Dojo Rules & Etiquette Specific to the RKD

1. Each student that joins our dojo is responsible for teaching
and ensuring that junior students (Kohai) are properly instructed
in both etiquette and technique. It is the most senior-students
responsibility to ensure that classes start on time. Even if
there are senior students in the dojo or the Head Instructor
is near by, the most senior person on floor should start class
on time. Start with warm up exercises and then start teaching
techniques you know.

2. Students will not go to a seminar of another Dojo without
first clearing it with the Sensei. The student may ask the
Sensei reasons for the decision if they wish. The Sensei may
decline to answer.

3. Be ready to practice immediately when the Sensei arrives
on floor. The Sensei may wish to skip warm-ups. If you need
to warm up, come early and warm up. There is no guarantee that
a warm-up will take place.

4. Keep a level head when bowing and do not bend the back.
Keep your back straight and your head in line with your back.
The Sensei should not have to look inside your keikogi when
you bow. Do not hang your head unless you are ashamed. Bowing
is meant as a ritual of respect for your partner and yourself
or for ancestors or O'Sensei's teachings and ideas. Keep in
mind why you are bowing as you bow. Do not bow mechanically.

5. If a student has a problem with another student or assistant
instructor, that student should tell his or her sempai. Sempai
should either deal with the problem if it can be resolved without
issue, or should immediately inform the Sensei and wait for
instructions. The student should not withhold problems from the
Sensei for all Dojo problems are Sensei's problems.

6. The responsibility of the Sensei is for the long-term survival
of the Dojo -- not to him or herself or any individual in the
Dojo. Decisions by the Sensei should be made for the survival of
the Dojo. This may mean that students may have to be sacrificed
to maintain the viability of the Dojo. However, the Dojo will no
longer be the Dojo if any one of the principals on which the Dojo
is founded is sacrificed. The decisions by the Sensei must
maintain the principals on which the Dojo was founded. If survival
of the Dojo means sacrificing any of the principals, it is time
for the Dojo to close.

7. Students must look after other members of the Dojo, their
health, well-being , and future. This is for the long-term
survival of the Dojo. If students are injured, they will quit
coming to practices and the financial survival of the Dojo may
be placed in jeopardy. If a Kohai is feeling badly, it is
Sempai's responsibility to help in order to ensure the continued
participation by the Kohai. A student lost is revenue lost and
difficulty in paying the rent.

8. Do you need to second-guess what Sensei would want done? What
is in the best interests of the long-term survival of the Dojo?
That should be your decision rule. Which should be paid first,
the rent or the purchase of a new desk for Sensei? The rent should
be paid first since the new desk does not affect the long-term
survival of the Dojo. Should the desk be even purchased? No.
The money should be used for something that contributes to the
long-term survival of the Dojo such as advertising or new bogu.

9. Only those people with First Aid/CPR should be instructors.
There must always be an instructor during a practice. That
instructor is the person who is ultimately responsible for what
happens on floor. The instructor may assign another person to
teach the class but the instructor must still maintain
leadership, control, and final say on all activities since
liability rests with the instructor.

10. No person should come on the mats in street clothes except
for the Sensei and Dai-Sempai, unless the Sensei invites him or
her to do so. Keikogi should be clean and patched. Keikogi
should not be smelly for that is offensive to many and holes
in the keikogi are dangerous to the wearer and others who may
get a finger or toe caught in the hole. All jewelry must be
taken off before coming on the mats. If a ring cannot be
removed, it should be taped over so that it does not scratch
anyone. Necklaces and earrings should be removed before coming
on the mats. Long hair must be tied back. Fingernails and 
toenails must be kept short or taped so as not to scratch the
partner during practice.

11. Do not use someone else's weapons. If you damage the weapon,
it may be irreplaceable. Buy your own and bring your own or keep
it at the Dojo. Do not borrow videos and books from the Dojo. If
it is lost or damaged, it may be irreplaceable. Get your own.
The videos and books in the Dojo are for use in the Dojo only.
Do not borrow anything from the Dojo. These items belong to
others and you have no permission to borrow them. Go buy your
own. You are always welcome to read or use the materials while
in the dojo. 

12. If you see something that needs to be done at the Dojo
immediately, do it but do not expect any thanks for doing it. In
fact, expect a reprimand for taking responsibility for something
you had no authority to do. For other things, expect a reprimand
for not doing something you should have done sooner. There is no
thanks, only responsibilities. There is no authority, only
responsibilities. Being a member of a Dojo is much like being a
parent -- no thanks and no authority; only responsibilities and
reprimands. You must get your satisfaction simply from doing a
good job and learning how to do it better next time. You must
learn to distinguish what things you have authority to take care
of and what things should be referred to your Sempai. Until you
learn, you might try asking your Sempai about things that
confuse you. Some things you should clearly take care of without
asking for authority include: cleaning the Dojo, bringing in the
mail, ensuring there enough Dojo supplies, washing the towels,
picking up garbage, recruiting new members, and answering the
phone. Others such as arranging demos, advertising, or special
programs should be referred to Sensei or the appropriate board
member before making any commitments.

