top of page
DOJO ETIQUETTE
1. BOW UPON ENTERING OR LEAVING THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREA
2. NO SHOES IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREA. SHOES MUST BE LINED UP NEATLY, SIDE BY SIDE ALONG THE WALL
3. KARATE GI'S ARE TO BE KEPT CLEAN, AND SHOULD BE WASHED AFTER EACH WORKOUT.
4. MAINTAIN GOOD PERSONAL HYGIENE. WASH YOUR FEET BEFORE COMING TO CLASS.
5. THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREA IS FOR PRACTICING KARATE ONLY, NOT FOR SOCIALIZING OR HORSEPLAY.
6. CLASS BEGINS WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR CLAPS HIS HANDS AND ASKS THE CLASS TO LINE UP.
7. STUDENTS LINE UP WITH THE HIGHER-RANKING CLASS MEMBERS TO THE RIGHT SIDE, AND LOWER RANKING MEMBERS TO THE LEFT. WITHIN THE RANKS STUDENTS LINE UP BY AGE.
8. AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR ASSUMES A KNEELING POSITION, THE REST OF THE CLASS WILL DO LIKEWISE, ONE AT A TIME, BEGINNING WITH THE HIGHEST RANKING STUDENT.
9. WHEN KNEELING, THE LEFT LEG GOES DOWN FIRST, THEN THE RIGHT LEG. WHEN RISING, THE RIGHT LEG COMES UP FIRST.
10. THE INSTRUCTOR OR A RANKING MEMBER OF THE CLASS WILL THEN CALL FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF MEDITATION BY SAYING "SEIZA". STUDENTS CLOSE THEIR EYES WITH BACKS STRAIGHT AND HANDS FOLDED IN FRONT. STUDENTS THEN CLEAR THEIR MINDS OF OUTSIDE DISTRACTIONS TO ENABLE FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION ON THE TRAINING TASKS TO COME.
11. THE LEADER THEN COMMANDS "SENSEI NI REI", WHICH MEANS "BOW TO THE INSTRUCTOR". PLACE YOUR LEFT HAND ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF YOU, THEN THE RIGHT HAND AND BOW UNTIL YOUR FOREHEAD TOUCHES THE FLOOR. REVERSE THE PROCESS AS YOU COME UP.
12. AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR RISES TO HIS FEET, THE REST OF THE CLASS FOLLOWS IN RANK ORDER, FROM SENIOR TO JUNIOR. AFTER STANDING, BOW TOGETHER, WITH FEET TOGETHER AND HANDS TO YOUR SIDES, AND SAY "ONEGAISHIMASU" [O-KNEE-GUY-SHE-MA-SUE], MEANING IN THIS CASE "PLEASE (TEACH ME)".
13. DURING CLASS, STUDENTS ENTERING THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREA LATE OR WISHING TO LEAVE THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREA EARLY MUST FIRST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE INSTRUCTOR.
14. AT THE END OF THE CLASS STUDENTS SAY "ARIGATOO GOZAI MASHTA" [A-REE-GAH-TOE GO-ZI-MA-SHE-TA], MEANING "THANK YOU" IN A FORMAL MANNER.
15. SHOULD YOUR GI AND OBI BECOME DISHEVELED DURING TRAINING, FACE AWAY FROM THE CLASS WHILE STRAIGHTENING AND CORRECTING THEM.
16. ALWAYS BEGIN AND END PRACTICE WITH A PARTNER BY BOWING TO HIM OR HER.
17. REMOVE ALL JEWELRY BEFORE TRAINING - RINGS, WATCHES, NECKLACES, EAR RINGS, AND BRACELETS. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS FOR A WEDDING RING.
18. DO NOT TALK OR BE DISRUPTIVE WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR IS TEACHING.
19. NEVER CONTRADICT THE SENSEI IN FRONT OF OTHERS. ASK QUESTIONS, BUT DO NOT ARGUE. IF NECESSARY, SPEAK INDIVIDUALLY AT THE END OF LESSONS.
20. SHOW RESPECT TO ALL OTHER STUDENTS.
bottom of page