Although karate is fun, etiquette is a vital aspect that develops discipline and respect, and therefore there are rules that must be adhered to.

the dojo: for the purpose of training, the dojo is considered "sacred ground", and as symbolic gesture of respect, humilty and willingness to train hard, you must bow (rei) upon entering and leaving. Food should not be eaten in the dojo, and there should be no loud talking, unnecessary noise or running around. During the break in training, whilst in the dojo, do not sit on chairs. If you need to sit, you should sit on the floor. Should you need to leave the dojo during the class, move to the side of the group (walking behind the other students) get the sensei's (instructor's) attention and bow, then leave. When returning, or arriving to a class late, stand to the side get the sensei's attention, bow, then return from the rear to the class.

class format: each karate class will follow a preset format. It is preferable if you could arrive 10-15 before the class is due to start in order to sign in and warm up. When your sensei has signed everyone in, they will give the instruction to line up. Classes line up with the highest grades on the right hand side of the dojo, descending to the lowest grades on the left. Students should stand in heiko dachi (parallel or ready stance - feet should be two shoulder widths apart, toes turned in and hands made into fists and held facing down in front of you. If at any time during a class you dont know what to do, your best bet is to stand in heiko dachi). The bowing in ceremony will then be taken by the sensei, sempai (assistant instructor) or highest grade.

bowing in/out ceremony

At first this ceremony will seem quite daunting, people will call things out and shuffle around, but dont worry, all you have to do is follow this simple list of commands:

heels together	move your left leg in and place your arms by your sides, as if you are standing to attention.
seiza	drop to your right knee first, then into a kneeling position facing the front of the class
mokuso	meaning "close your eyes", you are to sit with your eyes shut and take the time to relax, prepare yourself for training and think about what you are going to learn (or reflect on what you have just learnt).
mokuso yame	"open your eyes". There will now be three commands to bow to.
(1) Shihan Sclanders - REI	On the instruction rei, place your left hand on the floor in front of you and then your right, forming a triangle with your thumbs and index fingers. You then bow your head, placing it on top of your hands on the floor for approximatley 3 seconds, and then sit back up. This first bow is a sign of respect to Shihan Sclanders, the master instructor and founder of Kenshukai Karate.
(2) Sensei - REI	On rei, again postion your left hand, then your right, bow, and sit up. This bow is a sign of respect to your sensei.
(3) autagani - REI	The final bow, performed exactly the same as the others. This time everyone is bowing to everyone else as a sign of respect for fellow karate students.
the class will now be carried out, containing a mixture of basic punches, blocks, kicks and stances, followed by some kata and/or kumite. At the end of the class, the bowing ceremony will take place again before you leave. Because younger children's concentration spans are usually shorter, classes lasting an hour are offered, usually with 10-15 minutes of karate based games at the end. Longer, more strenuous classes of one and a half hours are run, which children may attend with the option of leaving after the first hour.

dress code: students who have a gi should wear them. No T-shirts are allowed underneath (females excepted, then preferably white). No jewellery is to worn, eg. all watches, neck chains, earrings or rings should be removed. If you cant take them off, then ask your sensei to tape them up at the beginning of the class. Finger and toe nails are to be kept clean and well manicured.

kumite: a lower grade student should not ask a higher grade student to spar. You bow before sparring, approximateley 3 metres apart. You should maintain a good attitude towards your partner: On one hand, he/she is your opponent and you are to spar as seriously or lightly as instructed. However, you are not out prove yourself and kumite is a learning experience. There should be no contact and the lower grade student should be especially careful not to make contact on the higher grade.

grading: a student should not push for grading. While students can ask if he/she are ready for a higher grading, they must accept their sensei's decision.

GRADE LEVEL	BELT	KATA REQUIRED	MINIMUM NO. OF CLASSES	MINIMUM TIME REQUIREMENT
10th Kyu to 9th Kyu	yellow tip	n/a	6	3 weeks
9th Kyu to 8th Kyu	yellow	Taigyoku Sho-dan	10	5 weeks
8th Kyu to 7th Kyu (ho)	orange tip	n/a	12	6 weeks
7th Kyu (ho) to 7th Kyu	orange	Taigyoku Ni-dan	12	6 weeks
7th Kyu to 6th Kyu	green	Saifa	32	4 months
6th Kyu to 5th Kyu	blue	Saifa	40	5 months
5th Kyu to 4th Kyu	red	Bassai-Dai	40	5 months
4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu	brown	Bassai-Dai	50	6 months
3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu	brown	Seiunchin	50	6 months
2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu	brown	Empi	50	6 months
1st Kyu to Shodan-ho	black (prov.)	Sepai	50	6 months
Shodan-ho to Sho-dan	black	Sepai	100	12 months
1st to 2nd Dan	-	Kanku-Dai	200	2 years
2nd to 3rd Dan	-	Shisochin	300	3 years
3rd to 4th Dan	-	Seisan	400	4 years
4th to 5th Dan	-	-	500	5 years
5th to 6th Dan	-	-	600	6 years
6th to 7th Dan	-	-	700	7 years

stances	(1) power is rooted in the feet, developed by the knees and directed by the hips. (2) without a strong foundation (stance), strikes and blocks will be minimal in effect.
hand techniques	(1) the principals of expansion and contraction are a must when striking as well as blocking. (2) kime is the focusing of one's energy at the moment contact is made and the technique is fully executed. This energy focusing must be done by locking each and every muscle of your body as you strike. (3) the angle of the attack is extremely important to maximize the effect of the strike.
kicking techniques	(1) remember to curl your toes for each and every kick. (2) you must remember to use proper joint sequence - all kicks follow the same pattern, start with the hips, work to the knee and finish with the ankle. (3) remember to keep your base foot flat on the ground, otherwise you will lose your balance.
blocking techniques	(1) 90% of blocks are executed with the front hand, making it easier to counter. (2) try to block every attack with two, maybe three, blocking tecniques - the more you use, the less chance your attacker gets through.
general points	(1) the most important quality of basics is the technique - a properly executed technique breeds power and speed. (2) remember that all karate techniques start in what is known as 'the box' (abdomen area). (3) any fighting blow should be supplemented or enhanced with a kiai, which is a short, one syllable word. A kiai is forced out by tightening the entire body. Example of kiai you can use are Di! Ki! Das! Yi!.