How formal is your school?

[Big Don]

Ours is a mix, like most of yours, apparently.
Brown and Black Belts are Mister or Miss ____ Black Belts are Sifu ______ .
Some people are more formal than others.
I can't imagine calling my Sifu by his first name, most of the time I don't call him Sifu, but, "SIR" is a habit. Although, the 17yr old Black Belt doesn't like it much when I call her Ma'am...

 

[hogstooth]

Formal as far as uniform, drills and showing respect. But we do have an instructor/ student question/ answer period at the end of class which is very informal.

 

[wrc619]

It is properly formal. We bow when we enter and exit the training area. We bow to our training partner. The instructor is addressed as "Instructor" followed by his name. When I help him with the kid's class, he has them address me as "Assistant" followed by name. Outside of class, due to local customs, he is addressed as Uncle by most of the kids. Any of the kids I am familiar with(children of my grownup friends e.g.) just call me by my name. Instructor's wife is usually addressed as Auntie or Miss, also due to local customs.

 

[Balrog]

During private instruction the formality is toned down a bit. However when in group class it is formal. Instructor is always addressed as yes sir/ma'am. Proper uniform must be worn at all times, and everyone is address by their last name i.e. Mr/ Mrs so and so , or Miss so and so. It is not super uptight however and it is not uncommon to hear a laugh or to see many smiles while in class or training. All in all it is a great environment.

Very similar to ours. We are full uniform during the week, but Saturday is t-shirt day. Everyone over the age of 10 is called by last name; the younger kids can be called by first name, but always with the honorific (Miss Heather, that sort of thing). I try to run their butts off in class, but I also try to get at least one good belly laugh during that class as well. I want them to leave the floor sweating but smiling.

 

[Svart]

Bow in and out. Full uniforms. Yes sirs, no talking during drills etc. Bow before and after each part. Regimented lines.

 

[CrimsonPhoenix]

In my Tae Kwon Do class we're pretty formal. We bow in at the start of class and bow out at the end. We also bow when we come into the room and when approaching one of the instructors or after receiving instruction from them (if delegated to teach or something).

The instructors are addressed as Mr. and Miss followed by their last name. I'd never dream of calling one of them by their first name. 'Yes sir's' and 'yes ma'am's' are always expected. Students usually have to do push ups if a 'yes' or 'yeah' is given as an answer. Beginners don't have to do this, but they are reminded of the proper way to address the black belts. Advanced ranking students are generally called Mr. and Miss also.

We do have a lot of fun in our class and sometimes things get a little silly. However, when one of the instructors is talking, the student's full attention needs to be focused on that instructor and the atmosphere is more serious. Questions are encouraged during the whole class.

In our class, full uniform is an option, but not wearing a belt with said uniform is a definite no no. It is fine to wear the pants and a white t-shirt in hotter weather. We're getting class t-shirts soon, and that will be another option. For the brand new people, sweat pants and a t-shirt is fine, though they are expected to buy a uniform after several weeks.

 

[Drac]

We are informal....We wear full uniforms and belts in the Winter, but in the Summer its sweat pants and T's...The instructors are addressed by our first names..They is always an oppertunity to have a good laugh which I believe relieves tension and makes the classes a lot more fun...However when Master Steve is talking we are quiet and listen...

 

[terryl965]

We are informal....We wear full uniforms and belts in the Winter, but in the Summer its sweat pants and T's...The instructors are addressed by our first names..They is always an oppertunity to have a good laugh which I believe relieves tension and makes the classes a lot more fun...However when Master Steve is talking we are quiet and listen...

Yes I can see that happening or else you become his dummy.

 

[Steve]

We are informal....We wear full uniforms and belts in the Winter, but in the Summer its sweat pants and T's...

I'll say this. I wish there was a way to grapple without the gi on during Summer gi classes. Today was HOT.

 

[ChingChuan]

Considering your replies, my school doesn't seem formal at all...

