AOKK Rules for Lining Up & Bowing
Lining Up
- The most senior member of the Yudansha lines up farthest to the left.
- The most senior member of the Kyudansha lines up farthest to the right.
- Yudansha faces the Kyudansha.
- If you’re a Junior Black belt, you line up left of the senior black belts even if you have more time in grade.
- When a junior is promoted to Red Kanji they remain in the same position until they’re promoted to their next rank. This rights their position if they have more time in grade than the seniors ahead of them.
- When a new person is added to the Kyudansha, they line up at the end of the students that were already in the Kyudansha.
- The order in which the students of the same rank line up is set by the order they are called forward for promotion.
- If a student is graphed into the Kyudansha from another AOKK school, they too must line up at the end of their peers of the same rank.
Bowing
- The school director/owner will ask a member of the Yudansha to call the bowing sequence.
- The calling black-belt will call for the students to move into the Musubi-dachi position. Next they will announce the type of bow. (Tashi-rey)(Seiza-rey)
- The lowest ranking student will call the class to attention. (Keitski)
- The highest ranking student in the Kyudansha will then instruct the students to bow. (Rey)
Note: This bow shows that all present are students of karate and honor each other in this endeavor to grow and learn.
Note: The Yudansha bows to the Kyudansha and the Kyudansha to the Yudansha simultaneously.
- The calling student then moves between the Yudansha and Kyudansha and announces the sensei bow.
Note: This is to show respect and gratitude for all those that presently train in karate and for all those that kept the art alive in the past.
- The Yudansha and Kyudansha turns on an angle to face the calling black belt and simultaneously bow.
- All students and teachers return to the “Ready” position and class begins.
Note: This ceremony is nothing more than a handshake and show of respect for all those present.
- This ceremony is repeated at the end of class.