Rules and Regulations:  

• Always address your instructor and fellow students as “Sir” or “Ma’am” as a sign of respect.
• Upon entering or leaving the training area, bow towards the instructor and class. Bowing is a traditional way of showing both humility and respect.
• Students arriving late to class should wait for instructor’s permission to enter class. It is impolite and disruptive to the class in session just to slip in.
• Please try to be on time for class. The beginning of the class is the warm up and stretching portion of class. A proper warm up and stretch will help to reduce risk of injuries like pulled muscles and possibly more serious injuries.
• Should you need to leave early, please inform the instructor prior to class.
• Please wear a clean uniform to class.
• Uniform Rules:
  • White t-shirt: all belt ranks
  • Blue t-shirt: Orange belt and above
  • Red t-shirt: Green belts and above
  • Black pants or t-shirt: Purple belt and above
  • Sweatshirts (black, blue and red): all belts ranks
• No uniforms bearing the logo or patches from other schools allowed. This would be considered a sign of disrespect. Students visiting from other schools are asked to wear a plain uniform.
• For safety reasons, please remove all rings, necklaces, watches, earrings, or other miscellaneous jewelry that may cause injury to yourself or others.
• Please keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed, as they too can cause injury to yourself or others.

Sparring Rules and Etiquette:

1. A full set of ABK supplied sparring gear must be worn when sparring. Sparring starts at Purple Belt. This includes head, mouth, torso, groin, hand, shin, and foot protective gear. There can be no exceptions. This is enforced for the safety of all students.
2. All sparring contact shall be very light contact.
3. No head contact is allowed.
4. NEVER strike to injure your sparring partner. Good control of both yourself and your techniques are required. Non-Compliance with this rule will result in suspension from sparring classes.
5. If your partner is striking hard, politely ask them to use more control. If your partner continues to strike hard, bow out of sparring and inform your instructor.

FAQ

Are there testing fees?
We do have testing fees. This nominal fee covers the cost of belts, certificates, testing procedures and equipment at certain belt ranks. The testing fee will be honored until the student passes. There will be no additional fee if the student must re-test.

How long does it take to promote to the next belt rank, how long until I get a Black Belt?
It is different at each belt level and for each student. If the students adhere to our recommendation of attending classes 2 to 3 times per week, the beginning belt ranks, white, yellow, and orange, take 1 to 3 months each. The intermediate belt ranks green belt through blue belt, take between 3 and 6 months each, and the advanced ranks, brown belt and up, take between 4 and 12 months each. A few of our students have attained a Black Belt in as little as 4 years. This is a rare case however and only achieved by those students who attend class very often and sometimes supplement their training by taking private instruction. On average, it takes a student who attends 3 to 4 classes per week between 4 and 5 years.

Are there any other items I will be required to purchase?
The testing fee for yellow belt includes a backpack with a focus paddle, which will be used for home practice and brought to classes. At green belt students are issued a focus mitt as a training aid. At purple belt, the students will begin to learn to use the “Bo” Staff and at blue belt students the Sai, all of which are supplied after testing for those belts.

I am sore after class, is that normal?
Yes, you will be using and stretching muscles in a capacity that you are not used to. Slow stretching immediately after exercising, hot baths and if necessary over the counter remedies such as Tiger Balm will help to ease sore muscles. To reduce inflammation an Anti-Inflamatory Tea can be made (1/2 lemon, 1t grated ginger root, 1t grated turmeric root, a dash of cinnamon, a dash of ground black pepper, a spoon of honey and hot water). Please consult with your physician before using any medications.

I have an old injury (Back or Knee for example) can I still join? Or
I am really out of shape, I don’t know if I can keep up.
If you have concerns related to previous injuries or health, consult a physician before joining. Only a physician who knows your medical history may be able to properly advise you. We work hard to prevent our students from incurring injuries or aggravate an existing injury further. Every student will progress at his or her own rate. In this respect, we challenge students by setting realistic goals per the individual. This could include strengthening supporting areas or working at alternate exercises. During class, please use common sense. If something feels like it could get injured or re-injured, withdraw from that activity.

My child has been diagnosed with A.D.D. or has other special needs. How can Martial Arts Training help?
Martial arts use many different drills that quickly switch from one structured activity to another structured activity. This constant change requires students to develop focus by paying attention in class. It is in this type of environment where students diagnosed with A.D.D. seem to thrive. The constant change helps them to focus on what they are doing by challenging them with newer and increasingly more demanding exercises. The structure of the class and the drills being taught keeps them on a path to their next goal and self-esteem is built by achieving those goals.