Dōjō

A dōjō (literally: “Way-place”) commonly refers to a martial arts school or training hall, a dōjō is much more than a gym -- it is where one studies the Way. .

The dōjō is not a place to escape life’s rigors; it is the arena where they are confronted. The dōjō is a forge of the spirit, where students are constantly being pushed to their limits. Since this process can cause tempers to flare, a certain degree of etiquette and formality must be maintained at all times to ensure safety.

Criterion

“Any place can be a dōjō.” Ideally, the dōjō décor will exhibit the wabi-sabi aesthetic (literally: “poverty and loneliness”) which regards contrived, superficial, and materialistic things to be worthless. Wabi-sabi accepts and prefers the ordinary, simple, rustic, hand-crafted, well-worn, untouched, imperfect, and old. A dōjō should have an unpretentious character, like a dive bar that serves good chicken wings. Anything else will distract students with reputation, ego, and classism -- all of which will ultimately result in a poor experience, like ordering chicken wings at TGI Friday’s. That’s why many dōjō are tucked away in forgettable strip malls or disused racquetball courts -- because they aren’t supposed to be nice.

While “any place can be a dōjō,” an ideal dōjō has the following characteristics:

• A large, open space, free of obstructions (e.g., trees, furniture, load-bearing columns, etc.)
• Matted floors, to allow for tumbling and takedowns.
• A slightly higher-than-average ceiling.
• Bright lighting.
• Plain white walls, except for some tasteful art (e.g., a portrait of the joseki, or some calligraphy) on the front wall. Typically, this is on the wall is opposite of the main entrance.

Protocol

Please bear in mind that protocol can vary greatly between dōjō; the rules of other dōjōs may not apply to us, and our rules may not necessarily apply to other dōjōs. Failure to comply with most of these rules results in a verbal warning and/or being assigned push-ups by the head instructor. Afterwards, there will be no grudges; the offender will have a clean slate. Please be mindful of the following in a dōjō:

• Wearing shoes is forbidden inside of a dōjō, since the dirt and grime on shoes can contaminate the mats, turning them into a disease vector for impetigo, herpes, scabies, staph/MRSA, and athlete’s foot/ringworm. For this reason, the students must clean all mats and pads after every use, as part of their responsibility to provide all of the dōjō’s upkeep and maintenance.
  • Because the dōjō is a place for studying the Way, the Japanese require a dōjō to be a sanctified “pure” place. Even with its occasional bloodspill, martial arts dōjō cannot be "impure," because of their constant, ritual cleaning.
• Do not make excuses.
• Formally address all black belts while inside the dōjō. (e.g., John Doe is “Mr. Doe.”)
• Treat all students and instructors with respect, both inside and outside of the dōjō.
• Only the head instructor, or their designee, has the power to designate punishments.
  • Higher-ranked students are expected to set an example for the newer students by strictly adhering to the dōjō rules. However, senior students have no authority to punish others for rule violations. Seniors can only inform junior offenders of the rules.
• No foul language is permitted in any part of the dōjō at any time.
• Always stand in a ready stance, unless told to do otherwise.
• Students are expected to be on-time to class; this is considered part of your training.
• If a student is late, they are to wait at the edge of the training area for the instructor’s permission to join the class.
• Students must inform the instructor if they must leave class early.
• Please inform the head instructor if you decide to quit or take a leave of absence.
• Instructing junior students is part of the training process. Higher ranked students should expect to be paired up with new students during class.
• Unless it's an emergency (or if you have a question), do not interrupt the instructor.
• Whenever you are told move to another location within the dōjō, RUN!
• Be sure to bow:
  • Before entering and exiting the dōjō.
  • When stepping on or off the mat.
  • After instructors answers your questions.
  • Before and after practicing with another person.
  • While transferring weapons.
• Only karate-related talking is allowed during class times.
• Do not smoke in the dōjō. Do not smoke anywhere near the dōjō. Do not smoke.
• Dues are to be promptly paid at the beginning of the month. If there problems regarding payment, talk to the head instructor directly.
• When visiting other dōjō, all students must fully comply with all of their rules, regulations, and protocol.
• Do not use any equipment you have not received training on, or were not specifically told to use.
  • This is especially true for weapons.
• Stay hydrated.
• Report all injuries immediately.
• Do not come to class while suffering from contagious illnesses.
• Maintain good hygiene.
  • Do not wear makeup or hair gel. As you sweat and work with others, these will smear and look funny, contaminate mats and uniforms, and burn people's eyes.
• Refrain from criminal activities.

Some rules are especially vital. Violating any of the rules typically results in eternal banishment:

• Do not take anything that is not yours from the dōjō.
• Do not lose control and injure other students. If a student is injured, the incident will be reviewed by the black belts to determine if the injury was caused by carelessness, by malice, or if it was just a freak accident. (Though exceedingly rare, accidents do happen.)
• Do not come to class while intoxicated.
  • Do not drink any alcohol before class.
• Do not poison the dōjō with drama. Drama only hinders everyone’s training. If you have problems with another student, speak to the instructor and/or resolve your issues outside of class.
• Do not persistently disrespect any student, even outside of the dōjō.
• Do not perpetrate existential threats to the survival and propagation of the human race .

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