Technical Information - Formal Bowing Procedure
Formal bowing Procedure | Sanbon Gumite | Ohyo Gumite | Kihon Gumite
Formal Bowing Procedure
The ‘traditional’ method of lining up in the Dojo is quite simple.
On the command of ‘Seiretsu’ students must line-up quickly and quietly in the proper grade/rank order (highest ranks starting from the front-right working down to the lowest ranks on the rear-left) in equal rank & file in the Kiritsu (informal attention) position (Musubi-dachi). You must not pass in front of higher graded ranks to do so, filter in from the rear and side of your own line. All Sensei stand facing the rank & file of students.
In the event that there is more than one Sensei, the highest graded Sensei would usually be positioned at the left of the lower ranked Sensei (this would then be in correct rank position during the 'Shomen-ni-rei', where the highest ranks must be on the right as in the line up).
Bowing-on Procedure:
- Sensei: 'Seiretsu' (line up in correct ranks and files). Sensei ‘signals’ the Sempai to acknowledge the start of the bowing-on procedure
- Sempai: 'Seiza' (all knee)
- Sensei: 'Dojo kun' (Dojo maxims)
- Deshi: 'Dojo kun'
- Sensei: 'Reisetsu O Mamori' (stick to the rules of the Dojo)
- Deshi: 'Reisetsu O Mamori'
- Sensei: 'Shingi O Omanji' (be loyal to your Instructor)
- Deshi: 'Shingi O Omanji'
- Sensei: 'Jojitsu Ni Oberesu' (students & Instructors are not all one, never take advantage of his friendship)
- Deshi: 'Jojitsu Ni Oberesu'
- Sensei: 'Shinkenmi Ni Tesseyo' (be serious in your efforts)
- Deshi: 'Shinkenmi Ni Tesseyo'
- Sensei: 'Mokuso' (quiet thought)
- Students and Instructors shut their eyes for a moment of meditation to clear the mind of outside distractions etc., concentrating on the task ahead of serious Karate training and the concepts of the Dojo-kun
- Sensei: 'Mokuso Yamae' (stop meditating) – all students and instructors open their eyes and look to the front. The Sensei will turn to face the Shomen (front), towards the Kamiza (shrine)
- Sempai: Shomen Ni Rei (bow to the front) – all bow
- The Sensei turns to face the class
- Sempai: 'Sensei Ni Rei' (bow to the Instructor) – all bow
- Sempai: 'Otaga Ni Rei' (bow to each other) – Deshi bow
- Sempai: 'Kiritsu' (come to attention. All stand at once, with the Sensei, to the attention stance – Musubi Dachi) – all bow