Dojo Etiquette

Whether you are new to a dojo or have years of prior experience - here are a few tips to make your new dojo home a wonderful environment to train, make new friends and grow.

Entering The Dojo

  • Upon entering the dojo, if the class is bowing in, please have a seat until class has started
  • Shoes should be taken off near the entrance and stored under the benches before continuing to the changing rooms
  • Slippers should be worn when going to the restroom, and can be found under the bench near the restroom door
    • Women’s restroom key is hanging in the changing room

Gi

  • The uniform we wear is referred to as a “gi”
  • It should be worn left side under right side
  • Please keep your gi clean - washing and maintaining your gi on a regular basis, especially during the hot summer months of training
  • Be courteous to others in the dressing room by storing your clothes neatly and taking them home to be cleaned

Getting Onto The Mat

  • If class has not started yet, feel free to get onto the mat for stretching and basic personal practice
  • Once the instructor arrives, line up in seiza (seated position, feet tucked under) along the red mat line, attention on the instructor
  • If class has started, please wait until the instructor has finished speaking to bow into class on the mat, away from practice (ie, in front of the shomen, in a corner of the mat, etc)
  • Most aikidoka are barefooted during training. Socks are allowed to be worn on the mat, but please make sure that they are clean

Bowing In

  • When bowing in, turn body to face the shomen (area where O’Sensei’s photo is stationed). Bow once, clap four times (representing the four elements: air, land, water, fire), bow again. Bow to instructor to start class.
    • Often, the phrase “O-ne-gai-shi-masu” will be used when bowing to the instructor. It simply means, “Please!”, but has the intended meaning of “Let’s start class.”
    • If there is an outside guest instructor and/or you are visiting a different dojo, the bow in procedure may be different
  • If you are late and class has already bowed in, please find a mat space not being used by aikidoka and bow in independently before stretching and/or joining class

During Practice

  • Once the instructor has demonstrated, please turn to someone next to you and bow to invite them to practice
    • “Onegaishimasu” may also be used here
    • At times, the instructor may ask you to keep the same partner and/or find a new partner
  • Once the instructor claps, bow again to your partner to thank them for practice before hurrying back to sit seiza at the red mat line
  • If the instructor comes to help guide your practice and sits down in seiza, please follow and sit as well

Bowing Out

  • At the end of the session, please line back up at the red mat line
  • Follow the same pattern for bowing in - face shomen, bow once, clap four times, bow again
  • Instructor will turn and face class, bow again
    • At this time, many students will say “A-ri-gat-ou go-zai-masu” or a variation thereof, which means “Thank you very much!”
  • Once the instructor has stepped off the mat, please find all your partners and bow to them a final time to thank them for the practice
  • If you have to leave early in the middle of class, find a mat space away from aikidoka and quietly bow out independently

After practice

  • It is customary for white belt students (mudansha) to help clean the mats after class
  • Please grab a blue duster from the broom closet and work with other students to sweep the debris off the mat in an organized pattern
    • Start in a line on the side of the restroom/changing room doors and sweep across to the other side. Turn and sweep back and forth until the whole mat is cleaned. Open a window near the benches and shake off debris before putting the duster back in the broom closet.
  • Avoid sweeping over the hakamas being folded by black belt students (yudansha) and/or students practicing after class
  • Feel free to stay and ask other students for help/extra practice once class in over, but be respectful of whoever is locking the dojo up to leave in a timely manner

Leaving the dojo

  • Before leaving the dojo, please make sure that you have cleaned up after yourself - trash is thrown away and all personal belongings gathered up, especially your gi and anything else that needs to be washed
  • We highly encourage reusable water bottles instead of disposable ones. Water is available from the dispenser at the front of the dojo.

Miscellaneous

  • Please make sure that proper care is taken to ensure good hygiene as aikido is a relatively close contact martial art
  • Aikido-gi should be washed on a regular basis as well as any other items used during practice, such as towels and/or undershirts
  • Respect should be given to all people at the dojo, regardless of rank, gender and/or any other personal fact
  • While aikido is a close contact martial art, please respect your partners’ personal space while on and off the mat
  • Aikido is a martial art dedicated to peace, love and harmony - please be conscious of that philosophy in all areas related to the dojo

 

Thank you for training!