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Belt Testing

Dojo Information and Rules

Kneeling
Seiza is the kneeling position that is used during class.

• Bend the left knee to the floor followed by the right (do not put your hands on the floor during this process).

• Keeping your back straight, sit back on your heels.

• Some stress that the big toes of your feet should overlap.

— If this is the case, it is acceptable to have either foot on top.

• Your hands should be open with the fingers together.

— Rest them on your thighs (left hand on the left thigh, right hand on the right thigh; do not place them on your knees) with the fingers pointing slightly inward.

• Your shoulders should remain relaxed (i.e. they should not be supported by the hands).

— Men generally keep their knees approximately two horizontal fists apart while

— Women should keep their knees together.

• To perform a standing bow

— Stand with your heels together. Your toes may be together (formal) or pointing out at 45-degree angles (informal).

— Keep your back, neck, knees, and elbows straight.

— Keep your hands at your sides. The hands should be open with the fingers straight and together.

— Gently bend at the waist about 30-degrees forward. (the bow should not be a sharp, jerky motion) As you bow, keep your back and neck straight and your hands stationary (i.e. do not slide them down your legs).

— Hold the bow at the bottom for approximately half a second and then return to the initial position at the same speed.

— An important point to remember is that you look your partner in the eyes during the bowing action.

• To perform a kneeling bow

— From the seiza position, slide the left hand to the ground directly in front of the left knee.

— Then slide the right hand in front of the right knee in a similar fashion. Your fingers and palms should be flat on the floor.

— Gently bend forward at the waist.

— Bow low so that the forehead comes within two or three inches of the floor (do not touch your head to the floor).

— As you bow, you should be looking down.

— Hold at the bottom for approximately one second.

— Unbend, returning to the upright position and bringing the hands back to their initial positions (with the left hand following the right in terms of timing).

— In the upright position, you should be looking straight ahead.

• Bows are required

— When entering or exiting the dojo (facing the front of the dojo).

— At the beginning and end of class.

— Before and after engaging in any partner work (including sparring).

— Before and after performing a kata.

— Many students also bow when greeting the instructor. If this is the case, the instructor should return the bow.

— Bows may also be required at other times indicated by the instructor.

— Unless specified by the instructor, a standing bow is usually sufficient.

• Bowing to a Partner

— When bowing to a partner, maintain all of the rules indicated above.

— It is polite for the lower ranking person to hold their bow until the higher ranking student returns to the upright position.

• Students line up in a straight row facing the senior instructor.

• The line should be straight and you should line up so that the instructor, standing before you, is in the center of the line.

— The highest ranking student is at the beginning of the row, to the senior instructor’s left.

• Line up with each student shoulder to shoulder in attention stance.

• If it is necessary to form additional lines, line up directly behind the person in the front line.

• All other students line up next to the senior student in descending rank.

— If two kyu (non-black belt) students have the same rank, then the older student will be considered senior.

— If two dan (black belt) ranking students have the same rank, then the student who received the rank first will be considered senior.