Observance of proper etiquette at all times (but especially observance of proper DOJO etiquette) is as much a part of one's training as the practice of techniques. Observation of etiquette indicates one's sincerity, one's willingness to learn, and one's recognition of the rights and interests of others.

If you are lucky enough to be able to train in a permanent Dojo you will appreciate the atmosphere of the surroundings and the calming effect it has on you when you enter the hall.
Unfortunately most of us have to train in a hall that has been rented for the night and has many other uses at other times, you may even use the hall yourself during the week so the way you perceive the hall may be difficult to change.
If you can understand the function of the Dojo it may be easier for you to appreciate and change the way you look at your training hall.

The Dojo dates back to the Buddhist temples in Japan before the teaching of the Martial Arts in these halls, they were a place for meditation and comtemplation. People would remove foot wear and enter the Dojo with a bow at the entrance and go to the position where they would spend the next hour or so meditating. It can be understood that the Dojo is a very tranquil place; Karate has often been described as moving meditation and so it is perfectly natural to perform Karate in the Dojo and to have the same attitude to performing your Karate as you would have if you were performing meditation. There are no times when your meditation ends and your Karate begins.

There is a second point I would like to bring to your attention.

The Dojo is not a democracy.

This may sound a strange thing to say as it is the very basis of Karate that we give respect to all regardless of their grade, indeed the teacher will show the same respect to a new student as he would give to his own teacher. However the traditional rule during training is: The teacher gives an instruction and the student responds. This is the respect the student gives to the teacher.I am not a great lover of rules and regulations as I believe your own standards of behaviour should guide your behaviour in the Dojo, however so that all students know how to conduct themselves and what is expected of them in the Dojo I have laid out below the guidelines of etiquette.

Karate requires and promotes as high a degree of training of the mind as it does of the body.
Below is a basic list of rules to help you appreciate your Dojo.

• No idle chatter, smoking, alcohol, eating, chewing gum, etc in the Dojo.
• A Karate gi or loose comfortable clothing to be worn by beginners, ALL students of orange belt and above MUST wear a gi.
• Always acknowledge an instruction from your teacher by OK or hai. An instruction is not a criticism and you do not have to apologise, the teacher is showing you how to improve the technique you are performing.
• If you are asked to go to the edge of the dojo when others practise, sit or stand quietly giving the respect you would expect when you are practising.
• It is often the practice for senior students to give help to other students during training, this is understandable and I do not object to this before or after the class but it must be understood that during the class each student must concentrate on their own training ONLY.
• It is the responsibility of the instructor to call the class to order and start the class, if the teacher is happy to let senior students give instruction to lower grade students that is the teachers choice. I have found that instructing a technique can often give a great amount of insight to the person giving the instruction.

When to Bow ( Rei )

• When you first enter the Dojo, bow to the teacher or the senior student.
• When the class has been called to order.
• In a kneeling position after mokuso bow twice, first with the teacher to thank him for his instruction then secondly with the rest of the class to thank them and offer your support during the lesson.
• If you arrive late for the class
  Bow at the entrance and assume a kneeling position.Only when the teacher invites you into the class, stand, bow and join the class being careful not to walk in front of anyone still training.
• If you have to leave the Dojo during the lesson, put your feet together, hands by your side and bow. Explain to the teacher why you have to leave and only with their permission proceed to the edge of the dojo being careful not to walk in front of anyone still training, bow by the doorway and leave.
  When you wish to re-enter the Dojo, bow at the entrance and assume a kneeling position, only when the teacher invites you back into the class, stand, bow, return to your original position.
• At the end of the lesson, stand and bow and kneel,after mokuso bow twice, first with the teacher to thank him for his instruction then secondly with the rest of the class to thank them for their support during the lesson, stand and perform a final bow.
• Remember to look back in to the dojo and bow as you leave.

Last Modified: 27^th September 1999

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