smoking

[Tryak]

My school has a policy that we are not allowed to smoke on the grounds at all or anywhere while in uniform. I have never been a smoker and usually skip over this section but I found it interesting.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Good policy. Smoking in casual clothes away from the dojang is one's own business, though I personally find smoking and martial arts to be antithetical. But smoking in uniform reflects poorly on the dojang, given that universally, dojangs project an image of fitness and good health. Not only that, it makes your dobok smell like cigarettes.

Daniel

 

[terryl965]

I agree since we have so many young students involved in any Martial Arts today most schools have that policy.

 

[Drac]

Most of the schools I have visited have a NO SMOKING policy inside or near the front entrance..As a smoker its just as easy for me to slip around to the back or cross the street to indulge..

 

[Kacey]

I teach in a Y - so the whole building is no smoking. I've met very few martial artists who were smokers, especially heavy smokers; oddly, one of the few I knew was also a musician, who kept attempting to quit because of the effects on his voice, but because (at the time) there was a lot of smoking in the bars where he ran open-mike nights, he never managed to quit.

 

[FearlessFreep]

oddly, one of the few I knew was also a musician, who kept attempting to quit because of the effects on his voice, but because (at the time) there was a lot of smoking in the bars where he ran open-mike nights, he never managed to quit.

Wow... that's like trying to stop drinking coffee while working at Starbucks

 

[Tames D]

This thread jogs an old memory of a period when I trained under a Master who chain smoked. This was in a commercial training hall and I don't recall ever seeing him without a cigarette. I would work on technique with him and he would have his cigarette hanging out of his mouth, lol. We never really thought much of it and no one ever complained. Times have changed a bit...

 

[IcemanSK]

Good policy. Smoking in casual clothes away from the dojang is one's own business, though I personally find smoking and martial arts to be antithetical. But smoking in uniform reflects poorly on the dojang, given that universally, dojangs project an image of fitness and good health. Not only that, it makes your dobok smell like cigarettes.

Daniel

I think that is a great "unwritten rule." I know a guy who goes out & smokes 2-3 cigarettes WHILE TEACHING a class! ugh.

 

[CuongNhuka]

My mom used to smoke. Then she quit. Then she started up again. When she stopped, I stopped coughing/hacking all the time. She started up again, and I'm back to coughing/hacking. It's no where near as bad since she is now (mostly) smoking outside.

 

[newGuy12]

We have a rule that no one smokes while wearing the dobok. Also, though, you never eat or drink, or do anything like lounge around. That is, when you have the dobok on, you should be engaged in practice -- in a deliberate way. That is what the dobok is for -- to practice in, only.

I know that I need to stop smoking -- and I also know how to do it. I have quit before -- after 6 months of doing some yoga poses every day in the morning -- so I know how to do it, by what method that works for me. Now all I need to do is to get the ritual going and to execute.

Meanwhile, I will continue to stop and gasp for air every so often when I run out of air at the Dojang. I have told my Teachers that if I keel over with a heart attack, do not be upset, simply take my dobok off and dump my body out of the back door of the Dojang and let me rot there! I wish to be always by that place. That's a joke, of course!

Yes, many older Masters that I had occasion to meet smoked cigarettes.

 

[zDom]

Yes, many older Masters that I had occasion to meet smoked cigarettes.

Yea. I get the impression it was very common among that generation in Korea.

 

[newGuy12]

Yea. I get the impression it was very common among that generation in Korea.

That is also my impression.

 

[Drac]

I know a guy who goes out & smokes 2-3 cigarettes WHILE TEACHING a class! ugh.

OMG!!!! And people say that I smoke too much....

 

[Windsinger]

I'm fortunate in that this isn't a problem for me. I've never been even remotely tempted to take up the habit. My dad had severe asthma (directly related to smoking) from before I was born.

 

[IcemanSK]

OMG!!!! And people say that I smoke too much....

Yeah, if ya figure that's just in a 1 hour period, makes ya wonder how many packs a day. I'm bettin' at least 3.

 

[Drac]

Yeah, if ya figure that's just in a 1 hour period, makes ya wonder how many packs a day. I'm bettin' at least 3.

I cannot even comprehend 3 packs a day..I'm 1/2 pack, it goes up depending on my stress level..We cannot smoke in our cruisers to I cut down...

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I think that is a great "unwritten rule." I know a guy who goes out & smokes 2-3 cigarettes WHILE TEACHING a class! ugh.

Did he ever teach the deadly technique known as the 'Marlboro finger waza'?

Daniel

 

[YoungMan]

Me personally, if I find out a student smokes I work them harder. Hopefully they realize smoking is very bad for the stamina

 

[GlassJaw]

We have a rule that no one smokes while wearing the dobok. Also, though, you never eat or drink, or do anything like lounge around. That is, when you have the dobok on, you should be engaged in practice -- in a deliberate way. That is what the dobok is for -- to practice in, only.

That's pretty much the rule in our school, too. No wearing the dobak outside of the building where the class or tournament is without permission from our master. (For example, it's not to be used as a Halloween costume or as workout clothes at home or pajamas.)

We're not to wear our dobaks on the way to or from practice, either. (Especially the jacket, anyway. . .if someone enters the building already wearing their dobak pants, it's not usually a problem provided they're clean.)

Also, our belts don't go on until after we bow in to enter the room, and come off before approaching the doorway to bow out (that is, we don't wear them in the hallway or restroom). Of course, we do wear full uniform, including belt when participating with the school at demos, such as parades or SD workshops.

I've seen us make exceptions to our prohibition on eating or drinking while in uniform for things like a refreshment intermission or lunch break during a tournament or long testing, but, again, the dobak is expected to remain clean and not look like it has been slept in.

I imagine, though, that if someone went out and had a smoke while in uniform, the cigarette odor would be quite apparent to the other students.

Dan

 

[irishwolf08]

I never got into the smoking scene. I'm one of those, younger kids who everyone is afraid will start dong hardcore drugs randomly.
The smell of it doesn't bother me much, unless its really cheap ciggaretes. Personally, no one that I know smokes in uniform. Some of the adults smoke and a few kids, but never around the school or in uniform, which i think is a very great thing. Celtic Tiger is right.