Dojo Service

"Cry in a dojo, laugh on the battlefield."

-Unknown

 

 

Dojo in Japanese means a training hall, particularly for martial arts. In Korean this is dojang, and in Chinese is wu kwan. In English I refer to such a space as a training hall. It seems the most appropriate to me.

The space we train in has a subtle, but great impact in how and what we train. General Hoi while in prison, confined to a small space, designed an entire style of Tae Kwon Do within his cell, and the forms reflect the limited amount of space he was able to use. The state of a dojo speaks volumes about the school; if it is messy, it conveys a feeling of lack of care, whereas a dojo where it is worn conveys a feeling of history. Perhaps neither can at times be directly controlled by the teacher, but ultimately its state reflects on the teacher and those who practice within it.

Because of this, a teacher must instill in their students a respect for the training space. It is the student's role to care for it, and their teacher must instill this duty within them.

It is a sacred space, and thus must be treated so. Clutter is perhaps the first among many conditions which must be kept control of. Unnecessary equipment should be disposed of- many martial art schools I have trained in have a training dummy in the shape of a person, yet it is rarely used. We call it Bob.

This is Bob

Sometimes Bob wears a belt; but in almost all cases save in one school Bob was never hit. While this adds a sense of humor, such as placing Bob over the men's changing room, it has no place within the actual space utilized for training. All equipment which is superfluous should be absent- and if once necessary equipment is no longer utilized, it should be stored or removed entirely. Removing clutter increases the amount of space within the room which can be utilized, and this is especially crucial in smaller sized schools. A clear room makes it easier to have a clear mind when practicing I have found.

The dojo itself should be kept as clean as possible. A dark red carpet should be used if any carpet is present, simply because if blood is spilled it will not show and damage the school's appearance. If there is wood it should be kept clean, swept often and given sheen as best possible. Damage to the walls should be repaired by the student who damaged them, and if they refuse, the teacher must correct this.

It is a custom I agree with for the newest students to be charged with the primary cleaning of the school, daily. If that is white belts on one day and then black belts the next, then the lowest ranking students, no matter how many years they have trained, to be the ones who clean. For one it instills humility, as well as responsibility. It makes one take an active place and hand in ensuring the training hall continues to exist.

Advanced students should also clean, coming before the school opens to do so, and before the beginner's clean it. When they test for another rank, they should scrub the school from top to bottom, shining every window, replacing anything which has become broken. This too will remind them to take care of where they are, a lifelong lesson many people need in this world.

If you damage the space you train in, with enough time it will become unusable. If you damage it, fix it.

One should always hand-clean, avoiding outside resources which may not know how to properly care for the facilities- after all, they are not the ones who utilize it regularly and thus know how to take care of it.

It should be swept, and then vacuumed. This will teach students to pay attention to detail.

The room should be scented- it is easier to train with a pleasant smell than the omnipresent odor of feet and sweat. And while I honestly find that smell to remind me of home, because the first school I trained in for over ten years carried that odor, it is kind of like the country boy smelling a stable and being reminded of the farm he was raised on. We are not farmers however, and should not have to train with any odor but ones which allow one to clear their mind and focus.

When cleaning, the student should take the time to speak with their teacher if they are present. This will allow a closer student/mentor relationship, one which is essential to truly walking the path. If a teacher, monitor your students to make sure they are cleaning, but use this time also to impart what wisdom you can.

Many a person developed strong character and personal development because of a sagacious talk with their favorite teacher while scrubbing a toilet. I know I did.

One should clean before the school opens, and place equipment where it belongs when it is time to close or after a practice session.

When repairing the entire school should get involved. Perhaps there is a rail which over time will become lose or detach from the wall. Perhaps damage is no one person's fault, and a specialist may be necessary. If this happens and you run a training hall, inquire among your students if any can repair it. If none can, only then should outside professionals be contacted. I firmly believe that the school should take care of itself as much as possible.

Finally, the decor of a training hall, also known as a studio, should draw its decoration from within as most art schools do. Appropriate photos of teachers and students should be present if this is agreeable, and the students themselves should generate the artwork available. Allow the culture of the country the art hails from, and the art of the country itself to be available. If in the United States and practice a Korean art, hang an American and Korean flag. If Israeli, or Chinese, Russian and so forth, hang the flags of those respective countries of the art's origin. Doing so will allow for a certain dignity and pride for the school and the respect it has for its location.

Allow your students to generate the art you will utilize there; I rock-stack and in any school I have run or operate, I either make a sculpture or request if I be allowed to. This will give your students a feeling that they actively have a role and significance for where they train. And in the end, the only thing that makes a school exist is its students and its teachers.

If a school has been commemorated by its community, such as in articles or awards, those should be made present, though not ostentatiously. A martial artist is humble, and so their training space should reflect that.

If students have won tournaments for the school and given their trophy to the school, allow this to be displayed, again, with a gentle humility and pride.

Where we train will define who we are, and as practitioners therein we must take care of our own, and our space. A training hall is a place of special meaning and in many aspects can be considered holy. Some of the best schools in martial arts began in temples or holy grounds, and such reserved sacred dignity we hold for our grounds should be treated so.

It is a place of formative nature for those who are raised or find themselves therein.

-Namaste.

 

"Anywhere I go, before I leave, I try to make a little better than before I came."