Training in our karate club is fun. It is a great way to learn new skills, make friends, get fit and become more confident. The benefits of karate training are endless. But karate starts and ends with RESPECT.

Many of us who have been training for 20+ years have gained friends for life. We get to kick and punch each other for fun, and it is great to have a laugh whilst we do it. But there is so much more to it than that.

Modern karate is widely regarded as a sport with the 2020 Olympics catapulting it into the spotlight, but above all it is a martial art. It is a discipline, a process where we train the mind, body and spirit.   

I am writing this article to gently remind everyone that training in karate should be serious, requiring dedication, commitment and effort. Once you enter the dojo, we expect a certain attitude and code of behaviour. Traditionally, etiquette was always learned in the dojo from observing the behaviour of seniors. However post-Covid, we have a lot of new students, and people seem to have got a bit too used to training at home and have perhaps forgotten what they should and shouldn’t be doing. Some of the etiquette and traditions are being lost, and we need to preserve them.

Etiquette helps us learn how to treat others with respect and consideration. By applying and observing etiquette, you learn to obey rules and develop good manners. You learn to control both mind and body and to show integrity. Self-discipline is a key skill that is essential for a successful life both in and out of the dojo.

Think about the discipline it takes to be brilliant at anything. Just think for a moment of your favourite athlete or someone you look up to. I am going to use Kevin De Bruyne just for a popular example. Do you think KDB would ever turn up late for training? Be lazy? Not focus his efforts and energy? Do you think he ever gives anything less than 100% each time he trains? Absolutely not. SELF-DISCIPLINE is paramount to success, and it is learned here through karate.  

Our Seniors have spent time training in Japan at the Headquarters and have observed traditional Japanese etiquette first-hand. It is of utmost importance in Japanese culture to show respect, politeness, courtesy, cleanliness, discipline and honour. We firmly believe that all karateka should learn and follow these rules so we can all enjoy the benefits of a safe and fruitful learning environment. 

Below is a guide to what is expected once you enter the dojo.

• Please arrive on time or at least 10 minutes before the start time of the class so that you can warm up. If you arrive late, please wait to the side in Seiza (kneeling position) and wait for the instructor to bow you in.

• You should bow upon entry and say Oss to the Instructor. Bowing is a sign of reverence and humility – there is no reference to religion. Taking a moment to bow as you enter the Dojo prepares your mind for training. It gives you the opportunity to let go of a bad day and focus your mind in the now. Upon entering the Dojo, leave your problems or worries at the door. When leaving the Dojo, bow again.

• Shoes and socks should be removed at the door. Your feet should be clean with your fingernails and toenails to kept short to avoid hurting anyone.

• Please remove all jewellery including watches, Fitbits and engagement/wedding rings for safety reasons. If wedding rings cannot be removed, please cover with tape or a plaster. If you have new piercings that cannot be removed for a certain amount of time, these should also be covered.

• If you have long hair, please tie it back.

• Please set your phones to silent and keep your belongings together at the side of the room.    

Karate Uniform 

• Junior students should arrive ready and changed into a clean and ironed dogi (karate uniform). Anyone else needing to change into their dogi should do so in the changing rooms or toilets (never in the dojo).

• Uniforms should fit properly and have the Club badge sewn on the left chest.

• Boys and men should not wear t-shirts or vests underneath their uniforms. Girls and ladies may wear a white vest or t-shirt. 

Lining Up

• When the Instructor shouts “Line up”, the students should make a straight line facing the front of the Dojo as quickly as possible. We line up in grade order with the highest grades to the right of the instructor. The highest grade is responsible for the rest of the class lining up properly.

Conduct Before and During the Class

• Maintain an attitude of continuous learning. It is impossible to teach a student who already knows it all. 

• Work hard and give your best. If you aren’t sweating or getting breathless – work harder.

• Be attentive and focused. If you are watching a demonstration, be observant. Listen attentively and watch what is being shown to you. There is usually a reason why the instructor is making a point (because many class members are doing something incorrectly – assume you are one of them). If you are waiting for others to finish a drill, make sure you use the time for breathing, recovery or observing and encouraging others. Never use this time to distract or belittle those trying their best.

• There is to be no food in the dojo. Water in drinking bottles is permitted. We do not want to cleaning up juice/Lucozade, fizzy drinks etc. if there are any spillages. In Japan, drinks are not even permitted. 

• Toilet breaks – If you need to go to the toilet during class, please ask the permission of the instructor. Go round the back of the class so you are not disturbing the lesson. Bow as you leave and bow again once you come back in. Wait to the side before you re-enter the session. The instructor will bow you back in when it is safe to do so.   

• There should be no talking while your instructor is giving instructions, making a demonstration or correcting others. There should be no chatting between yourselves while training or practising drills with a partner or group. Of course, you are welcome to ask for help or to ask questions relating to karate.   

• Social conversation should be saved for after training, and swearing is unwelcome in a Dojo.

• Bowing to a training partner shows an intention to work hard and to improve ourselves but also to help our partner, without any intention to hurt them physically or emotionally. Every single time you team up with a partner for training, whether it's for drills, kumite or anything else, you bow to each other

• Students should never lose their temper during training. One should train with intensity but without anger or hostility. There is no place for ego in the Dojo, and tantrums are unwelcome. Contravention of this rule could result in your licence being revoked. We should all be able to train comfortably without fear.