Rules, Self Disciplines, and Courtesies

The following are general rules that should be consistent in all SDA member schools. However, please be aware that the rules may vary from school to school. All students will be treated with respect, regardless of their original school and/or instructor.

The following is based on an open letter written by Senior Master Bill Leonard. Discipline (self or otherwise) and courtesy sets us apart from common thugs that know how to hurt and maim. We hope that you take this to heart.

Bowing

One of the most obvious of the many rules, self disciplines and courtesies in Shaolin Do is "bowing". This is the first show of courtesy a new student notices.

Who

Students below the rank of "Black Belt" should bow to all black belts whenever they approach one. When the conversation is over the student should bow again before turning to walk away. If the student is a black belt they should follow the same routine with any black belt that out ranks them. After all, each rank of black belt takes as long or longer, as it does from white belt to black belt. It is only right that proper respect be shown to an upper ranking black belts.

Whenever a "Master" walks into a dojo (Japanese word for school, in Chinese the name is "kwoon"), everyone should stop what they are doing and show proper respect by facing them and bowing. After all, your art survives only at the will of the Masters. They have demonstrated to the Grandmaster that they possess the necessary talent and knowledge to reach this high level. Shaolin arts are over 1500 years old and each of the masters carries that history with them wherever they walk.

If you are teaching and a higher ranking black belt comes into the room, stop the class and have everyone bow to them. It is also proper to offer for them to teach the class. Whatever the response, go along with them and treat them with respect.

When

Whenever a student enters or leaves a dojo, they should bow at the door or entrance to the training floor. When class begins and ends, there will be a formal kneeling bow. DO NOT RISE from a sitting position before all black belts or other belts that outrank you are standing, this is looked upon as an insult to higher ranks.

While in class pay attention to the sensai (teacher, "sifu " in Chinese) and don't horse around. If you have a question. Approach your teacher, bow and ask your question and bow before walking off.

While in class you will perform different "katas" or sets of techniques. It is proper to bow before starting and upon completion of a kata. If you perform a set, such as short katas or sparring techniques, you should bow at the beginning and end of the set, not after each individual technique.

Another common courtesy to others is to bow when you stop at a barrier of some kind (ie. wall, cliff, etc.), and then again after you turn to start once more. This is a form of an apology to those who might be in your path that you mean no ill will toward them as you practice your art.

Testing

Test bowing has a few more rules. When the master enters the test area, all students should be in a straight lines and facing them. There will be a standing bow after which all those being tested will sit down and await their turn. When your name is called, step to the middle of the area, face the master and bow. If there is a committee, you will then face them and bow. After bowing stand ready to be tested. If during the exam you make a mistake, face the master, bow and ask permission to repeat the material. Whatever the answer, bow.

When your test is completed, face the master and bow out. If there is a committee, you will bow out to them first and then to the master. After all the test scores are given (under NO circumstances argue with the results or ask questions) there will be a formal kneeling bow. Again, do NOT rise until all black belts and other belts that outrank you are standing.

Dojo

Always bow before entering or leaving the dojo. Always be respectful of your dojo and don't abuse it. After entering and before class, students should make sure the dojo is clean and free of any trash, paper, bottles, etc. As a matter of respect for the dojo don't ever smoke, drink or do anything else that is unhealthy inside the dojo. Always support your dojo. Anytime there is a white belt sign-up you should do your best to enroll new people. The lifeblood of a dojo is the support of its students.

Uniform

Your Karate uniform is called a GI. Your GI should be kept clean and in good repair. Nothing is worse than a worn out GI. All students below the rank of black belt will wear a white GI. Only black belts may wear a black GI. The ornamentation of your GI should consist of the Yin Yang patch, fist patch, red belt patch, the Shaolin patch and the SDA patch (if you are a member). You can also have your name either on your back or right front of the GI. There are a couple of other patches given only to black belts. Do not put anything on your GI that has not been approved by your teacher.

