Standing vs kneeling

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[kensparrow]

I was just curious if most people typically do a standing or a kneeling bow when stepping on or off the mat.

[wendyrowe]

We do a standing bow when stepping on or off the mat.

[Nick P.]

Ken,

At the beginning of practice, I step onto the mat and bow and then kneel right away, then bow. Reverse when leaving the mat.

[Don_Modesto]

I was just curious if most people typically do a standing or a kneeling bow when stepping on or off the mat.
At Ueshiba Honbu in Tokyo, most people I saw kneeled.

In his dojo handbook, ASU Director Saotome Mitsugi instructs people to do a standing bow; he does a kneeling bow himself.

In most dojo I've been to, folk do a standing bow.

[Ted Marr]

Yes. Which is to say, kneeling bow on and off at the beginning and ending of class, but if you were to leave the mat mid-class (for a water break, or whatever), it's just a standing bow off. Of course, this rule isn't set in stone. I wonder whether Jun has a poll on this one yet... *grin*

[Karen Wolek]

Standing bow. BUT my sensei and some other yudansha do a bow in seiza. I asked once and was told either way is fine....the seated bow is just more formal. Well, good! I'm lucky I remember to bow at all! ;)

[Lan Powers]

Standing.......unless you are sitting at the edge stretching before class is called, then it is nice to kneel (already down, you see).

Lan

[batemanb]

The three dojo's that I trained in whilst living in Japan all do kneeling bows onto the mat (with a few exceptions). I adopted the same habit many moons back. Here in the UK, most do standing bows, but as mentioned in other posts, it doesn't matter that much.

Regards

Bryan

[Don_Modesto]

Hello, Bryan,

Bryan Bateman

Username: batemanb

Today 08:02 AM

Dojo: Nakano Ku Aikido Renmei, Milton Keynes Seishin Aikido

Location: Tokyo, given up for Milton Keynes

Two questions:

1) Do you train at the Nakano-ku Ward dojo across the street and down the block from the station?

2) What does "Tokyo, given up for Milton Keynes" mean?

Thanks.

[batemanb]

Hi Don,

1. If you mean in the Nakano Taikukan (which is across the street and down the block), Yes I used to train in that dojo, and one of Koyama Sensei's other dojo's near Nakano Shinbashi.

2. Means that due to circumstances beyond my control (mainly business but a little family), I have relocated back to the UK.

Regards

Bryan