What To Expect In Your First Class

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Alright, you've done it.  You've decided to join the dōjō, or seriously consider joining, and you want to know what to expect during your first class.   We understand.  You don't want to commit a serious breah of etiquette your first day.  You know you will be participating in a culture and activities that are different from what you're used to, and you don't want to feel out of place.  Well, we don't want you to feel uncomfortable or out of place, either, so here are a few things you can expect to see and do in your first class at Victory Dōjō in roughly the order you will perform them:

  • Seiretsu  (Line up)
  • Hairei  (Bow of Esteem)
  • Mokusō  (Meditation)
  • Shirei  (Bow to instructor)
  • Dōjō Kun  (Code of the Dojo)
  • Jumbi Taisō  (Warm-ups)
  • Kihon  (Fundamentals)
  • Kata or Waza  (Solo practice)
  • Kumite or Kumitachi  (Training with a partner)
  • Seiretsu  (Line up)
  • Shirei  (Bow to instructor)
  • Hairei  (Bow of Esteem)
  • Sōji  (Clean up)


Each of these activities is explained further below under the categories of Sahō to Reihō (Preparation & Etiquette), Renshū Katsudō (Training Activities), and Tsui no Katsudō (Final Activities). 

What should I bring to my first class?  Nothing!  Just come to class.  We provide new students with all the loaner equipment they will need for their first month or two of training.

What should I wear to my first class?  Just comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that allow you to freely move your arms and legs throughout their full range of motion.  No uniform or special clothing is required for your first few classes.   Training uniforms (keikōgi) are no longer as inexpensive as they once were, so we want new students to be sure they want to continue training before they invest in a keikōgi and other equipment.  A keikōgi is not required until you are ready to test for your first promotion in rank.

Sahō to Reihō

Posted by Michiko Pellman on 15 July 2021
Karate-do

Sahō means "preparation."  In the larger sense, sahō begins at home with such things as having a clean training uniform (keikōgi) or clothing, trimming your fingernails to avoid scratching other students, remembering to bring all of your equipment with you, and leaving in time to arrive a few minutes early for class to assist with set-up of our equipment. 

Reihō is "etiquette," and there is both formal and informal etiquette to be observed in the dōjō.  As you first enter the training area, bow as shown in the photo at left as a gesture of respect for the dōjō itself.  You should also bow as a greeting to any students already in the dōjō.  Once everything is set up for class to begin, the formal reihō will begin:

n Seiretsu.  The sensei or a sempai (senior student) will say, "Seiretsu."  Participants will assemble in one or more straight lines, spaced about 6 feet apart.
n Hairei.  At the command "Shōmen ni taishite" ("Face the true front"), all participants will face in the direction of the dōjō kamon (emblem) and founder's portrait.   On the command,  "Rei" they will perform hairei (bow of esteem) by bowing quickly forward, holding the bow for a second or two, then rising slowly from the bow. 
n Shirei.  Following the command, "Sensei ni taishite" ("Face the sensei"), participants will be told,  "Rei" and will perform shirei (bow to instructor) in the normal fashion bowing forward, holding the bow while saying "O-negai shimasu" ("Please"), and then rising from the bow at the same speed. 
n Mokusō.   Participants will next be told to sit in seiza (seated on the knees) and perform mokusō (silent thought).  The object of mokusō is to empty the mind of negative thoughts and attitudes, then fill it with positive thoughts and attitudes as prescribed in Philippians 4:8:   "Finally, brethren,  whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, if there is any excellence and anything worthy of praise, meditate on these things."  After an appropriate time the command, "Mokuso yame" will be given to cease meditation.
n Dōjō Kun.   After mokusō, students in the karate and Okinawa kobujutsu class (only) will be instructed to recite the Dōjō Kun.   The Seishin-Kan Dōjō Kun can be viewed by clicking this link:  dojokun.html.
n Kiritsu.  After the DJK, participants will be told "Kiritsu" ("Stand up"), having now completed sahō and reihō .


Of course, reihō (etiquette) will continue to be involved in every activity for the remainder of class.   Students will bow to each other before and after every activity as a reminder of "Rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru" ("Everything begins and ends with respect").

