Welcome to our Dojo

We are proud of our Japanese heritage! We therefore adopted a lot of the original customs and ceremonies in our Dojo. Please note that we apply these rules to members and non-members in our Dojo. We ask all our visitors to be respectful and obey these rules.
Thank you for your respect.

DOJO ETIQUETTE

The customs of Budojutsu may seem a little strange to the beginner, but in reality they differ little from traditional Western considerations.

​Respect.

Budojutsu begins and ends with a bow. Bowing is a sign of respect – both to your teacher, instructors and fellow students. Do not feel embarrassed to bow. It is considered quite natural in Budojutsu, both inside and outside the Dojo, and failure to observe this courtesy is in fact an insult to your teacher or fellow student – remember that. Bow, don’t worry about other people, they don’t understand, and for you it is just beginning.
A lesson begins with the Jonin (or highest grade present), performing the opening ceremony, and ends with them performing the closing ceremony. The teacher/instructor also bows – there is mutual courtesy. As a rule, the higher the grade, the greater the respect shown – because higher grades have trained longer and gained a deeper understanding of the art. Respect is not assumed, it must be shown. A lack of bowing indicates lack of respect, not ignorance. It is the duty of the student of the highest rank to ensure that the etiquette of a Dojo is correct, and he/she/they is/are authorised by the Jonin to verbally reprimand any student who falls short in this respect.

“Hai Sensei”

Hai Sensei is a phrase with many meanings. In terms of etiquette, bowing is a visual sign of respect, to say “Hai Sensei” when bowing can be seen as a sign of verbal respect. “Hai Sensei” is often used by a student when he is corrected by his teacher, for example. It means that he understands. There is much less distance between students than between students and teachers. One student can greet another with, for example, “Hai Simon”.
​Now the general dojo etiquettes are covered, here is our Code of Conduct. Together, these form the basis of a happy, healthy, safe and respectful school.
Please read it carefully BEFORE you start your training and remember to follow each code.

Eagle Spirit Budojutsu CODE OF CONDUCT

  1. Never arrive late to a class; punctuality is proof of sincerity and sets an example for other students. We expect all students to arrive AT LEAST 15 minutes before the start of a class.
  2. Always ensure that you wear your Gi (Dojo T-shirt/Budojutsu suit) and it is clean and in good condition and your rope/belt (Obi) is properly fastened.
  3. Never wear jewellery/watches of any kind.
  4. Toenails and fingernails should be kept clean and short. Foot care is fundamental. If you have verrucas, foot fungus or any contagious condition, you should not train.
  5. Make sure your phone is switched off or in silent mode at ALL times.
  6. Teachers should be addressed by their appropriate title, i.e. “Sensei” and not by their name, as this sets a bad example to fellow students. Assistent teachers will be addressed to as “Senpai”.
  7. All students with grades above 5th Kyu must attend classes on exam days, even if they do not take exams themselves; as an example for other Kyu grades.
  8. All students with grades above 5th Kyu should try to attend all social functions and open days.
  9. Always show due respect to seniors, for example by bowing to seniors first.
  10. If you are senior, do not look down upon the lower graded students; Treat them as you would want to be treated yourself.
  11. Do not stand around talking during lessons in the Dojo; this sets a bad example for other students.
  12. When teaching, be positive towards other students; do not make them feel inferior.
  13. Out of respect, all students should inform the Jonin in advance if they cannot attend classes, assessment days or open days.
  14. If there is something that you are unsure of, the proper procedure is to ask a higher ranking student or the instructor.
  15. If you have a question during class, please raise your hand so that your instructor can respond.

Dojo Terms & Conditions

All students and teachers of the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo must agree to the following Terms & Conditions:
  1. I hereby willingly, of my own mind, enroll myself to The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo
  2. I agree and declare that all information provided to the Dojo about myself (or daughter/son/ward)  is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and no relevant information has been altered or omitted.
  3. I must make it known to the Jonin and/or Principal Instructor BEFORE I begin my training, and during my training whenever the situation arises as a member of the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo, if I have any health conditions, illnesses or injuries, as these may affect or alter my training.
  4. I agree to abide by all ‘Etiquette and Rules‘ of The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo which may be updated from time to time.
  5. I am aware that Budojutsu is primary a martial art and I agree to act with full responsibility and shall not misuse it. I will use my martial arts skills in case of extreme emergency for self-defence purposes only. I will NOT indulge or participate in any action which may be harmful to anyone or to the reputation and honour of Budojutsu, The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo or the institution where the class is conducted.
  6. The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo may make modifications to the class schedule if necessary. This may include altering the current class schedule, closing school on public holidays or for special Budojutsu events, meetings and any other purposes. Such modifications do not relieve my payment obligations.
  7. My failure to attend classes does not relieve the obligation to pay the agreed tuition fee for the month in full. Fees, once paid, are not refundable in any case. Non attended classes will remain available if a stamp-card was bought.
  8. If I remain absent for more than 30 days and have not provided a reasonable excuse for these absences, it may lead to cancellation of my membership/enrollment (non-refundable).
  9. I am aware and understand that physical contact will be used by teachers, instructors, examiners of the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo , other students and authorised individuals as part of my training and instruction. I fully consent to any physical contact as may be required or essential to martial arts and self-defence training.
  10. I agree and am completely aware that Budojutsu is primarily a martial art and a (full)contact sport. The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo uses protective equipment to reduce the risk of accident of injury and acts diligently at all times to ensure the safety and care of its students. However, in recognition of the possibility of an unforeseen accident, injury or any other mishap connected with training at the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo indoor and outdoor training grounds, I, on behalf of myself / child / ward, waive any rights or actions arising from such activities and any liabilities against the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo, its teachers, instructors, volunteers, contractors and other employees, including management.
  11. By signing the application form, I also accept full responsibility for injuries, both major and minor, mishap and any kind of accident which might occur to myself / child / ward and at tests / demonstrations / seminars / camps and any other external events that the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo and its students may be involved in, and I declare that the teacher, instructors, examiners, officials, volunteers, contractors and other employees and the institution named the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo shall NOT be held responsible.
  12. I agree that I shall not share my Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo training and knowledge with other schools or style members. If there is serious misbehavior /ill discipline/ or participation in any kind of illegal activities, then the disciplinary action will be taken against me, if necessary legal action.
  13. I agree not to engage in any other form of martial arts training or teaching without permission of the Jonin of the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo within 100 km radius of our Dojo, during my membership of, and for a period of 2 years following disassociation with, the Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo.
  14. I understand and agree that I shall have to participate in training camps, seminars and/or workshops, if I choose to go for belt examinations. Participation and belt ranking is not mandatory but it is a way of keeping track of my learning and training of Budojutsu.
  15. I also do not have any objection for my participation in the events and Budojutsu belt exams organized by the The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo and shall agree to abide by all the rules and regulations of the test.
  16. The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo teaches highly advanced Budojutsu techniques to its students. Hence we expect the students to be very respectful, sincere and loyal to the organisation and its students, Instructors, Officials and Teachers.
Having fully accepted the above terms and conditions: I undertake to enroll myself/ my daughter/ my son /my ward in the chosen training course in The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo under the guidance of Jonin Arnout Griepsma.
I agree to abide by all the current rules and regulations of, as well as reasonable future amendments to, the Budojutsu School named The Eagle Spirit Budojutsu Dojo.