Before training starts, we do a short version of our salutation and after training, we usually do the long version. And that's all.

To those who attend a very formal school, don't you ever question the need for formality? After all, studying martial arts is about having fun, it's not the army or something... It's obvious that a certain 'order' is needed during class - one should pay attention, train seriously etc. etc., but is formality the correct way to achieve that?

 

[Drac]

I'll say this. I wish there was a way to grapple without the gi on during Summer gi classes. Today was HOT.

I imagine that would be a problem...Now at my friends Kajukenbo school they wear their gi's full time, even in the God awful heat...I'm taking about the heavy Instructor gi's, not the lightweight ones..

 

[Steve]

I imagine that would be a problem...Now at my friends Kajukenbo school they wear their gi's full time, even in the God awful heat...I'm taking about the heavy Instructor gi's, not the lightweight ones..

I take it his school doesn't have A/C either. YIKES!

While I make the occassional no-gi class, I train almost exclusively in gi. Most BJJ gis are at least 14oz, even student grade. Lighter gis just get torn up. My gi weighs about 6 lbs before class (a heck of a lot more on a hot day after class). I feel your friend's pain. HOT!

 

[Shaderon]

I would give our TaeKwonDo class a 7. We have to wear proper uniform though club T-shirts are allowed in summer, we line up and bow at the beginning of class and at the end of class, warm ups are very regimented sometimes, but sometimes are a jog around the room which gives us time to chat. During class the instructor and higher ranks have to be called Mr ... or Ms ... or Sir/Maam (we usually avoid calling colour belt higher ranks anything as it feels silly) and if the instructor is talking everyone has to be quiet. However when we are practising together chat is allowed and we have a lot of fun, especially when throwing each other around (Fixed sparring) or when we manage to trick the other in sparring.
I have been told that the black belt grading is amazingly strict though, from the moment you get out of your car to the moment you get back in it you are being watched and graded for "attitude" and someone failed before they even got in the examination hall not too long ago.

 

[JadeDragon3]

My first kung fu school was pretty informal. We would all come in and line up for class and the teacher would come in and just start class by having us stretch first then teach and go over material. No bow in's or bowing out of class. We called the teacher by his first name which was Tony. We wore kung fu pants and a school t shirt. The school had no air conditioning for the summer heat and in winter only had a kerosene heater which we smelled like when we got home from class. The school looked like a school out of a Shaw Bros. movie. It had all sorts of crazy training devices. The owner and Grandmaster (Dr. John Wing Loc Ng) could be found sleeping under a desk in the office with his big Japanese Akida named Tojo. It was a great school though and I loved it.

 

[harlan]

Bow in and out of the dojo. Bow once starting practice, and ending practice...usually to teacher/senior student. No gi required, first name basis.

However, I consider all that to be external ritual. I think my mindset is more 'formal'.

 

[Traditionalist]

Our Hapkido class is pretty formal. We were doboks in the summer (we don't have a/c, sweating is good for the soul), and in winter (we do have a heater although its usually only on 60 degrees). The instructor and all black belts are called Mr. or Ms. We bow before we get on and off the mat and we bow to our partners as well. Usually most of the talking, besides instructional, is done before or after class. Every now and then something funny will happen and we all get a good chuckle. We aren't allowed to wear any part of our doboks outside. And we must address each other the same out of class as we do in class. Most of us prefer bowing to one another instead of hand shakes after a drill or partnering exercise. if we are given instruction by the Instructor we acknowledge it by a bow or a yes sir. And we follow the hierarchy of the belt rank system. You respect the higher belts ahead of you in class.

 

[Carley]

My Kyuki-Do class is semi-formal. You bow when you enter the dojang, call the instructor Mr./Ma'am, always wear your uniform. Respect the instructor and all senior ranks.

But there's lot of joke-cracking, laughing and smiles. I find that if you don't enjoy what you're doing, why do it at all?