Dojang rules...

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by kenpoguy, Aug 4, 2005.

  1. kenpoguy

    kenpoguy The Last Dragon

    :bang: Here is a list I found of school rules from a not so bright, once friend of mine. I find these rules to be disgraceful and a con, only to make more money. Take a look and let me know what you guys thing

    Make the Most of Your Training!

    1. Attend 2 Classes per week.
    2. Arrive 10 minutes before class.
    3. Notify instructor if you will be missing more than one week of class.
    4. Make up any requirements you missed as soon as possible.
    5. Follow school rules and commitments in everyday life.
    6. Repeat all requirements as many times as possible.
    7. Be generous with others and strict with yourself.
    8. Always set a new goal after each accomplishment.
    9. Do not hesitate to consult your master about questions or problems.
    10. Always empty yourself and have a humble mind.

    School Rules

    1. Bow to the instructor when entering and leaving the dojang.
    2. Bow when at door, when entering and leaving dojang.
    3. Respect all higher belts, especially the instructor.
    4. Have a clean uniform at all times, and fold neatly when leaving class.
    5. Maintain discipline, know the tenets and student creed.
    6. Telephone if you will be late or unable to attend class.
    7. No food or chewing gum allowed in the dojang. Refrain from drug and alcohol.
    8. NO profanity, no loud talking and no horseplay.
    9. Do not face the instructors when tying belt or fixing your uniform.
    10. Do not teach without instructors permission.
    11. Report any injuries to the instructor.
    12. Do not try any technique until the instructor taught it to you.
    ANYONE NOT FOLLOWING THESE RULES MAY BE REDUCED IN RANK.
     
  2. Prophet

    Prophet ♥ H&F ♥

    Now thats just weird :confused:
     
  3. Wax

    Wax Valued Member

    That'd take a lot of the fun out of it.
     
  4. kenpoguy

    kenpoguy The Last Dragon

    reply...

    Yeah those are some of my favs. :) Especially the bowing to a foregin flag before entering and exiting the building, and having to buy each and every piece of equipment from them :)
     
  5. Jang Bong

    Jang Bong Speak softly....big stick

    Am I reading a different set of rules? I can't see any problems with those or any form of CON.

    I'm treating the 'recommendations' and the 'school rules' differently. Not missing sessions, etc, leads to effective training - but they are not money making rules (Oh! They got away without paying me - I must get that back)

    I'm not sure about the turning away from the instructor to tidy yourself (the instructors may come in on that one), but this happens at our dojang. When given the command to relax the guys turn round to 'adjust' themselves.

    My best guess on it is that you are showing the instructor that you are not paying attention to him - so there is no point in giving instructions yet.

    The actual 'school rules' are safety and common sense based.

    There are big discussions elsewhere on 'bowing', but if there is a tradition there then I'm happy to follow it unless it conflicts with any of my beliefs. After all - we still shake hands to prove that we are not carrying a sword or dagger ;)
     
  6. thepunisher

    thepunisher Banned Banned

    Rei shiki at our dojo

    Doesn't seem to apply at our dojo, my "buddy" I'm currently so ****ed off about as he got to the same rank as me by double-grading, didn't for a while wash his gi for three weeks. Seems to make no difference at our dojo.

    Most ppl at our dojo appear sometimes only once or twice a week, sometimes not for a whole months. Nobody calls to say they won't be there.

    The first one does seem to matter to our sensei, he gets very irritated in the kids classes because they fool around more than listen to the instructor. The second one I don't get the point of, what do they expect the student to leave while his uniform is falling to pieces ?

    Only response with this you get from our instructor is:"Well, that happens here !" I got injured a couple of times and you can leave the dojo to get it looked at but this is the regular response you get from our sensei.


    That definitley doesn't seem to apply at our dojo. In fact, looking at the above concerning my "buddy" it makes no difference if you even follow the dojo rules. Something I'm currently actually quite appalled at as I follow our rules quite strictly and they include cutting your toe and finger nails regularly and keeping the dojo and your uniform clean, which means washing and ironing your gi at least once a week.

    Christian
     
  7. Another Muay Thai Guy

    Another Muay Thai Guy Valued member

    I don't see anything seriously wrong with them, certainly nothing to suggest they are a "con".
    The tidying of uniforms whilst not facing the instructor is simply a matter of respect. As is bowing when entering and leaving the dojang.
    Just out of interest, what Tae Kwon Do organisation was the school a member of?
    Also, could you detail exactly why you thought the rules "to be disgraceful and a con, only to make more money". Thanks.
     
  8. NaughtyKnight

    NaughtyKnight Has yellow fever!

    Err, kempoguy, what are you on about?

    They are the standard rules for pretty much ever TKD school, karate school etc.

    They arent a con, its not getting aby money for the master.

    And the reason you dont tie your belt when racing higher grades, is because its seen as disrepect.
     
  9. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Hmmm, yeah, those are pretty much a combination of practicality and politeness. Apart from, as everyone's said, the weird one about not facing you rinstructor to tidy your uniform (which is, apparently, based on an urban myth that to do so is impolite)
     
  10. Davey Bones

    Davey Bones New Member

    Uhm, no con. Strict at times, yes. Con? No.
     
  11. mattnz

    mattnz Die or get rich tryin'!

    Um...yeah...that's pretty standard, but I've always been taught to face the back when tidying my uniform, as opposed to specifically trying not to face the instructor.
     
  12. Downstroke

    Downstroke New Member

    Seems to me you're getting your knickers in a twist over nothing. These set of rules apply in pretty much every dojang that takes itself seriously. I can't see how these rules are disgraceful and a con, if your that offended by them, I suggest you don't train in any martial art that takes pride in how it conducts itself.

