 Okay, so some of you have been a little smart, Alex, and asking me if it's possible for camposists to wear any more patches on your uniforms. Sure, we can talk about that, but we're also going to have to include Nazca- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in this discussion as well. So patches are often the thing of mockery and controversy in the martial arts. Some see it as a way to show individualism, some as a way to honor and represent their school and lineage, while others feel it's over-commercialization and the sure mark of a mcdojo. The uniform patches come in every size and shape and design you can think of. There are school patches, organization patches, tournament patches, spiritual patches, cultural patches, patches to represent life-saving philosophy, and a plethora of creative patches for self-expression. Some arts will even use patches for ranks. And even back in the 90s, when my first instructor was running kids' classes, he would often encourage the more experienced kids to take on helper and leadership roles. They would assist in class, help younger students, and sometimes lead the class in warm-ups. It was all part of pride in leadership building. Now these students would get a leadership patch to wear on their arm, and if they did really well in school, you know, they had a solid report card, or if they made an effort to set a good example in class, they maybe awarded little stars that they could add. Even if you consider patches trivial, sometimes it's served to help boost their confidence. You also have arts in schools that will adorn themselves, which has many patches as they can get their hands on, and then you have the more traditional schools that forbid patches at all, and they only accept a crisp, clean, plain uniform. So when it comes to patches, personally, I have three things to say about them. First, they are still just pieces of fabric. We have already significantly covered the topic of belts, and their importance in the martial arts, and how in the end, they don't make the practitioner, nor do they dictate how good a person is in the arts. Second, you can mock Kemple while you want, but when it comes to patches on uniforms, no one beats BJJ. BJJ practitioners are some of the most decorated uniforms I've ever seen in martial arts, and quite literally, sometimes they look like NASCAR drivers. That brings me to the last one. Finally, it doesn't matter if the BJJ guy has a thousand patches or a plain uniform. It won't change their ability to pull you apart. But even then, there's still often the protocol on wearing patches correctly. In the case of American Kemple patches, as many of you like to ridicule, the guidelines are actually fairly basic. Traditionally, Ed Parko Kempleists wear the school or organization patch over the left lapel. In the golden age of American Kemple, it was typically Ed Parker's IKKA patch, often called the Kemple Crest. And in the literature, it's typically a fix vertically, aligned with the dividing lines of the circle, directly over or slightly above the left nipple, placing it generally near the heart. Above that, it was common to see the person's name, especially if they were an instructor, embroidered on the patch above it, similar to a military uniform. On the left arm is the universal symbol, rotated so that the pattern of the heart is vertical. Additionally, it was also common to see an IKKA patch above it, an American flag over the right arm, and sometimes the IKC flame patch, representing Ed Parker's famous Long Beach International's tournaments. Some schools choose to wear more patches than this. Some wear only the crest in the universal, and some prefer plain uniforms. So even when I started at the very beginning of my training, my instructor had really no guidelines of what patches we use in class. He had a pro shop, and we were allowed to buy whatever patches we want and put on the uniform. It didn't matter. Nothing was required. So of course, me being 14, knew the martial arts. I'm handpicking a bunch of stuff, and I put them randomly all over my uniform. And I didn't place them correctly, and it wasn't until way later in life that I realized that I was wearing a Shotokan patch on my Kempo uniform, representing an art I didn't even know existed at the time. So yeah, that happened. And if you guys are interested, we do have a Patreon private episode, just me going through my different uniforms and the styles and what they meant and where they came from and how ridiculous they were in color and all that. So if you guys want to check that out, look at our Patreon or our YouTube memberships for our exclusive member episodes. So when it comes to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, it's a little bit different. If a fighter wants to compete in the official IBJJF competitions, there are strict limitations on where patches can be worn and where. According to the IBJJF rulebook, patches are only allowed to be worn across the seams of the front lapels and on the shoulders, and on the upper arms, and on the front skirt of the gi. Oh, and also on the back as well and the lower back skirt of the gi. But when it comes to the legs, they can only have patches on the upper thighs and the shins, and on the side of the thighs and the lower legs, and on the back of the thighs and the calf. Oh, and also on the bottom cuff of the pants, but that's it. In all seriousness, though, even though there's a lot of leeway for patches in BJJ, there are still some strict guidelines for competition. Uniforms have to be worn and cut with specific measurements, can only be white, black, or blue, and specific types of patches have designated areas on uniform. Typically across the lapel and shoulders, you'll see school names, lineage, and oftentimes gi brand names in the patch, painted, or embroidered. I actually find this interesting as many karate kis will have small tags to the brand and not always visible, but BJJ usually has the gi manufacturer or brand name splashed across the front. You don't really see that in too many other arts. But when it comes to branding, be sure to check with the rules of the competition you're going to to know where you're allowed to wear brand tags. Often the competitions, especially in the IBJJF, they may be strict about the measurements and the placements of the patches and also what they are constructed of, usually cotton fabric, and they must have clean and affixed seams. IBJJF officials may remove patches or disqualify you from competing if you are in violation of any of these rules. Then we have the subject of sponsorships. And to be perfectly honest, fighting professionally is not cheap and most fighters have a lot of costs to add up, including training, trainers, travelers, promotion, et cetera. That cost has to be covered somewhere so many fighters will get financial backing. And as a result, it is common to see sponsored names on a uniform. And this isn't exclusive to BJJ. You know, professional fighters for many different arts may find themselves sporting a brand name as long as the competition allows it. Even Ed Parker's legendary national karate tournament team, including the late and great master Frank Trejo, was also sponsored by Budweiser and you would see the Budweiser logo adorned on the uniforms. So when it comes to the topic of patches, you can find a lot of debate. I mean, just reading up for this episode, I encountered an online argument between two individuals that were arguing about whether or not it was cool to have patches on a uniform. Personally speaking, I'm indifferent and it really comes down to what you personally like and the values that are aligned with the rules of the school. Wearing patches is a great way to display pride in your school or just express individualism. So whether you prefer the tradition of a patchless uniform or if you want to look like a Christmas tree, in the end, it's just a piece of fabric. It's a marker or an expression. Love it or leave it. Ultimately, it doesn't impact your skill whatsoever and it just seems silly to have hated debates over it. So what do you guys think? Do you like patches or do you think that they are the evil commercialization incarnate? Do you have any particular favorites? I would in particular love to hear about any patches that have special meaning to you or your school. Please share your experiences in the comments below and regardless of what you have on your uniform, wear it proudly. I was 14 years old when I got this. I was all excited about training. My instructor had a pro shop in front where you could buy all sorts of patches and attach it to your uniform and I thought that was the coolest thing and I had no concept of what patches went where so I just slapped them on anywhere. Just Speakman's Kempo. This is before he was 5.0. This is just Just Speakman's Kempo. It's technically Kempo 4.0 if you follow that link.