Parents Guide for New Students

For beginning students, loose fitting clothing, such as sweat pants and a T-shirt, is appropriate. Shorts are not a good idea as a layer of fabric helps protect the knees during falling and rolling practice.

When you are ready, we can sell you the traditional white training uniform ("gi"). Cost is $37 - $40 depending on size. A gi purchased elsewhere may also be worn as long as it is white.

If your child needs to change clothes at the dojo, please have them use one of the downstairs bathrooms. The upstairs communal dressing rooms are for adults only.

Safety is a concern at all times. Please make sure your children do not wear jewelry during class. Jewelry poses a safety hazard during training - to the student, to their training partners, and to the mat. Long hair should be tied back. Do not chew gum or consume other food during class.

Make-up should not be worn during class as it may stain others’ training uniforms and the mat.

One of the great mysteries of Aikido is how to tie the belt! Here are a couple of online references.

This is a wikiHow article on tying an Aikido belt: https://www.wikihow.fitness/Tie-an-Aikido-Belt.

And here is a YouTube video on tying a kids belt for martial arts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WiDJXCjsnI.

The two methods start out differently but end up with the same result — the classical triangular knot. It should be flat, so it’s more comfortable to roll over it.

Really, however, any method is acceptable as long as the belt stays on. Many Aikidoists just use a simple square knot (for example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOAxiQk8wj8.)

When your gi is new, the belt is a little stiff, and harder to tie. As it wears in, it will become softer. The more you train, the easier it gets to tie the belt!

Please remove your shoes upon entering the dojo and store them neatly in the shoe racks. This is a traditional part of Japanese etiquette. It helps to keep our dojo, especially the mat, a clean and safe place to train. Parents, please respect our customs and serve as role models of this for our young students. You make a big impression when you set an example of respect for the dojo.

It is important that students arrive at the dojo wearing shoes. First and foremost, this is a safety issue -- there may be sharp objects or fragments on the parking lot or on the sidewalk. Arriving barefooted also tracks in dirt, resulting in black footprints on the mat, and is disrespectful of the traditional etiquette we practice here.

There is a parking lot behind the dojo building. It is small and can be difficult to maneuver in, so please be careful. To keep our limited space open for everyone to use, please do not park your car in non-designated parking places (in front of the planters, for example), even if you are sitting in it or "will only be for a moment". It can create a traffic jam for everyone.

There is extra parking available at Mission Plaza, just one block from the dojo.

Please do not drop off your children more than fifteen minutes before the start of class, or pick them up more than fifteen minutes after the end of class. We cannot supervise them before or after these times.

In an Aikido dojo, observing basic forms of etiquette is very important to the creation of a respectful and attentive atmosphere that supports learning. Although Japanese forms may be unfamiliar to Westerners, after a while they become comfortable with expressions of courtesy.

Most basic to these forms is the bow. Bows can be either seated or standing. Keep a straight back and hinge at the waist. It is not a gesture of subservience, but of mutual respect and gratitude. It’s the Japanese equivalent of a handshake — and it doesn’t spread germs!

More important than the superficial observation of any form is the sincere and open hearted attitude toward training which gives meaning to the forms. In the dojo, students should observe the following guidelines:

• Please perform a simple standing bow in the direction of the shomen (the wall where O-Sensei's picture hangs) when entering or leaving the dojo.

• We say "onegaishimasu" ("please" or "I ask a favor") at the beginning of class, and "domo arigato gozamashita" ("thank you") at the end of class. During partner practice, students bow and say "onegaishimasu" to each other before starting and "domo arigato gozamaishita" after finishing.

• Traditionally, the instructor is called Sensei in the dojo.

• The proper way to sit during class is in seiza: formal Japanese sitting posture. This promotes an attentive attitude for learning. If someone cannot sit in seiza, they may sit cross-legged. Slouching, slumping, leaning, or sitting with the legs outstretched does not further the practice of balance and learning!

• After the sensei demonstrates a technique, students should bow and say onegaishimasu, then quickly bow to one of the people sitting next to them and begin to practice.

• Students should not lie down on the mat unless they have been asked to do so. Laying on the mat creates a dangerous situation where another student could trip over them or fall on top of them.

• When the sensei claps, students should stop training immediately and listen for instruction.

• Practice only the techniques being taught and help maintain a safe training environment

• Treat training partners with care and respect, especially younger or less experienced students by using the appropriate amount of force and not trying to overpower or "defeat" their partner. Training partners should work together to help each other learn the technique. This is one of the fundamental principles of Aikido: working together to find a mutually satisfying outcome.

• Keep fingernails short, remove jewelry and watches, and wear a clean gi

• Keep shoes and personal belongings neatly stored and help care for the dojo space

• Notify the instructor if they need to leave the mat or sit out

• Attend class regularly, while staying home when sick

• Do not chew gum in class. It could be dangerous if the gum is accidentally swallowed or even aspirated during a throw.

Much of An AIkido class consists of paired partner practice.  After the Sensei demonstrates a technique, students should bow and say onegaishimasu, then quickly bow to one of the people sitting next to them and begin to practice.