Patches

Sparring

Sparring practice has a great deal of bowing. When you approach the ring, bow before entering. Both of the contestants should face the referee and bow to the referee's command. They will then face each other and bow again at the referee's command. The match can then begin. If the match is stopped for any reason, such as a knock down or out of bounds, you will bow to each other again before the restart of the match. At the end of the match, stand facing each other and bow, then face the referee and bow. Before leaving the ring, bow and back out of the ring.

Sparring, although not the most important part of the Martial Arts, it is essential in your training. As a general rule you should not spar without supervision until you rank at least 3rd degree brown belt. There are a number of reasons for this rule. First, in the lower ranks you have not developed enough control over your body or focus in your attacks or blocks. Second, you must develop the right attitude about sparring. If you are accidentally hit, you might get mad and hit back. This is not the correct attitude.

Sparring is a learning exercise not a win/loose exercise. When sparring in class or with a fellow student never, no matter how tempted, throw any attacks to the knee or elbow joints. These kinds of attacks can permanently cripple an opponent. You should always consider your classmate's safety before anything else.

If someone above your rank asks you to spar, you cannot turn them down. If they ask you to spar, it is that they are taking an interest in your progress and it would be an insult to refuse. On the other hand, don't ask someone above your rank to spar. This could be interpreted as a challenge.

Teaching

We are all students and will always be students. If your teacher has faith in you they may recommend you as a teacher to Grandmaster Thé. Until then, you should not teach or cause to be taught anything you have learned. If you do, not only are you robbing your teacher of students, but you are also robbing yourself of all the hard work, sweat, time, and money that you have invested in Shaolin Do. Never put on a demonstration with out the express consent of your teacher.

Attitude

The hardest thing to talk about is attitude, so it is divided it into sections.

• Attitude toward your teacher.
• Attitude toward your dojo.
• Attitude in class.
• Attitude toward higher ranking students.
• Attitude toward yourself.
• Attitude about rank advancement.
• Attitude about sparring and tournaments.
• General thoughts to live by.

Attitude toward your teacher

Your teacher is the source of your entire knowledge. They should be treated with great respect, not only for their physical ability, but for their ability to teach. When your teacher tells you something, you should believe it. You should follow their advice almost blindly because they have been there before. Grandmaster Thé is probably the only person in the world with a comprehensive knowledge of the Shaolin system. You should treat him in the same manner as you would treat the President of the United States or other world leader.

We are extremely lucky to have him as our Grandmaster and you should not forget it. The old saying that familiarity breeds contempt is true, don't let this happen to you with your teacher or master. The friendlier you become with them the luckier you should feel and the more respect you should show. Loyalty to your teacher and master is a must. Without loyalty, there is no respect or trust. There have been traitors to us in the past and in almost every instance, the reason has been their massive egos, lack of respect and self discipline, and little or no loyalty. Don't let this happen to you.

Attitude toward the dojo

Dojo is the Japanese word for Karate school, the Chinese word is Kwoon which means training hall. Your attitude about the dojo should be to feel that it is a place of learning and should be treated respectfully. It should be kept clean by the students. It should not be defaced or horse around in and you should act with restraint and self discipline.

Attitude in class

When in formal class, you should act as proper and respectful as possible. You should concentrate everything you have on what your teacher is trying to teach you. Put every ounce of strength and effort you have into everything you do in the class. Taking it easy in class is lazy, and you will never gain ability in this manner. Never drop out of a workout or stop in the middle of a workout unless you feel you are going to be ill. If you do feel it necessary to remove yourself from a workout you should face your teacher and bow. Then respectfully ask permission to sit down, giving the reason why. When you feel better, again bow to your teacher and take your place in the class. This is not to be tough on anyone whom is ill it is to encourage those who are tired or feeling a bit of pain to continue the workout. The old cliche is true, "no pain, no gain". You should never over workout this is not productive. However, if you do not stretch a little beyond what you were before or workout hard enough to get your heart rate high enough nothing will be gained from your workout.

