Dojo Etiquette

1. If a student arrives late to class after the formal line-up, the student may not enter the dojo floor until acknowledged by the sensei, and upon entering the floor the student will execute 20 pushups.
2. Any student wishing to leave the dojo floor during a formal workout prior to the end of the class, for whatever reason, may do so only after receiving permission from sensei, and will execute 10 pushups before leaving and again after returning to the dojo floor during the same class.
3. No jewelry of any kind may be worn during the workouts. Finger and toenails must be kept trimmed and clean.
4. No student will be admitted to the dojo while under the influence of any kind of intoxicant.
5. No swearing or obscene language. No horseplay of any sort is allowed in the dojo at any time. No whistling and no gum chewing are allowed in the dojo.
6. Do not handle any weapons in the dojo without permission from sensei. Never drop a weapon being handled. If it is dropped, the student will execute 20 pushups.
7. If sensei is not teaching class, whoever is taking over the class will be treated as the sensei.
8. Do not allow your obi to touch the floor if it can be avoided. It symbolizes your knowledge; treat it with respect.
9. Do not talk during the classes unless to answer a question from the sensei. When asked a question, do not guess. Either you know the answer or you do not.
10. When a student wishes to ask a question during the class, raise a hand and wait to be acknowledged.
11. There shall be no unsupervised sparring in the dojo, unless authorized by sensei. All striking techniques during sparring must be controlled. Avoid face contact during sparring matches. Randori must also be supervised unless cleared with sensei.
12. Students should always speak with the utmost respect when referring to the Goju-Ryu system, the Kodokan, or sensei. Students shall not make any derogatory remarks about any style, system, or martial art. Practitioners from any style or system should always be treated with respect.
13. Do not walk between students facing each other or between sensei and students if they are facing each other.
14. Do not cut across lines. Go around.
15. At the beginning and end of the class, students will line up immediately, highest rank to the right (as one faces the Shinjin). Within a group of students of equal rank, the oldest should be to the right.
16. All students will remain in line until sensei leaves the dojo floor or dismisses the students himself.
17. Every student should take pride in keeping the dojo and its surroundings neat and clean. This is your dojo; you should regard it as a privilege to contribute to its maintenance. The dojo floor should be swept prior to workout and debris should not be allowed to collect anywhere in the dojo. Any student observing sensei sweeping or cleaning the dojo should immediately offer to take over the task. Any lower-ranked student observing a higherranked one engaged in sweeping or cleaning should immediately offer to help or take over the task.
18. Visiting students or instructors from other schools, styles and systems are always welcome and shall be treated with respect.
19. A student ranked in a different style prior to enrolling in this school will wear a white belt.
20. Students in this school may compete in a judo or karate tournament only when authorized by sensei.
21. All classes in the dojo should be formal. All students, regardless of rank or age, should be addressed as sempei.
22. Students should not contradict any yudansha in the dojo, unless the instructions contradict sensei’s, and then only with respect. Students should never contradict sensei.
23. Student should rei toward the shinjin every time they enter or leave the dojo floor, and when entering or leaving the dojo itself.
24. No shoes of any kind may be worn anywhere on the dojo floor.
25. Students in this school are expected to behave at all times in a manner which will bring no discredit to the sensei or to the martial arts.
26. All fees will be paid on time.
27. Sign in for each class you attend.
28. Students will not practice any technique that has not been formally presented to them by sensei.
29. Infraction of any of the rules may result in penalties ranging from pushups to suspension from the dojo.
30. Any student refusing to abide by these rules or who disobeys a direct command from sensei will be immediately expelled with no recourse or refund of fees.
31. Any student using the art of karate, judo or aikido to injure another human being not involving the defense of oneself will be expelled from the school.

Thanks to Sensei Aaron Locke, Sensei Jeffre Firman, and Sensei Marlin Guest for providing some of the information found on this page.