It’s best to train with a wide variety of partners – don’t just train with your “BFF” the entire class.  Everyone moves differently, and students should learn how to do a technique with people of all shapes and sizes.  Even training with someone you don’t like can be beneficial; after all, if someone actually attacks you, it’s likely to be someone who is not a friend.

“Be grateful even for hardship, setbacks, and bad people. Dealing with such obstacles is an essential part of training in the Art of Peace.” – O-Sensei

Having said that, if a student has a specific problem with another student in the class, they are not required to train with them. Please advise the instructor if a situation like this arises.

“The teachings of your instructor constitute only a small fraction of what you will learn. Your mastery of each movement will depend almost completely on your earnest practice.” ~ from O-Sensei’s “Rules for the Practice of Aikido”

Testing at Aikido of Santa Cruz is a natural extension of a student’s training. Exams acknowledge a student’s effort, commitment, and progress while giving everyone in the dojo an opportunity to focus their training, support one another, and learn together. There is no “pass/fail” atmosphere during testing.

When an instructor determines that a student is ready for promotion, they will schedule an exam date and help the student prepare in the weeks leading up to the test. Promotions are generally considered after a minimum of six months of consistent training, assuming regular attendance, positive behavior, and steady technical progress.

Our dojo uses colored belts and stripes to reflect rank progression. Youth class rank progression is represented in a chart here.

Rank requirements for ages 6 - 12 are kept at the dojo. The ranking requirements for teens are available here.

Students preparing for promotion are expected to demonstrate the following :

• Respect for teachers, training partners, and the dojo through attentive behavior, proper etiquette, and safe training practices.

• Consistent attendance, good effort, cooperation, and self-discipline in class

• A clean uniform and readiness to train safely and respectfully

• Understanding and use of basic dojo etiquette and vocabulary, including bows, common Japanese phrases, and the difference between Omote (front side) and Ura (back side) techniques

• An understanding of the spirit of Aikido, including Ban Yu Ai Go — love and protection for all beings

• The ability to safely perform basic ukemi falls and rolls on both sides of the body

• Clear demonstration of the techniques required for their rank, including both omote (front side) and ura (back side) versions where appropriate

Students preparing for exams may also be asked to arrive early or stay after class for additional practice with instructors or assistants.

Your child is taking their first exam. The Sensei says “Please demonstrate suwari-waza shomen-uchi ikkyo, both omote and ura.”
Panic starts to set in. “I know all the techniques that are required for the exam, but WHICH ONE IS THAT??”

You actually learn some Japanese language when studying Aikido. Our dojo follows Japanese traditions, and we use the Japanese names for attacks, techniques, and other things in the dojo. So students learn names for things like parts of the body, basic movements (strike, grab, step, turn, etc.), and more. Students in the youth classes also learn how to count in Japanese. For a list of Japanese terms we use, please click here.

For a quick lesson on counting in Japanese, click here.
Printed copies of the above 2 handouts are available at the dojo.

Aikido training involves close contact between students and with instructors. Students who are sick with a cold or flu should not train. Please help to maintain everyone's health by keeping your child at home if they are ill. If your child becomes infected with an ailment in which others at the dojo may have been at risk of exposure, please contact the dojo immediately.

Please make sure your children are clean before getting on the mat. Dirty hands and feet spread germs and dirt. Please make sure their training uniforms are clean and free of holes.

Sharp or long fingernails (or toenails) could scrape or cut others while training. (There are nail trimmers in the first aid cabinet in the front entrance way near the 3 bathrooms.)

Moving up to the class for the next age group can be an exciting and sometimes scary time. If your child is old enough to join the next age group, or their birthday is approaching, feel free to talk with the instructor of their current class about changing classes. The current class instructor will talk with the instructor of the older class and make a recommendation about how and when to change classes. The decision to advance students is based not only on the student’s age, but also their eagerness, maturity, and level of training. If your are unsure about moving up, one option could be to attend both classes in parallel for a while, one each per week. Please understand that the decision is based not only on the desires of the student and parents but also on what is best for the program as a whole; for example moving a student up before they are ready could adversely affect the experience of other students in the older class.

The practice of Aikido provides a model for the resolution of conflict, which involves both speaking and listening with respect, and working together to search for creative solutions.

If a problem arises in the class with your child, please speak with the instructor of your child's class, or with the Youth Program Coordinator if it is an administrative matter. You can expect to be heard, and be given information, and to be dealt with fairly and in accordance with dojo policies. Please remember that the instructors must conisder the needs of the entire program and the dojo as a whole.

If you do not feel comfortable discussing the matter with the class instructor, you may contact the dojo by email and ask to speak with the Youth Program Coordinator, or the Chief Instructor.

The dojo and its continued growth is supported and fueled by its community members. There is always a wealth of projects and tasks to be performed, ranging from several minutes of light housekeeping to several hours of painting, gardening, or maintenance work. Willingness to pitch in is the best skill of all. Whether you have several minutes during class time or several hours on the weekend, we always welcome parents’ involvement in the dojo community. Please call us or talk to the class instructors or assistants if you are interested in volunteering some of your time.