13. Empty your cup if you want to fill it with something new.
Holding on to old learnings keeps you from learning new things.

14. When Sensei shows a technique to be practiced, practice that
technique. If you find difficulty in doing the technique,
explore what you are doing wrong. Do not just switch to another
easier technique or you will not learn anything. Perhaps you
are having trouble because Uke is not responding correctly to
your movement. Explore how you can make Uke respond correctly.
Do not just change techniques to something you already know
well. Practice is not a time to worry about winning and
losing. If you do, you will never learn anything new.

15. Practice new techniques slowly. Speeding things up only
helps to cover up mistakes. Once your technique is perfected,
then you can speed up your practice -- Masakatsu, Agatsu,
Katsu Haya Hi.

16. Just because you know something to be correct and something
else incorrect, do not assume that what you know to be
incorrect is always incorrect. Things change as situations
change. As you learn more, what was incorrect may become
correct, and vice versa.

17. If you practice to be strong, you will never become
strong. If you want to become strong, practice to be gentle.
If you want to become fast, practice slowly. If you want to
become deadly, practice healing. 

18. Floor time is precious. Verbal explanations should be
left as much for after floor time as possible. Sensei is
usually available for questions and discussions after class.
Use that time to get explanations rather than floor time.
Spend floor time practicing technique rather than talking.
If you have questions call Sensei by raising your hand.
Sempai should demonstrate the importance of this issue by
not talking too much, even when asked for an explanation on
the floor by a kohai. Get Sensei to answer the question or
give the help. So, keep talking on the floor to a minimum.
The Dojo is there for you to practice, not to discuss
matters or for you to coach your partner. If you need to
discuss some aspect of the technique, keep it short and
quiet. Don't let Sensei hear you, you should whisper. If
you spend too much talking, especially in Advanced class,
you risk missing something Sensei is trying to show you
or miss your chance to try and practice the technique. You
also bother other people trying to practice.

19. The intent of budo is the preservation of life; whether
it is all lives, just your life, or just someone else's.
However, it does place value on living in certain ways.
Life without honor is seen to be less desirable. Life
without others is also seen as less desirable. Life that
sacrifices all principles is seen as less desirable.

20. You wish to give a Sensei or Sempai a present. What
would be most appropriate? What would contribute most to
helping reduce Sensei's or Sempai's responsibilities? A
constantly clean Dojo? A Dojo lease paid up for six
months? A constant inflow of new students? Why do
students not give Sensei these types of things? Is it
too difficult to give presents of real meaning? You
want to give Sensei something more personal? Something
that gives you more satisfaction in giving and having
Sensei know that it is from you? If you want to give
Sensei a real present, don't do it to satisfy yourself,
give him/her a present that he/she really needs/wants.
Give it for Sensei, not yourself.

21. So you've made a mistake and fear Sensei's wrath.
What do you do? Don't try to hide yourself or the
mistake. Cowardice is unforgivable in a martial art.
Did you break something? If it can be replaced,
replace the item with an identical item or something
better and tell Sensei. If it is something irreplaceable,
tell Sensei and ask what to do. Do what Sensei tells
you to do and, as well, get something as close to the 
item as possible, even if Sensei doesn't ask for a
replacement. What you get should be better than the
irreplaceable item. You forgot to do something that
Sensei had asked you to do? Make sure that all your
other duties are caught up and inform Sensei. Make
sure it doesn't happen again. You did something
inadvertently that was bad etiquette? Make sure all
your other etiquette is beyond reproach and apologize.
Basically, if something is wrong, fix it better than
it was before. It is just like when you borrow
something from someone else. Always return it in better
condition than when you got it. An instance, you are
 practicing on the floor and bump the Kamiza and break
one of Sensei's prized pottery pieces. You go and tell
Sensei about it and ask what should be done. Sensei
says don't worry about it. You then have been given
authority to take any actions you think appropriate.
Go and find an identical or better piece of pottery
to replace the piece. Quietly get it done. 
"Don't worry about it" means that you should not worry
about how to fix the problem, just fix it how you think
it should be done. It means that you should take
responsibility for creating the problem and getting it fixed.

22. Payment for classes should be done promptly and continuously.
The learning of a martial art does not come cheaply, either in
finances or sacrifices in life. It is every student's
responsibility to make sure they have a good enough income to
support their Kendo practice. Requesting extensions or looking
to get a reduction in fees because of financial problems or
needing to leave practice for a while due to health problems
is an imposition on all your dojo friends and instructors.
Whether you are here or elsewhere, the dojo must keep running.
If enough people leave for one or two months without paying,
the dojo will not be here when you wish to return.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 18, 2002

© Copyright 2002, The Regina Kendo Club