Protocols
Before the Class
Bowing in
During the Class
Finishing the Class
Before the Class
It is recommended that students arrive at least 15 minutes before class to get changed and begin to warm up. It is also a good opportunity to get individual help from the instructor or any of the senior students. In traditional karate classes, the students who arrive late would not be allowed to train. On the rare occasion when it is not possible for the student to arrive on time, the late student must kneel at the edge of the training floor until the instructor lets him or her join the class.
All students bow to the center of the class whenever they step on or off the dojo floor to show respect for the training. The proper Japanese bow is a bend from the waist with the hands held against the thighs. The heels touch, but the feet are spread at a 45 degree angle. A sturdy white canvas uniform, called a gi, is normally worn, but new students may choose to wear loose fitting sweat pants and a T shirt until they have their own gi. For safety reasons, long hair should be tied back, no gum or candy should bechewed during class, and no watches, rings or other jewelry should be worn. Likewise, it is important to keep finger and toe nails trimmed.
Visitors are most welcome to watch the classes but they should avoid distracting the students. As in Japanese home, both students and visitors are asked to remove their footwear at the entrance of the facility. It is especially important for students and visitors topause and wait quietly if another class is bowing in or finishing up. They must wait until the students are finished that part of the class before resuming conversations or crossing the floor to reach to the change rooms.
Bowing In
When the instructor (the sensei) indicates that he is ready, either he or the most senior student (the sempai) will announce the beginning of class by saying "line up". All talking must stop. The students then quickly line up facing the front in order of rank. The student with the higher belt (or who has had the same colour belt for the longest time) stands to the left of the student with the lower belt. Two rows may be formed if one line is too long. In that case the student with the higher belt stands in front of the student with the lower belt. The rank (kyu) or belt sequence is explained here.
After the instructor kneels down facing the front, the senior student will say "seiza", and all of the students will kneel down keeping their knees in a straight line. He or she will then say "mokuso", meaning "close your eyes and meditate". This is the time when the students put aside all the distractions from outside the dojo and begin to concentrate on the training. After about 20 seconds the sempai will say "mokuso yame", meaning literally "meditate stop". He or she will then say "shomen ni rei" which means "the front towards bow". The sempai will then say either: "sensei ni rei" if the instructor, Sensei , is present, "sempai ni rei" if one of the senior students (sempai) is leading the class, or "otagai ni rei" if no one person is leading. "Otagai" means "each other". The reply is "os", which is a general expression of agreement that is often used by the students to acknowledge what the sensei or sempai has said. After the teacher gets up, the sempai says "tate", meaning "stand up". The students spread out for the warm up exercises, usually led by one of the students. Before beginning the exercises, the warm-up leader and the students bow to each other. Likewise after the warm up the student leader will bow to the class and then to the instructor.
During the Class
Unless the instructor indicates otherwise, the students arrange themselves in order of rank, usually in two rows. The correct place to stand is in line with the student to the left and the one either in front or behind. The senior students at the left most ends of the lines will make sure that the spacing is correct. Talking or laughing is not permitted to avoid disturbing the level of concentration the other students are working hard to achieve.
Classes will provide training in the three main aspects of karate: kihon (the basic strikes, kicks and blocks, practises seperately or in combinations), kumite (sparring against a partner) and kata (a fixed pattern of moves, to practise defense against multiple opponents). As the students progress, they will be given more difficult kihon and kata to master. There are five Heian katas, three Tekki katas and many higher level katas. The Heian and Tekki katas are considered to be fundamental to karate and students all over the world learn them. Kumite, which involves attacking techniques that are easy to block for the junior students, also becomes more challenging as the students develop their skills. One aspect in the development of a student's kumite style is the progression from kihon sanbon kumite, kihon gohon kumite or kihon ippon kumite (basic three point sparring, basic five point sparring or basic one-point sparring), where the attacker and defender use standard, well practised moves; to jiyu-ippon kumite (semi-free one point sparring), where the student may select from a number of options to deal with the announced target; to jiyu kumite (free sparring), where nothing is pre-arranged. In all cases, the students strive for speed and power along with accuracy to touch, but not damage, the target. Below is a list of words that the sensei or sempai who is leading the class may use to direct the students:
- yoi
- get ready, attention
- rei
- bow
- shizentai
- assume a natural stance
- hajime
- begin
- yame
- stop
- mawatte
- turn
- yasume
- relax
- naore
- recover
- chikara
- power
- hayaku
- quickly
- ichi
- ni
- san
- shi (yon)
- go
- roku
- shichi (nana)
- hachi
- ku (kyu)
- ju
- Hitotsu, jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto
- Seek perfection of character
- Hitotsu, makoto no michi o mamoru koto
- Be faithful
- Hitotsu, doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto
- Endeavour in all training
- Hitotsu, reigi o omonzuru koto
- Be respectful
- Hitotsu, kekki no yu o imashimeru koto
- Refrain from violent behaviour
The word "kiai" is used to describe the shout that goes along with the sharp exhalation used to tense the muscles and concentrate the student's energy for the attack or defense. A kiai should be used during basics when going from the yoi position to the first stance, when turning, and at the end of each set of moves. A good strong kiai is especially important during kumite and at the specified points in each kata. Do not say any words when you kiai. "Kiai" itself, being a Japanese word, should not be a kiai. Common kiai include "Ya" and "Ei".
Kime, translated as "finish", is the word that describes the way the muscles are sharply tensed at the end of each karate move. Before the attack or block makes contact, the muscles are relatively relaxed, so that the movements can be made as quickly as possible. Kime focuses the karate student's power on to the target at the moment of contact.
When the instructor says to the student, "hiki-te", it means the fist that is not being used for a strike or punch at that moment must be pulled strongly back tight to the side of the body. Not only is the retracted fist then in position for the next move, but the power of the punch is enhanced by the channeling of the strength of both arms to propel the one fist outwards.
Counting during class is frequently done in Japanese. The students should learn the numbers up to ten:
If it is necesary to retie the belt or adjust the gi (the karate uniform) the student turns around to do so at a suitable break in the training. It is impolite and sometimes hazardous to cross in front of the class. So, if it is necessary to cross from one side of the dojo floor to the other, for instance when exchanging kumite partners, the student should do so by passing behind the rest of the class. If the students are asked to remain at the back of the class, for example while the students at another belt level demonstrate their kata, the students who are waiting must stay alert and not lean against the wall.
Finishing the Class
The students line up as they did for the bowing in. They kneel (seiza), meditate briefly (mokuso) to let any tension or agression form vigorous training disappear in the same way as at the beginning of class. After the end of the meditation (mokuso yame) they then repeat the dojo rules, which are said in karate classes around the world. The sempai will say each line and the students will repeat them.
Dojo KunEach point starts with hitotsu, or literally "One" as if counting. It may seem odd to count "one" each time instead of counting one to five, but in Japanese, doing it this way implies that all the points are of equal importance. Each point ends with koto, a feature of Japanese grammar that forms the verb phrase preceding it into a noun.
The dojo kun are not merely a list of rules for the hour or so on the dojo floor. They are to be considered as a basis of behaviour both inside and outside of the dojo. After repeating the dojo kun, the students will again bow to the front (shomen ni rei) then to the instructor (sensei ni rei or sempai ni rei) and say "oss". Any announcements will usually be said at this point. The instructor will rise and say "thank you". The students will then thank the instructor. After the instructor has moved away from the front of the line, the senior student will tell the students that they can also rise (tate). Once standing, thay are instructed to bow to the front (rei), at which time they again say "oss". Then all of the students in the line except the senior student turn towards him, bow and say "thank you, sempai".