Dojo Etiquette

Video photography courtesy of Bill Bresnihan

Dojo Etiquette

Etiquette is an important aspect of Aikido training. Dojo etiquette is not an attempt to copy the formal politeness of Japanese culture. In Aikido, etiquette is an outward expression of your martial arts awareness. By observing good dojo etiquette, you will be demonstrating proper understanding of your relationships with other students and the martial aspects of Aikido training.

Before Class:

Always be physically clean. Pay particular attention to your hands and feet. Avoid wearing strong cologne or perfume.
Make your body safe for training. Remove any chewing gum or other loose objects from your mouth. Keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed short. Remove any jewelry. particularly earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and heavy rings.
Make certain that your gi (uniform) is clean and wear it neatly. Wear the jacket with the left side outermost and tie the belt in a proper square knot.
Make certain that the dojo, particularly the mat area, is clean, tidy, and ready for practice. Helping to sweep, dust, and clean the dojo is a part of a student's training.
Before entering the mat, acknowledge your arrival with a kneeling or standing bow towards the kamiza (the front part of the dojo where O'Sensei's picture is displayed).
You may warm up before class, but also try to sit in quiet meditation for a few minutes before class.

During Class:

When the instructor bows to the kamiza, do the same. When the instructor bows to the class, bow return the instructor while saying onegai shimasu (oh-nigh-guy-she-mahss) as an indication of your readiness to begin practice.
After the warm-up exercises and after the demonstration of a technique, bow first to the instructor and then to your partner before beginning your practice. Again use the term onegai shimasu when you bow to your partner as your way of inviting your partner to practice.
Try not to be late for class. If you are late, kneel by the side of the mat and wait until the instructor invites you to join the class. Thank the instructor with a bow and join the class. If you have missed the warm ups, take time to stretch out at the back of the mat. Then approach any group of students and ask to join them.
When the instructor determines that it is time to stop or change techniques, the instructor will clap or announce it verbally. At that time, bow to your partner and move quickly and quietly to the edge of the mat and observe the demonstration from seiza (a kneeling position where you sit on your heels).
If the instructor stops to provide clarification concerning a technique, move to a place that is safely out of the way and observe while sitting in seiza. After the correction, bow to the instructor, then to your partner, and resume practice. Avoid sitting with your back to the kamiza.
Should you need to fix your gi during class, first bow to your partner to indicate the interruption in practice. Then face away from both your partner and the kamiza while straightening your gi. When you are done face your partner and indicate your readiness with a bow.
Once class has started, never leave or reenter the mat area without asking the instructor.
Always report any injury to the instructor.
There is no shame in having to stop to catch your breath. Sit in seiza or cross-legged at the edge of the mat. (Never lean on walls or columns in the dojo.) Your partner can join another pair until you are ready to continue.
A the the end of class, straighten your gi and line up in an orderly row as in the beginning of class. Join the instructor in the bow towards the kamiza. Then bow to the instructor as the instructor bows to you. Finally bow to your practice partners.