\n\tBe early to practice, because life happens. If you are early, then you will always have time to\n\tadapt to challenges and comfortably progress without undue stress.\n
\n\n| Rei, etiquette and Mitori Geiko | First session | \n\t
| Ashisabaki / Learning to walk correct | 1st - 4th week | \n\t
| Suburi / Cutting for the first time | 2nd - 6th week | \n\t
| Receiving / Uchikomi | 4th - 8th week | \n\t
| Tying it all together / Fumikomi, Maai, Kiri Keishi | 8th - ongoing | \n\t
| Bogu | As directed | \n\t
\n\tThese are approximations of the time required, some people progress more rapidly than others. Do\n\tnot gauge your success in Kendo by the speed that you cover the material. This is not necessarily\n\tan inverse proportion.\n
\n\n\n\tIf you are the first one to the practice, that is fantastic, get the broom or find a broom to\n\tsweep the floor clear of any debris or dust. A clean dojo makes for a much more successful\n\tpractice and reduces the chance for injury. If there is more than one person, then take turns\n\trunning the broom up and down the floor then pass it along to the next person. This lets everyone\n\tpitch in and still have time to get ready/changed. No one person should ever be cleaning the floor\n\twhile others stand by and watch. Cleaning our practice space should always be a team effort. This\n\tis common courtesy and a part of Rei.\n
\n\n\tWearing the Keiko-gi and Hakama properly; in the beginning training in comfortable clothes that\n\tallow freedom of movement is encouraged, but you are also welcome to begin wearing uniform as soon\n\tas you feel comfortable. We will help you to get the correct size uniform and also how to wear and\n\tcare for it. Remember that the practice of Kendo is done bare foot, so maintain good hygiene and\n\tshort toe nails for everyone’s benefit. This is common courtesy and a part of Rei.\n
\n\n\tCheck equipment for damage before each and every practice, especially the Shinai. A splintered\n\tShinai is dangerous, especially to your opponent. If it is damaged or you are not certain, ask\n\tsomeone senior to check it with you. It is always a good idea to have a spare Shinai with you so\n\tyou don’t have to miss out on practice while making repairs you missed spotting earlier.\n
\n\n\tAlways keep your equipment and yourself neat and tidy. Check your physical condition and health\n\tregularly. We can’t reinforce this enough, but maintain your proper hygiene. Learn how to wash\n\tKeiko-gi and Hakama. When you are in bogu, take care of it - so it can take care of you. If there\n\tis something you don’t know or understand, be in charge of your success and ask. This is common\n\tcourtesy and a part of Rei.\n
\n\n\tThe Shinai represents a sword (Katana, Ken); treat it with respect, do not step over it, when\n\tpicking it up from the floor or placing it on the floor - lower your left knee and carefully\n\thandle or retrieve it. Do not bend over at the waist to reach down for it, especially if your butt\n\tis facing the people you are hoping to practice with. If you need to lean the shinai on the wall\n\tto free up floor space, always place the tip end up. No one wants to catch a shinai tip full of\n\tdust or something worse picked up from the floor. The shinai is the tool you will use to practice\n\tthe techniques of how, where, and when to cut. It is also the weapon you wield to make successful\n\tstrikes with and to fluster your opponent with – treat it well as it is not a toy.\n
\n\n\tEven before we begin practice, perform adequate stretching and warm up. Everybody is different and\n\tchanges in the weather effect all of us differently too. Be aware of these small differences and\n\tkeep yourself in a safe limber state for practice.\n
\n\n\tIf you are unable to practice, but still able to attend - it is equally valuable to observe others\n\tpractice (Mitori Geiko). Pay careful attention to compare what you see between different level\n\tplayers. Always show quiet consideration when watching practice. Banging around on the sidelines\n\tmay cause a distraction and be dangerous to the practice participants. If you are watching from\n\tthe side of the practice, always stay off of the wall. Leaning against a wall is considered very\n\trude.\n
\n\n\tIf you are late, quietly prepare and stretch on your own. Be mindful of the restricted space to\n\tstretch under and join the practice for foot work drills or once line up is called. Jumping into\n\tthe middle of stretching or subari is disruptive. If sensei or a senior member waves for you to\n\tjoin, then quickly join in.\n
