At Ascend Martial Arts, we pride ourselves on our friendly and engaging community! In order to help people who are new to martial arts training quickly find their rhythm, we've made a little list below of common etiquette points and rules that are important to observe when training. Read on below!
Here's our list of things we do in the gym to make sure we promote things like good hygiene, clean and safe training spaces, and happy training partners! Also please note, not knowing the rules at Ascend is not an excuse for breaking them! Please read through these carefully and be sure to ask questions if you are unsure about anything.
Very Important:
Bare feet on the mats ONLY- Stow you shoes in the boxes by the mats.
Shower before and after training. We have a hot shower and complete bathroom at Ascend! If you are clearly unclean before training, you will be asked to use the shower before continuing training.
Deodorant isn't optional, we have deodorant available in the bathroom at Ascend, so please make sure you don't smell.
Stow your gear in the boxes by the mats. If you gear is scattered around the gym, it can present a tripping hazard.
No food or drink on the mats. Please keep water by the edge of mats, or with your training gear in the boxes provided.
Make sure you take off any bulky jewellry before training. Earrings and nose rings can easily be ripped out when caught on clothing. Fitness trackers can be worn as long as they don't get in the way of training, but must be taken off during rolling, sparring or clinching.
Always listen to direction from instructors. We are here to keep you and your training partners safe.
When sparring or rolling, respect your partners fitness, strength, and technical level. We leave our egos at the door here at Ascend. We're to help each other become better, so look after your training partners. Don't feel hesitant to ask someone to go a little lighter, no matter who they are. Touch gloves before and after sparring, or slap and bump before rolling.
And the most important rule of all, respect everyone! We have a zero tolerance policy for bullying, ego or toxic behaviour on the mats. If you are asked to change your attitude by an instructor, consider it a first and final warning.
We can't emphasise enough how important having a friendly and inviting community is to us at Ascend, and so if you are repeatedly breaking these rules, we reserve the right to cancel your membership.
Less Important:
More traditional bowing etiquette is not as strict at Ascend Martial Arts as other gyms/dojo's, but still respected if you wish to do so. If you wish to use titles for your instructors, the proper terms are Kru for Michael and Sensei for Grant but its not a requirement. In our view, everyone is equal on the mats.
Bowing or saluting as you walk on and off the mats is something you might see your instructors do. This is another more traditional practice and is nice to observe for a number of reasons, but again, this is not something that's expected of members at Ascend. Its more of a personal choice.
Try to be on time for every class. We understand that life can get in the way and so we'll never pull you up for being late, being on the mats for some time is better than nothing at all, but its also a good practice to ensure you're ready and on the mats for the beginning of class if you can be. If you're late, the traditional etiquette is to wait by the mats until the instructor invites you to join the class, but its more likely you'll be waved straight onto the mats as soon as you arrive.
If you have any questions about anything listed above, you can always speak to us during open hours at the gym, or you can email us at info@ascendmartialarts.com.au
Thank you for reading this blog! If you'd like to help spread the word about Ascend Martial Arts, please feel free to share this with your friends! See you on the mats.
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