If you must ask a question during the class, wait until there is a break in the action. Don't break up a workout, keep it in your mind until there is an opportunity. Example of when to ask would be, standing in the bo stance catching your breath.

Attitude toward higher ranking students

Higher ranking students should be treated with respect, the way you respect upperclassman in school. Black belts should be treated as a much older brother with experience that you can learn from. You should show extreme respect for any black belt, whether you like them personally or not. The higher the rank, the higher the respect. Do not walk up to a black belt, hit them on the back. and say "hi Joe. How is everything?" You should approach them respectfully and address them respectfully when you speak. Remember, there are good black belts, average black belts and poor black belts. Just as there are good, average, and poor doctors. The fact remains that they are black belts and doctors.

Attitude about yourself

To work hard in Shaolin Do and gain ability, you must have some ego. The trick is to be in control of yourself and your ego, never think of your self as super bad or super great, and keep everything in perspective. As long as you study, you will be a student no matter what your rank. Even if you become a teacher, you are still a student of your teacher.

You should have respect for yourself but at the same time try to be as humble as possible. The biggest problem is when you start thinking you are better than other people. You isolate yourself in your own little world and can't see out.

Attitude about rank advancement

There are more hard feelings and politics about rank advancement than any other subject. You must look at it this way. In the lower ranks, you are judged physical ability alone. If you fail an exam, it doesn't mean you are a failure. What it does mean is that your teacher feels you do not have a firm grasp on the material that has been presented to you, and if they pass you to the next rank you will be further confused because of the addition of new material. Do not complain or quit if you do not pass a test, rather go back, redo the previous material until you have a firm grasp on it, both physically and mentally.

In the upper ranks of brown and black belt, the question sometimes is not if you can perform the material, but how well can perform the material. There must be some artistic value to what you are doing. Your overall performance is what counts. Also, in the upper ranks your attitude comes into play. If you have a poor attitude, your chances of becoming a black belt are poor. If you have a good attitude, your chances of being a black belt are good. The most important statement about rank advancement is:

You must feel 100% comfortable with your material and performance in order for your advancement to mean anything to you.

Sparring and Tournaments

When two people spar, both should learn from the experience and neither should be injured. Learning at the expense of a fellow classmate is not the way Shaolin Do. When you begin a match, you should try your best but show control and focus. Most people fear sparring and this is not the right attitude. You should approach sparring as a mathematical problem, that needs to be resolved. For example how can you score upon this opponent, or why is this opponent scoring on me and what can you do to stop them. Complete cooperation of both parties is needed in order to prevent injury.

You should always give it your best, but you must remember that only one person can win. So don't get mad or feel like you have to win to save face. Sparring is a learning experience, and we learn more from our defeats than our victories. The true martial artist looks at their defeats and studies them so they are not repeated. The same holds true for tournaments. Approach them as if you are going to a party. Play your part of the game the best you can, but win or lose you are going to enjoy everything that goes on at the tournament. Tournaments are a chance for you to see students that may be approaching the material from an different angle than in your school. So, like the monks of old, bring back to your school what you learned, then all will benefit.

General Attitude

Always try be the best person that you can . Always try to be concerned with other people's feelings. Life sometimes is hard and things don't always go the way you want them to. In order to survive happily or sanely, you must accept reality and go on from there. Do not accept it grudgingly, but accept it as the natural order and proceed with life.

Everyone in the art of Shaolin-Do that wears a black belt should try to be a living example of our rules and regulations. This will encourage the lower ranks to follow suit without complaints. The worst thing any black belt can do is to tell anyone to do something one way and then do the opposite. "Do what I say, not what I do", was never a valid concept. You must practice what you preach. If you cannot live up to the rules, don't expect others to live up to them.

All the rules that were followed in the Orient haven't been covered, but that was not the purpose. It was to convey a general understanding of Shaolin Do. And most of all, to give the students a little knowledge of the proper way to conduct themselves in and out of class. If you as a student do not wish to accept what is written here, then that's fine. No one will force you to do anything that you do not want to do. But for those of you that want to know the proper way of doing things...

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