Have you ever walked into a martial arts school and wondered what all of the rigid hierarchy and bowing is all about? Are you currently a new member of a martial arts gym and are wondering what all of the foreign words and chanting means? Many share your confusion and wonder if it is all necessary.
Here is your quick cheat sheet to The Dos and Don'ts of Martial Arts Etiquette.
Depending on your martial arts school and style, some or all of the following may apply:
1. DO show respect to your instructor and fellow members while you try to find your place within the group and see if the school matches YOUR goals and has YOUR best interests at heart. If the school does meet your expectations then continue to train there and continue to show respect to the instructor, the club members and the traditions of the style. If the school does not meet your expectations then politely excuse yourself from that particular gym and go on your way.
2. DO open your mind to different ways of doing things. For the most part martial arts practices and methods have been transmitted down through the generations and as such carry a lot of cultural-specific traditions. In many ways these traditions help to accentuate the overall benefit of the martial arts experience.
3. DO try to learn more about the background culture of your chosen martial art. For example, Karate is originally from Okinawa, Taekwondo is from Korea, Kung Fu is from China. By knowing where your art originated you can begin to learn some basic cultural knowledge about your chosen style. Your instructor should be able to help you find material for this.
4. DO your best to follow the directions given by your instructor and to fit in with the class, at least while you are in the discovery phase of seeing if martial arts is for you. You will probably have many questions and depending on the situation it may not be appropriate to ask your questions in the middle of the class. However, make sure that you ask your instructor and other club members about things that don't make sense to you or that are confusing before you go home. They should be more than willing to answer your questions and offer help.
5. DON'T give up your spiritual values or religious beliefs. Just because you start learning about some mysterious Chi force or miraculous feats, don't suddenly think that you have found the answers to all of your unanswered questions. While martial arts can provide some very enlightening wisdom and inspiration, you should always remember why you first enrolled in the martial arts. It was probably to learn self-defense, to improve your health and fitness, or to join in with a worthwhile activity together with your child.
6. DON'T forget the value of humility. It is very important to be respectful in a martial arts environment and not to be too outspoken. As with anything, actions speak louder than words and all too often members of martial arts clubs get into trouble by speaking out about things that they don't understand too soon. It is better to give your chosen art a fair chance and to let your efforts in class initially do the talking until you feel that you have reached the point of being accepted and are able to ask intelligent questions.
To many people martial arts are a completely foreign activity and it takes some time to acclimate the themselves to the specific culture and nuances of the art.
Good luck and best wishes on your journey in martial arts.
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Thursday, May 1, 2014
Martial Arts Etiquette
