Rules of Conduct:
1. Dueling is prohibited.
2. Bow when entering and leaving the room.
3. No training under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
4. No shoes on the training floor.
5. No leaving practice, except with permission of instructor.
6. No unnecessary talking while training.
7. No wearing of jewelry while training.
8. No gum chewing while training.
9. Keep yourself, your gi, and your dojo clean.
10. Always act in a respectful manner.
11. Report all injuries to your instructor before leaving the dojo.
12. Observers are welcome but must remain quiet and not distract participants.
General Guidelines for Beginners:
Wear cool, loose-fitting clothing. Remove your shoes and socks before practice.
Practice starts and ends with meditation and a bow. The meditation is a chance to clear your mind and prepare yourself for practice; the bow is similar to a mass handshake. Line up by rank and then seniority. Beginners will line up on the left end of the line. Wait for the person to your right to kneel before you kneel. Kneel two fist-widths from your neighbor, with your back straight. Men kneel with knees apart, women with their knees together. Meditate on the command mokuso. Stop meditation on the command yame. Take a deep breath. On the command rei, bow and exhale. When you are out of air, come up on your own and wait for those to your right to stand.
During practices: General practices are designed so that all ranks from beginners to experienced may benefit. Practice is a cumulative experience and everybody is awkward at first. Your seniors will understand, they have all been there themselves. Do your best to copy what the instructor is demonstrating. Listen to your body: if you cannot kick higher than knee level, it is perfectly all right to kick low.
You will be using different muscles than you may be accustomed to. Sore, fatigued muscles are normal, even desirable--this is how our bodies get stronger and learn. Our bodies are capable of much more than we think. However, if you are experiencing serious pain, particularly in the joints, let the instructor know. Many of these problems can be eliminated by correcting form. Karate is meant to be practiced for life, it should not cause damage to work properly.
In contact situations, it is the responsibility of seniors to teach their juniors without injuring them. Techniques will be realistic, but controlled. It is the responsibility of the junior to respect their senior by attacking seriously and honestly, and by not trying to miss. Counterattacks are always fully controlled. Maintain eye contact at all times; do not assume that your opponent heard a command to stop (yame). In this manner, both the experienced and inexperienced will have a chance to learn without careless injuries.
Practice helps: a habit of a few minutes of informal, personal practice a day can make a big difference.
Above all, try hard, be respectful, and have fun!