Policies
Uniform & Personal Appearance:
1. Students must wear correct uniform and belt in class except with special permission from the instructor. Women should wear t-shirts or tanktops under the dobok and the apparel should be white. No collared, longsleeved, sweaters, turtlenecks or jeans please. T-Shirts should also be tucked in.
2. Students will not wear shoes on the workout floor. White is the recommended color for uniform shoes at tournaments and demonstrations.
3. Necklaces, earrings, watches, bracelets, jewelry, rings and all other accessories should be removed for the duration of any class, testing and other functions. Personal safety is first and foremost. Wedding bands can either be taped or kept safely at home or in the dojang office.
4. A student's personal appearance in class reflects courtesy and pride in himself/herself. Clean body and uniform, short or gathered hair and trimmed finger and toenails are required for safety and courtesy. Headbands are not allowed in traditional Korean martial arts. Hair should not be greasy.
5. Students allowed to use the classroom for informal training should wear their dobok or appropriate workout clothing. Shorts are not allowed.
Appropriate Behavior:
1. Students are encouraged to memorize and follow the student oath.
2. Students should follow all directions from instructors. The safety or educational reason may not be obvious immediately, but there is a reason.
3. All students are responsible to keep the school dressing and restrooms clean out of respect for fellow students.
4. Smoking or other tobacco use is not allowed in the school; smoking, chewing gum or consumption of alcohol while in uniform is not allowed. Eating may be allowed in uniform at special activities, such as Tournaments, with special permission.
5. Advice from the instructor is recommended before any student is going to visit another Martial Art school or activity. The courtesy of this rule is to ensure proper safety and etiquette.
Classroom Etiquette:
1. Students and Instructors should bow in the general direction of the flags each time they enter or leave the classroom, even if there is no class in progress.
2. If a student is late for class, he/she should bow at the door and wait to be recognized by the instructor. He/She may then ask permission to join class.
3. Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome. Please make sure that they are addressed by an instructor or school owner before or after class.
4. Students should turn away from the flags, instructors and black belts if possible while adjusting uniform or belt. Turning to the right is the correct direction.
5. Students should use the restroom before coming to class. If necessary, he/she may ask permission to be excused.
6. Students are encouraged to stand when an instructor enters the room -- even a dressing room or school reception area -- and bow. They address instructors by last name and proper title; for example, Mr, Mrs, Ms -- even if they are friends or family members. Students should answer "Yes/No Sir/Ma'am" to instructors. If a class under a junior is underway, it is stopped when a higher ranked instructor enters, and all bow on request. High ranking visitors should be greeted with respect. If class is in session, it should be stopped immediately, students brought to attention for introduction of the visitor and all should bow.
7. Students are encouraged to participate in class, but respect for the time of others in class means that talking which disturbs their training is not acceptable. If a student does not understand instruction, he may raise his/her hand for instruction.
8. The senior of the students the same rank is the one who earned the rank first. If the rank was earned at the same time, seniority may be determined by length of time in Taekwondo or chronological age.
9. No students of any rank, may instruct or correct another student without direction or supervision of the instructor.
10. If a student is in the room when the student oath is recited he/she should stand and repeat the oath with the group, whether or not he/she is in uniform or in the group session.
Sparring:
1. Students may not free spar without instructor supervision. This is mandatory in the school and students should consider it equally mandatory outside the school.
2. Sparring is non-contact, and pads are required at all times. For safety reasons, the legal target areas are Torso (Kick, Punch) and Head (Kick). Face, back groin area, grabbing, grappling, sweeping, or excessive contact is expressly forbidden.
3. Students must wear appropriate sparring gear: hand, head, foot, chest, and mouthpiece. NO exceptions for anyone under 18 yrs old. Students at a Light Green belt and above are eligible to spar in the appropriate classes.
4. Appropriate apparel such as t-shirts are permissible to wear in a designated t-shirt sparring class, provided that the t-shirt is does not bear any offensive graphic, saying or quote, or alcohol/cigarette advertising. The t-shirt should also cover the shoulders and lower belly.
Other:
1. For the overall benefit of all members and to keep the spirit of these rules and regulations, complaints should be reported in the proper order: Student to Instructor; To Head Instructor; To School Owner; To Association/Affiliation Officer.
2. All Classes are based on belt participation. Students must attend the classes that are designated for their rank. They should know that if they attend a class that is not designated for their rank then they will be working on material that is designated for that class structure.
3. Students should not be in the school if they have been using drugs or alcohol, or if they have any communicable health problem. Even if a student is taking prescription medicine, the instructor should be advised, since it may affect performance.