Instruction & Etiquette

    Knoxville Aikikai aspires to maintain the methods and etiquette of a traditional Aikido dojo.  Beginners of Aikido may question the structure of class and wonder why it differs from other martial arts...  But this is the way traditional Aikido is taught.  A student from Knoxville Aikikai can travel to any dojo in the world affiliated with Hombu Dojo and see the same or very similar class structure and etiquette.

    Some concerns of new Aikidoist will be addressed in the following paragraphs.  To a beginner there may seam to be an excessive amount of bowing and kneeling during class.  There is also a lot of Japanese terminology which may be a little overwhelming.  Most people get frustrated when they realize that some of the simplest looking techniques are often the hardest to do correctly.  Furthermore, some beginners fear working with higher ranking classmates.  These are all valid concerns, but lets see if we can put these concerns to rest. 

    Bowing and kneeling in class is part of the etiquette of Aikido.  This is by no means for the sake of the instructor; its not to humiliate the student either.  Bowing is a sign of respect and is a polite acknowledgement.  "When in doubt, Bow".

   The Japanese terminology is merely a descriptive phrase for the applied technique.  Once you learn what the terminology means, it loses its mysticism.  The un-written rule is that by the time you remember the phrase you remember the technique.

Page 1 - Page 2