Dorking Judo Club - Etiquette

Bowing When two Japanese meet they don't shake hands but bow to each other instead. This is why in Judo, we bow. Jigaro Kano, the founder of Judo, decided it was very important that judoka should be polite to each other at all times. When two people are competing it is very easy for one or both to lose their temper. To ensure 'real' fights don't break out on the mat, Kano insisted that everyone had to bow, and this tradition is observed throughout the world. The word for bow in Japanese is 'Rei'. There are two types of bow, the standing bow 'tachi rei' and the kneeling bow 'za rei'. For the tachi rei, stand with your feet together and hands at the side. Bow by bending at the hips, not the waist. For the za rei, kneel with your feet flat, but your body upright and hands on your thighs. Bend forward, putting your hands flat on the ground in front of you. You don't have to bend so far down that your head touches the ground. Halfway down is enough, but try not to let your bottom stick up in the air ! Most judo session begin with a za rei between the teacher and the pupils. This is a mark of respect, with the pupils thanking the teacher for the lesson, the the teacher thanking the pupils for coming to the class. Everytime you have a new practice partner you should perform at the start and finish either a za rei if you are doing ground work, or a tachi rei for standing work. Judo is about fighting, but Jigoro Kano wanted people to be able to develope their fighting skills without hurting others. That is why judo is a polite combat sport, and why etiquette is very impotant. As well as bowing to your partner in randori, or at the beginning and end of judo sessions, you should also bow on entering and leaving the dojo. Another sign of respect, this time for the dojo !