Rules

Grandmaster Ie Chang Ming's Rules for Shaolin-Do

• Obey the rules of society

• Demonstrate excellent martial art spirit

• Respect elders and honor friends

• Be kind and love others

• Show good faith to others and keep their trust

• Support the week and aid the needy

• Demonstrate good conduct and excellent learning spirit

• Cultivate the body and nourish the spirit. Be disciplined, be generous, be honest, be loyal, and give forgiveness

• Be alert, be wise, be open minded and be patient

Rules for the Kwoon

• Your general motivation is to always be concerned with the safety of your partners and yourself.

• Bow when entering and leaving the training rooms.

• Address the instructors properly. (Sifu + name 1st to 4th Black Belt, Master 5th and up Black Belt)

• When interrupting an instructor or higher belt to ask a question, bow before and after as a sign of politeness and respect.

• Do not ask higher belts to spar.

• Never inform the instructor that you are ready for new material or to be tested.

• Do not show any other students material unless you are expressly given permission (at that time) to do so. Parents taking class with their children cannot take their children ahead in material of what they are being taught in class.

• Do not teach our forms to people outside the style. Do not lend/give/sell them video of our forms either.

• During class you should not wear jewelry, except maybe a simple band (wedding for example). Do not wear: watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, or rings with settings.

• Keep all finger and toenails trimmed. NO EXCEPTIONS! (Covering the hands with mitt-type sparring gear is not sufficient because you use your hands in self-defense and other training drills during class). Anything beyond the end of the finger is too long.

• Wash your uniform between each class and keep it in good repair always. Buy a second uniform if you can’t keep up.

• Pay tuition before the tenth of the month if you are not on contract. There is a ten dollar late fee. There is a ten dollar fee for bounced checks or credit cards.

• Do not leave children unsupervised in the school during class time. (non class members )

• Remove shoes to workout in the training area.

• Do not touch weapons above your rank, or strike the iron palm equipment.

• No unsupervised sparring in the school below black belt level.

• I highly recommend wearing a protective cup (for men) and mouthpiece for all sparring.

• Do not enter the office or storeroom areas.

• Arrive for class ready to begin. (Dressed in work out gear and warmed up)

• Show respect and appreciation for each other at all times

Sparring Rules

• Sparring equipment must be worn by all students: shin/instep guards, hand gear, mouthpiece, and groin cup (men). Headgear is optional.

• No Contact is allowed to the head, neck, throat, or groin (except light contact to protective gear).

• No joint attacks (elbows and knees) are permitted.

• Students under black belt level may not spar without black belt supervision.

• Light “TAG” contact is only allowed to legal areas if both students are wearing sparring equipment.

• No weapons sparring outside of class exercises.

• Never spar at a higher intensity level than your opponent is comfortable with. By the same token, be careful in sparring because you will always “reap what you sow”.

• When sparring, make your opponents safety more important than scoring points.

These rules are reasonable and without need of explanation. I fully expect all students to follow these rules and upper belts (upper brown and black belts) to set the example. To insure the continued high quality of our school and the good name of Shaolin-Do upper belts must also help to gently remind the lower belts when they drift from these guidelines (like an older sibling might). As a lower ranked student, you should appreciate their advice because they are helping you to remain a good student in the school. If being a good student, martial artist and person are not your goals then you are at odds with the 2000 year old traditions and principles of Shaolin-Do.

The Facility

As for the facility, treat it with respect please and follow these guidelines at all times.

Food, Drink and Shoes - No food or shoes are permitted in the training rooms, you can remove shoes at the door to the training area and store them with your gear in the specified locations. Only water is allowed in the training area. Please throw away your containers or take them home because we throw all containers away after class.

Valuables - Leave money, jewelry and other valuables locked up as we are not responsible for lost or stolen articles.

Sweat - It’s a good idea to bring a small towel to each class to frequently blot your face and hair. Sweat on the gym floor can be hazardous and please wipe off equipment after use.

Weapons - Weapons can be stored during class time in the designated areas, but must be taken home after each class. Be mindful of the ends during transport.

Trash - Please throw any trash you see away and help keep equipment put away.