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MARTIAL ARTS – BASIC DOJO ETIQUETTE
Martial Arts follow a system of etiquette, which is a set of guidelines for when you are in the dojo
(practice hall). We observe etiquette for many reasons: for safety, to show courtesy to our partners and teachers, to
maintain our dojo, to keep our classes going smoothly, and to help us focus mentally on practice. We consider etiquette
part of training, so we ask that you begin following these guidelines as you begin, and continue, your training with us: Cleanliness- Come to class with a clean body and clean gi (uniform).
There is a great deal of contact with others in class, and that contact is much more pleasant when our partners and we are
clean and free of body odor. Pay particular attention to your hands, which make contact most with our training partners, and
to your feet, which contact the tatami (mat). If you have any foot fungal conditions, please wear socks and martial
arts shoes (shoes worn only in the dojo ...not outside) so you don't infect others. Our hands, feet, faces and bodies
constantly come into contact with the tatami: if your feet are medically compromised with an athletes foot condition or such,
it puts everyone else at risk of contracting it.
- To prevent tracking dirt onto the tatami, please wear sandals, shoes or flip flops to and
from the changing area. Do not walk on the tatami with shoes unless they are martial arts shoes that are worn only in the dojo.
- Please do not wear heavy, overpowering colognes or perfumes. Mostly this is because
some folks may be allergic, however others may just not like it. Please keep makeup to a minimum so that it will not
find its way onto the gi of your training partner or onto the tatami.
Safety- Please keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed. They both can easily
cut someone else, and have been known to break doing throws.
- Always strive to avoid accidents. When you practice, pay attention to your surroundings
so you may avoid colliding with other students. If you accidentally collide with another student, bow to that student
and his/her partner and say “excuse me”. Then resolve to pay better attention to distancing yourself and
your partner from them so it will not happen again.
- Take responsibility for the safety of your partner, not just yourself.
- Practice at a level that is comfortable to you and to your training
partner.
- As much as possible,
practice in a steady, smooth manner. Quick, jerky movements can be unpleasant and possibly dangerous to a beginning
student who happens to be on the receiving end.
- Refrain from conversation, since it distracts both you and
your partner from hearing proper instructions.
- NEVER retaliate by hitting, kicking or purposely hurting
someone, even if you feel they were too rough with you. This is cause for immediate removal from the tatami and possibly
from the class. If several warnings have been given regarding this, you will be asked to leave class permanently.
If someone is being too rough with you, ask them to ease up. If there is still a problem, discuss it with your sensei.
Bowing- Bowing in a seated posture (seiza) is the
most formal and common way to bow while on the tatami. When you are off the tatami, bow from a standing position.
- Bow to the resike (front of class) first entering the dojo.
- Bow to the center of the tatami
when first stepping on the tatami to train. Again, bow when stepping off the tatami at the end of class.
- Before and after class, line up in rank order (higher ranks to your right) facing the front of the dojo.
- Bow to each new partner before you start practicing together. When you change partners, bow to your former
partner (thanking them), and then bow to your new partner.
- After a sensei instructs you or your partner
individually, bow to the sensei saying an appropriate Japanese phrase (e.g. “ Domo arrigato, sensei”, or “Onegai
shimasu, sensei”).
Other Important Points- If you have a question while a technique is being demonstrated, raise your hand and wait until the sensei acknowledges
you. Then bow and ask your question. Following the reply, bow and thank the sensei.
- If you have
a question while practicing, wait until the sensei comes near your position, then either stand in kioske or sit in seiza facing
the sensei, raise your hand and wait to be recognized. Then bow and ask your question. Bow following the answer
and thank the sensei.
- If you arrive late for class, you should wait by the edge of the tatami, until the
sensei recognizes you and invites you to join the class (which he may or may not choose to do). If he does so, then
bow to the instructor, bow to the tatami and step on.
- If you want to leave class early, you must first ask
the sensei, so that he knows you are leaving. When you get permission, bow to the sensei, bow to the resike, and bow
out appropriately. Obviously, if you leave due to illness, this is not necessary.
- Address any sensei
as "Sir" or "Ma'am" or say "Hai, Sensei" (yes, sensei). Never use the terms"yep",
"yeah" or "ok" etc in response to instruction from a sensei. It is considered very rude.
- Report
any injury to the sensei immediately.
- Never turn your back to a sensei when he is addressing you.
- Never
have the bottoms of your feet facing a sensei when sitting.
- Practice only what you have been instructed to
do.
- Be prompt to class (i.e. early enough to help set up the tatami).
- Never interrupt
a sensei while he or she is engaged in a conversation with others. Simply wait to be recognized. If he or she
does not do so immediately, please be patient or even wait for another time.
- It is never appropriate to comment
on someone else's rank such as statements like "you are a brown belt and should know this" or to refer to your
own rank as being less than you feel you deserve. This will only prove that you are not ready for your next rank.
- We
want everyone to enjoy class and have fun but acting silly or goofy in class is inappropriate and distracting. If your
sensei addresses this with you, then it has become excessive and needs to be corrected immediately so that they don't
have to discuss it with you again.
The
purpose of this handout is to briefly cover a few of the more common points of etiquette in the daily life of a martial arts
student. Certainly there are many other points, but most of those you will observe first hand and learn from experience.
The most important things to remember are to be respectful of others at all times and practice with good sense. When
in doubt about anything, ask a sensei or senior level student.
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