Please remember that Shindo exists to perpetuate the teachings of the Shindo system. This is a very serious and difficult art, and has no relationship with modern sport martial arts whatsoever. No Shindo official or teacher is obligated to teach you the system just because you have purchased membership and paid the training fee. Rather, the teacher's first obligation is to the system and those who have demonstrated a serious wish to understand it. Your obligation as a prospective student is first to prove your serious intent by attending classes regularly and showing an interest in learning. Don't just come along when you fancy a workout or when you feel like it. Adopt the attitude that you are attending a one to one private lesson, just you and the teacher. Remember that reliability and punctuality are a must. If you miss a lesson you will be missing an important part of your martial arts education. In return for your keen and genuine interest you will be provided with good and meaningful instruction.

Your teacher will not expect to teach you an aspect of the art and then have you go away and forget it, only to come back again two or three weeks later when you feel like it and expect to be taught the same lessons that have already been provided simply because you have not practised.

Learning Shindo requires long term commitment, it is not a game or pastime that you can drop and pick up again as your fancy dictates.

Your teacher will put in a great deal of time and patience in teaching you the art. You will not see most of the effort that comprises the continual development of lessons to bring out the best in you personally. Your teacher receives no re-numeration and when he spends time helping you, he is denying himself the opportunity for his own personal practice. The teacher is only obligated to help you progress if you conform to the conditions of the working agreement. If you abuse his or her dedication to your needs and progress the teacher will lose the inspiration that is the sign of a good teacher.

It is therefore important that you have the courtesy to arrive on time for a lesson and to inform your teacher of any intended lateness or absence from the training hall whether it is for a short time (for holidays etc.) or if you are leaving permanently.

All students, both junior and adult, who do not advise the teacher of their intent to miss a lesson will be automatically charged for each lesson missed when they return. This is because the hall hire fee, affiliation fees and other training development costs have to be met irrespective of a student's attendance record.

All students must arrive at the training hall in a clean and presentable manner. It is the height of discourtesy to come along with dirty feet and hands and to put on a grubby and crumpled training suit.

You should always be courteous during the training session and treat everyone present with respect. Never contradict your teacher; always do as he instructs. Every Shindo teacher has spent many years learning the art and knows exactly what they are doing. Many apparent contradictions and anomalies exist within Shindo and only patience and hard work will reveal the answers to these. Show humility and be eager to learn as much as you can in the time available. Ask questions and make notes after the lesson before you forget what you have learned. Don't just do as you are instructed to do, look carefully at the senior ranks and your teacher. Try to emulate the spirit of what they do. The more enthusiasm you show the more your teacher will be inspired and want to help you.

Not everyone will be able to learn Shindo because it demands special qualities in a person. It demands self-discipline, patience, consistency, application, physical, mental and spiritual effort and determination. If you don't have these qualities you can learn and develop them through your training, but if you don't try to do this, you may never succeed.

Always remember that communication is at the root of all progress and success. Find out when you can telephone your teacher for advice between lessons if needs be. If you don't tell your teacher that you have problems with some aspects of the art, how can you expect him or her to address hidden problems? If you are on the Internet you can email sensei easily and get answers to all the questions and problems that you may have very quickly.

You will have been asked to sign two important documents, an application to practice, and a member's agreement and oath of confidentiality. Read these documents carefully, and regard them with the greatest seriousness. If you have not been asked to sign these documents or have not done so yet you are training in direct contravention of the dojo rules and should inform your teacher immediately so that the anomaly can be rectified.

We wish you every success and hope that Shindo will help you in every aspect of your life.