Do'Jang Etiquette

• When entering or leaving the training space, please bow (towards the flag if there is one up, or toward the instructor if there is none), there's no need for a long deep bow, just a simple quick, courteous and sincere bow to show respect to the instructor and the martial art of Taekwondo.

• When told to line up at the beginning of a lesson, line up from right to left (when facing the instructor) in order of grade: i.e. black belts go to the extreme right, with intervening grades flowing from them to the left ending in beginners on the complete left.

• Treat everybody with respect, respecting both lower and upper grades equally, black belts deserve no ‘special respect' that beginners should not be shown!

• When sparring you may not wear shoes (except official Taekwondo shoes) as they can cause considerably more damage by accident than bare feet.

• Please refer to the instructor as ‘sir' or ‘sabomnim.' Sabomnim is simply the Korean form of ‘sensei' or ‘teacher,' and is pronounced ‘Sa-bum-nim.' If you feel silly saying this or are not sure how to do so correctly, ‘sir' is fine.

• Ask to leave the class for water or any other reason by raising your hand; this is both for safety and insurance reasons and also to show a sign of respect to the instructor leading the class.

• Pay attention to all instructions as not doing so can put yourself and others at risk.

• No swearing at any time, this is considered just as rude in eastern society as in the west, you wouldn't swear in a seminar!

• No chewing gum during class, or standing with your hands on your hips in a slouched manner – these are quite offensive and disrespectful things in a martial arts class.

• When training in pairs please bow to your partner before each technique or commencing sparring, this is a sign of respect and also an acknowledgement that you are not really ‘fighting'.

• When adjusting your dobok or wiping sweat, turn to your right to adjust yourself etc, so as not to face the instructor. Playing around with your uniform or belt in front of your instructor is extremely disrespectful in martial arts.

• Turn up early to lessons (i.e. if class starts at 7 please be changed and ready to start for five minutes to 7). Do not expect to simply join in the lesson 15 minutes late; you must wait at the side until the instructor calls you to join the lesson. If you are particularly late do not be surprised if you are told you cannot join in.

• When semi-free sparring (i.e. when you are not wearing pads such as head guard or chest guard, etc…) you should barely touch your opponent, and beginners are encouraged not to connect their attacks at all for their own safety.  Kicking full strength is what pads and insurance are for!

• You should acknowledge a command from the instructor shouting kiap, this might seem strange to western students in particular (used to conversing with lecturers on an equal basis), however a rigid teacher/student relationship is necessary in martial arts.  Also, you are given so many commands and points to think about that nodding your head and saying ‘ok' or ‘yeah sure' will get very annoying after a while – many students come to prefer the ‘kiap' system for speed and simplicity.

• On the first kick/punch/technique (when moving up and down the hall in lines) a kiap is required for the first kick, but then not again until a different kick/punch or until the lines turn around.

• When turning around straighten your lines with the people on the end where the black belts/higher grades are (whether they are right or not).