Wow.. Was that a totally exciting sounding subject line or what? I bet you're simply chomping at the bit to see what I've got to say about etiquette. I realize that most of this is common sense, but I thought I'd put it out there to let you guys know what the expectations are and maybe familiarize you with some of what you'll have to do beforehand.
General guidelines
- Show up with your uniform clean, not wrinkly, make sure it fits well, etc. Look nice, like it's a test. I would generally advise wearing the uniform there as changing facilities are sometimes non-existent or very busy. If you're sparring well, you make the decision on whether you want to wear a cup all day.
- Be polite and respectful to everyone. Don't say (or gesture) anything negative about anyone else's style, performance, attire, etc. I know there will be stuff that's tempting to joke about (Justin and I have seen some seriously funny stuff in the ones we've been to), but save it. We're there to work on our own stuff, not judge anyone else's.
- Bring family. Cheer on your teammates! Seriously, have a good time and encourage each other. If you're not preparing for or competing in your own division right then (or if you're in the same division with a teammate), watch what the other folks are doing and cheer them on. Remember this word; "Jiayo!" (said like Jyah-Yo!) This means literally "more oil" as in, pour more oil on the fire. In Chinese martial arts circles it's used as an all-purpose expression to mean "you can do it", "push yourself", etc. If you're performing your form or sparring and hear someone hollering this, you can be pretty sure it's one of us cheering you on. If you're watching one of your teammates, don't be shy, belt it out..
Forms
- When called up, straighten your uniform, then bow into the performance area before stepping out. Approach the judges and announce your name, school, and the name of the form you'll be performing, then ask for their permission to begin. If it's a weapons form, they may ask to inspect the weapon or ask other questions. Once given permission to begin, bow and take your starting position, then begin with the salute as normal. When you're done, finish with the salute and wait for your score. Once given your score and asked to return to your seat, salute and bow to the judges, then bow out of the ring again. Be prepared to do your form more than once in the event of a tie. In general, just follow along with what's happening and be respectful of the judges' decisions, whether you agree with them or not. After your division, shake hands and congratulate the winners.
Sparring
- The most important thing to remember in point sparring is to keep your head and not take anything personally. I say this because, no matter how prepared you feel, you will likely get a bit jumpy and pumped up. This means that someone's going to make contact and you're going to feel it was too hard or something and want to start escalating.. Dont.. The judges are there to make judgements on contact and that's not your job. If you've been injured, nailed in the groin, your gear needs adjusting, etc signal the center judge and take a moment. If your opponent falls down or the judge calls a stop, back off immediately and return to your mark. If you've made excessive contact or hurt your opponent somehow, return to your mark and take a knee. When your opponent is ready to go, shake hands and let them know it was accidental, then move on with the match. When points or scores are called, don't argue. There's no point and it's disrespectful. Just be aware ahead of time that you will definitely land gorgeous strikes that will not be called points because they didn't see it. Your opponent will do the same so, it evens out. After the fight, shake hands and show genuine respect for your opponent. If they wailed on you or did something really cool, don't be shy about asking them to show you what they did after the division is done.
Above all: Have fun. Build community with other schools. Learn what you can.