    Well that's pretty much mandatory if you want to progress in any pastime, be it football, swimming, basket weaving or martial arts.
    That's just common sense so the class can actually start on time & everyone's getting their money's worth.
    Now this is something callled courtesy, it's one of TKD's tenets..
    Unless you want to be left behind. If your cool with that, that's your look out.
    Normally a school likes to foster good character in it's members. Now't wrong with that.
    See 1.
    Or alternatively you can be selfish and undisciplined, whatever floats your boat!
    Ok this is slightly ridiculous, how dare they not allow us our god given right to tread water forever. :rolleyes:
    Or you could always go to the citizen's advice bureau when you're having problems with your foot formation on your side kick.
    Instead or humbling yourself with an empty mind!

    Are these such alien principles to you. It's that little thing called respect, for your art, it's practitioners and yourself! I personally would also include all lower ranks because they look to you on how you should conduct yourself.
    I don't know what MA you practice, your name suggests you're a kempo guy, but most asian MA's have at least some code of conduct that it expects it's students to follow.
    This has already been covered.
    Try turning up to training half cut and see what happens.
    The profanity and loud talking is simply discipline, no horseplay means no ****ing around when you're meant to be training. It's very annoying to those who've paid good money to train, and the instructor ends up spending half the lesson trying to control a few unrulys.
    This is the one that seems to get everyone's back up. All it means is whenever you are facing the instructor when you are lining up, you should be properly presented. Before a class is bowed out, it is customary to allow the students to turn to adjust their belts/doboks, that way when they are facing the instructor, he has their full attention.
    Would you want to be taught be somebody your usual instructor didn't have faith in?
    Bit of a no-brainer, that one.
    At least not in class, this can often be to cover their backs with the insurance people.
    MAY being the operative word there. If you are a repeat offender, then maybe the rank you were once awarded is not being upheld. I must admit I've never seen this happen, but I once had a red belt who literally fluked his way through to that grade, but in class he was a nightmare, forever whinging about stuff or just plain refusing to try things he found difficult. Normally we just refuse to allow these students to take their next grading until they show us they are ready. This lad eventually left on his own accord (thank god!) Another time we had a girl who was a black tag, very, very good technically, liked to dish it out when sparring, but didn't like getting it in return. On one occassion she took a mouthfull of fist, & stormed off the mat, barging through a few yellow & white belts. As a result my instructor said she would have her BB grading put back 6 months because she showed poor conduct in front of junior grades. She didn't take too well to this and after a heated arguement, she was expelled from the school.

    On the other hand, we've had some students take a year or two out, & when returning, volunteered to degrade themselves until they were back to standard.

    I can't see how any of the above rules are seen as a con. Ok, if it said you are obliged to buy a new suit after each grading, which you are required to do every two months, and then when grading to first dan, to show your respect to your instructor you must pay for him to take an all inclussive trip to the Phillipines for a fortnight's whoring, then you might have a point, but I must have missed that clause when I read it.
    :rolleyes:
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2005
  13. gemtkd

    gemtkd Valued Member

    We always turn away from whoever we're facing to fix our belt or dobok
     
  14. jcurtis

    jcurtis Valued Member

    turning away is mainly a sign of respect for the person you are facing. I have also heard at one point that adjusting/playing with your belt while facing another student/instructor means you want to challenge that person. I don't know if that part is true but i have heard it before.
     
  15. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    I'm always a bit suspicious of this kind of thing. Surely if you want to challenge someone you say "Your mother does tricks for sailors and you must die" - not just fiddle with your belt.
     
  16. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    The rules that your friend's school observes are not disgraceful or a con.

    As you can see, most of our (TKD) schools follow the same form of rules set forth by the tenets of TKD.

    Some schools are more stringent than others. As far as turning away from instructor while fixing your belt or uniform.... we are made aware of this by our Master should we ever go to tournament and this happens as many of the "other" TKD schools are a bit stricter on this certain rule than we are.
     
  17. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    The only ones I would have problems with would be the two classes a week and calling if your going to miss a class. Our instructors could care less if your there or not and they recommend you attend at least 3 classes a week. Other than that the rules seem okay by me.
     
  18. Pacificshore

    Pacificshore Hit n RUN!

    Having a set of rules in a dojo is just one of the beginning lessons of self discipline and respect. I've seen dojos that have no rules, or are very lax about them and it shows in the students attitude/behavior.
     
  19. Thomas

    Thomas Combat Hapkido/Taekwondo

    Most of the rules don't seem to different than what I would expect to be followed at a professional workplace... the dojang is a place to train, learn and share, not to drink, socialize and etc. So following rules akin to a professional workplace seem to be a good way to do it.

    The general ones about being clean, sober, and on time, or calling if you miss class are purely good manners. Guidelines on attending class and restrictions on unsupervised instruction sounds good to me.


    The whole thing about turning around to fix your uniform is simple coutesy in Korea (and in some ways other places). Martial arts uniforms especially get ripped out of place and the body is exposed. Putting the unfirm back in order sometimes involves opening the shirt, untying a belt, adjusting the underclothes, and so on... and showing off bits of your body to your [esteemed] instructor is considered a lack of modesty. Turn around and fix it. Just like if my shirt comes untucked at work, I don't drop open up my pants and re-tuck it in front of my boss. I would go to a restroom. In the dojang, you can just turn around and fix it.
     
  20. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    ... I hate it when my boss does that!
    Makes me more than rather uncomfortable!

    Good analogy Thomas! :)
     

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