped on promotion card.
Requires 48-60 months time-in.
Teacher of Teachers credential is required.
Gold Pinnacle Tomoe with Ruby as a possibility.
Mushin, Warrior Sweat, and Firewalk Award is required.

Tape stripes

White Stripe - Self-defense Waza 1-36 with alternative finish performed in sets
Yellow Stripe - Grab Arts 1-36 with alternative finish performed in sets
Orange Stripe - Stance Sequence 3 (1-36), Blocking Sequence 3 (1-36), Elbow Sequence 2 (1-24) on both sides
Green Stripe - Bo Pivot Form, Nunchuck Pivot Form, Two-Man Bo Set (1) Bo Kata 1, Two-Man Bo Set (2), Nunchuck Kata 1, Tonfa Kata 1, Sai Pivot Form, Bo Kata 2, Two-Man Bo Set (3), Two-Man Bo Set (4), 5 empty-hand kata with any weapon
Blue Stripe - Fighting Technique 1-27
Red Stripe - Left & Right Pivot Form, H-Pattern 1, H-Pattern 2, H-Pattern 3, Lion Form, Swift Like the Deer, White Crane 1, Naihanchi Sho, Sanchin, Bassai Dai, Naihanchi Ni, White Crane 2, Empi, 5-Animal Form, Naihanchi San, White Crane 3, Go Pei Sho, Dan Enn Sho, Sun & Moon Form, O'Naihanchi, White Crane 4, Unsu, White Crane 5, Gojushiho, Nan Dan Sho, Suparinpei