Etiquette in Aikido

Etiquette in Aikido
There are three main aspects for etiquette in Martial Arts and in particular Aikido, which are:

- Safety;
- Cleanliness;
- Respect.

The main rules for Dojo Etiquette are:

1 - Always wear a clean keikogi;

2 - Keep finger nails and toe nails short;

3 - Make sure you are clean and tidy;

4 - Never wear any jewellery as this can damage the tatami or injure others;

5 - Footwear must be worn until you reach the tatami (never ware shoes or bring dirt onto the tatami);

6 - Don't eat or drink on the tatami;

7 - Never swear or use profanity in the dojo;

8 - Always bow when entering and leaving the dojo;

9 - Always bow when coming onto and leaving the tatami;

10 - Always bow to your partner before starting and after completing your series of moves;

11 - Always bow to your partner before and after receiving your partner's series of moves (this is particularly important with weapons as this lets each of you know who is attacking or executing a technique);

12 - Always show respect to your partner;

13 - Always pay attention to safety;

14 - Keep conversation to a minimum when practicing;

15 - there should only be one teacher, unless otherwise indicated;

16 - When a new student arrives, make sure they are aware of the facilities available and of what requirements are expected of them in order to practice;

17 - If in doubt ask the instructor or senior students;

18 - Before the practice, make sure the instructor is aware of any injuries or ailments you have.