\n\n\n\tThe term Dojo comes from Buddhism meaning \"place to study,\" which originally referred to the\n\tplatform Buddha meditated on.\n
\n\n\tCommit yourself to sincere training when entering the Dojo; really appreciate having a place to\n\tpractice and people to practice with; maintain cleanliness; take care of your own belongings\n\tneatly (eg, shoes in a neat row outside of the practice area, clothes put away neatly and never\n\tlaying in a pile).\n
\n\n\tFeel obliged to leave your shoes in a neat row with the other members, far enough away from the\n\tentrance to allow easy entrance and exit from the practice room. There should never be a mountain\n\tor jumble of shoes right at the door entrance.\n
\n\n\tKnow the location of the shoumen. In other schools/dojos with a religious tradition, this may be\n\treferred to as the “kamiza” (Shinto) or “shizen” (Buddhist). Often times this was the location of\n\ta shrine. As we are a secular institution, we bow to the “shoumen” as a way of showing respect\n\ttowards our practice and the tradition of Kendo. It has no religious significance. We have chosen\n\tspecifically not to use “kamiza” or “shizen” so that our members may feel free to bring whatever\n\treligious tradition they choose to observe.\n
\n\n\n\tRei is a way to show common courtesy, acknowledgement of others, and clearly convey that you are\n\tprepared to safely participate.\n
\n\n\tUpon entry to the Dojo, enter then Rei. This is the way to pay respect to the Dojo and to mentally\n\tcommit yourself to a sincere practice.\n
\n\n\tThere are other appropriate times to use Rei, and these will be discussed during your training and\n\toccasionally revisited in practice.\n
\n\n\tWhen entering the practice space, we announce “Shitsurei shimasu”, and at leaving “Shitsurei\n\tshimashita”. This should be in a regular conversation voice as we are not looking to interrupt the\n\tharmony of the practice.\n
\n\n\n\tMake it a habit to Seiza quietly at the beginning and the end.
\n\tAlways do warming up and stretching before you do Kendo.
\n\tBe punctual and also prepared to lead – you never know when you will be given the chance to.
\n\tAlways value the basics.
\n\tBe prepared to practice and understand you will repeat everything many, many, many times to develop\n\tmuscle memory and grace.
\n\tPractice with someone formidable
\n\tPractice with proper attitude, courtesy and respect.
\n\tGrasp the value of watching; humbly learn merits of others by observing.
\n\tMake a commitment to Kendo and practice with initiative and determination.
\n\tValue graceful, elegant, and dignified Kendo.
\n\tBe prepared physically and mentally, then practice with eagerness
\n\tKnow your capabilities and practice accordingly
\n\tEverything you see and do can be insightful teaching, always consider ways to improve.
\n\tBring a fresh attitude into each practice, while being conscious of safety.
\n\tBe conscious of health and hygiene.
\n\tDo not overextend unreasonably, but always seek to push your boundries.
\n\tWinning in a match is a good thing, but it is not the most important thing in Kendo.
\n\tInstead consistently practice with the desire to learn to better understand yourself.
\n\tFor students, consider how school work and Kendo can be balanced\n
| Ya-me | Stop what you are doing. |
| Haji-me | Start |
| Men, Kote, Do, Tsu-ki | Head, Right forearm, Lower right abdomen, Throat. |
| Suburi | To cut, or a type of cut: Men suburi, cutting the head |
| Joge suburi | Giant stretching cut, used in warm ups |
| Oni-gai-shimasu | Let’s begin |
| Domo arigatou gozaimashita | Thank you for what we just did. |
| Chyak-sa, Seiza | Sit in seiza position |
| Kyot skay | Attention or straighten up your posture |
| Chudan no kamae (Chudan) | Center stance, typically used in most practices |
| Rei | Said as a command, signifies when to bow |
| Kamae | Be ready |
| Tai toe | Sword ready to draw at the hip |
| Nuk toe | Draw the sword |
| Osame toe | Put the sword away |
Counting to ten... | |
| Ich | 1 |
| Ni | 2 |
| San | 3 |
| Shi | 4 |
| Go | 5 |
| Rok | 6 |
| Shich | 7 |
| Hach | 8 |
| Kyu | 9 |
| Ju | 10 |
\n\tPhysical conditioning and maturity of mind.
\n\tEtiquette, courtesy, morality, ethos, respect, and empathy.
\n\tConcentration, focus, attentiveness, and cultivation of an eagerness to learn.
\n\tAgility, dexterity, coordination.
\n\tEndurance, strength, perseverance.
\n\tPromptness, reliability, and accountability.
\n\tOrderliness and neatness.
\n\tCare of equipment and tools.
\n