Thread: Dojo Etiquette
View Single Post
Old 02-09-2008, 09:12 AM   #2
Pauliina Lievonen
 
Pauliina Lievonen's Avatar
Dojo: Jiki Shin Kan Utrecht
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 562
Netherlands
Offline
Re: Dojo Etiquette

I switched dojo and organisations when I was a fourth kyu as well. The only difference is that both organisations wear white belts until shodan so at least I was used to that. But I had to learn subtly different ways of doing all the techniques as well, and in the beginning just like you I didn't know who was what rank, so I tended to line up far left just in case, until there were some people who started after me at the dojo.

The short answer is, if you keep training, all of those issues will solve themselves. You learn the new technique, you learn to know people, and people learn to know you and what you can do. Until then, you just have to swallow your pride, accept that things are different in different places (when in Rome.... ) and practice patience. Sorry I don't have any magic tricks to make it any easier.

Maybe it would help with lining up to think of it this way: every single person who started training at your new dojo, regardless of their rank, is senior to you in this particular dojo. You can safely line up left to anyone who was there before you.

As to courses and seminars: A fourth kyu at one dojo in one organisation might have very different skills than a fourth kyu in another dojo/organisation. So even wearing a coloured belt, you still need to start out carefully with each partner, until you get a feel for each other and what you can handle. Don't look at what people wear but try to feel what they can do when you start to train with them.

Hope this helps!
kvaak
Pauliina
  Reply With Quote