Renshū Katsudō

Posted by Michiko Pellman on 15 July 2021

Jodan Hiji AteOnce participants are prepared for class and have performed the customary etiquette, the following activities will typically follow in the order presented below:

n Jumbi Taisō.  Before engaging in more stenuous activities, the class will usually be led in a brief set of warm-up exercises, called jumbi taisō.  To the fullest extent possible, these exercises will be movements derived from the arts being practiced in class, rather than just generic warm-ups.
n Kihon.  The next activity is usually repetitive performance of kihon (fundamentals), both stantionary and idō kihon (moving basics).
n Kata or Waza.   The essence of training in all of the arts we teach are the kata (examples) and waza (techniques) that make up those arts.
n Kumite or Kumibuki.   Kumite means "crossing hands" and is the term used in karate for various forms of sparring with one or more partners.  Kumite includes ippon kumite (one-step sparring), sambon kumite (3-step sparring), yakusoku kumite (choreographed sparring), and jiyū kumite ("free" sparring).  The equivalent of kumite in arts involving weapons, like Okinawa kobujutsu, iaijutsu, kenjutsu, and jōjutsu is kumibuki ("crossing weapons").  When swords are involved, the term most often used is kumitachi ("crossing swords").  Training in jūhō (grappling methods) is a form of kumite, as well.
n Hojo Undō.   Occasionally, classes will be supplemented with additional activities (hojo undō), such as kitae (hardening of striking surfaces) or activities to develop underlying skills like balance, flexibility, posture, or stamina.


Each class is designed to provide a variety of activities that build essential skills in a systematic and progressive way.

Tsui no Katsudō

Posted by Michiko Pellman on 15 July 2021
Owari (The End)

The closing activities of most classes are essentially the opening activities performed in reverse order:

n Seiretsu.  The sensei or a sempai (senior student) will say, "Seiretsu."  Participants will assemble in one or more straight lines, spaced about 6 feet apart.
n Dōjō Kun.   Students in the karate and Okinawa kobujutsu class (only) will be instructed to recite the Dōjō Kun as a reminder to apply it outside the dōjō.  The Seishin-Kan Dōjō Kun can be viewed by clicking this link:  dojokun.html.
n Shirei.  Following the command, "Sensei ni taishite" ("Face the sensei"), participants will be told,  "Rei" and will perform shirei (bow to instructor) in the same manner as at the beginning of class, but saying, "Arigato gozaimashita" ("Thank you").  
n Hairei.  At the command "Shōmen ni taishite" ("Face the true front"), all participants will face in the direction of the dōjō kamon (emblem) and founder's portrait.   On the command,  "Rei" they will perform hairei (bow of esteem) by bowing quickly forward, holding the bow for a second or two, then rising slowly from the bow. 
n Sōji.  Before leaving the dōjō, the participants will quickly put away all equipment used during class, and ensure that the training area is properly arranged for the next users of the facility.  Although sōji is performed at the end of the class, it is actually consider part of sahō for the next training session.

Once sōji is finished, class is officially over.  But, in the spirit of jikishin kore dōjō nari (wherever the heart is pure becomes a dōjō), the real task has just begun:  applying the lessons learned in class to the opportunities and challenges of everyday life until class reconvenes.

Ranking and Promotion Testing

Posted by Upton O'Goode on 16 July 2021

A question that frequently arises shortly after joining the dōjō is "How is ranking determined?" or "What do the coloured belts mean?"

The requirements for promotion in rank are different for each of the arts we teach at the Seishin-Kan.  All students begin as shōshinsha ("beginners") with no rank.  A participant holding no rank is also called a mudansha ("unranked person") in Japanese.  In general, students must pass a test (shinsa) to be promoted in rank.  The requirements for promotion in the arts taught at the Seishin-Kan are explained in the information provided about each of those arts, which can be accessed through the links listed below:

n Shitō-Ryū Karate-dō
n Aragaki-Ryū Okinawa Kobujutsu
n Musō Jikiden Eishin-Ryū Iaijutsu
n Shindō Musō-Ryū Jōjutsu


We are not currently authorised to perform testing or promotion in the arts of Ono-Ha Ittō-Ryū Kenjutsu or Daitō-Ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. 

Membership Card

Random foliage

Membership cards are not as popular as they once were.  The same goes for those "suitable for framing" membership certificates, so we now issue them only upon request.  This not only saves printing and postage costs, but conserves natural resources.

However, any member who wants a membership card or certificate, can simply request either one and we will promptly mail it.

To see an example of the Seishin-Kan membership card and certificate, please click here.  To request your copy, please click here.

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