Etiquette in the Martial Arts

[joedoe]

You should not be so concerned about 'blowing it'. Most sifus (I do not know your sifu however) are pretty relaxed about things like that, and are pretty understanding of the fact that a new student may not fully know the proper forms. Just be polite and show respect, and you should be fine.

[scholar]

Joedoe is correct.

Don't worry, if you do something wrong, you will be told all about it! We all have been. That is what students do, that is why we are still students.

I remembered one other thing we should never do, we shouldn't point at or gesture to Sifu Eddie (or anyone whose butt we aren't about to kick) with our fingers. Like the common palm up moving the index finger to say "come here" gesture. I saw someone do that once (who should have known better) and Sifu said something to them about it in no uncertain terms.

[Ray Pina]

Shawn, how do you treat your girlfriend? Do you open car door for her and treat her to movies because you love her, or because that is the socially accepted practice for a man taking out a woman?

I call my master "master" in the training hall, in the reception area, going down the stairs together, in the restuarant when we go to get dim sum. I know this kind of thing can be uncomfortable for some people but what do I call a man like this? "Hey David, can you pass the salt." It doesn't even sound right typing it in jest.

Build your relationship with you teacher and act naturally. Behave in a manner appropriate to your relationship. Can't believe I just typed that too, because I'm not a fan of Confucious, but ....

[Tai Chi Shawn]

My girlfriend is different than my Sifu. I don't get that analogy, but thats fine.

As for the Sifu relationship, common sense tells me that he's always my Sifu. In that, I will refer to him as Sifu. I guess its the more subtle information I'm looking for. Sifu "Wu" vs. Sifu "Eddie". Wu seems more correct to me, yet Scholar refers to him as Sifu Eddie (same Sifu, by the way). Subtle gestures are more difficult to get a handle on than the big do's and don'ts. Those I can do - the little stuff, that's different.

Thanks for the info everyone. Awesome, as usual.

shawn

[joedoe]

Originally posted by EvolutionFist
Shawn, how do you treat your girlfriend? Do you open car door for her and treat her to movies because you love her, or because that is the socially accepted practice for a man taking out a woman?

I call my master "master" in the training hall, in the reception area, going down the stairs together, in the restuarant when we go to get dim sum. I know this kind of thing can be uncomfortable for some people but what do I call a man like this? "Hey David, can you pass the salt." It doesn't even sound right typing it in jest.

Build your relationship with you teacher and act naturally. Behave in a manner appropriate to your relationship. Can't believe I just typed that too, because I'm not a fan of Confucious, but ....

It is funny you say that. I currently have the opposite problem. For 18 years I have called my sifu by his first name, but recently the students made a collective decision to start addressing him as sifu. I am struggling with it not because I do not want to, but because old habits die hard

[Tai Chi Shawn]

Well, apparently I've "gone and done it now!" hahaha

I raised these same questions with "Dempsey Sifu" last week in the training hall. It got around that we were discussing it, and I guess "Wu Sifu" heard about our discussion and thought it would be easiest and prefered that we use formal Sifu, Sihing and Sijae in the training hall.

Well, at least I know the proper etiquette now.

I kill me! hahaha

[scholar]

Just so you know, I would never call him Sifu Eddie to his face! "Sifu," that's it. There are other sifus in the system, Detroit, London and Fredricton among others, whom you would call Sifu (Name) if you were in their class. The sifu of the Shanghai or Singapore school you would call "Sigung" because he is from an earlier generation than Sifu Eddie. Sifu Eddie's sister Cynthia's title is "Siku" which means "Aunt."

[FuXnDajenariht]

how do you pronounce Laoshi?

[Ray Pina]

Almost like "Lousy", right?

[Tai Chi Shawn]

Who? Me? I could be tossed from my school for asking a question about general etiquette on a forum?

Uh... thats disconcerting.

[Ray Pina]

That's not what he said.

Honestly, this whole topic is pretty silly. Just be yourself. You're training to be a fighter, right? Or more accurately, a beater of men, correct?

Well, quite often these sort of people don't cross all their "T"s or dot all of their "i"s but as a martial artist you should have respect for your teacher and classmates AND fellow martial artists. If you have all of those, or at least respect for your teacher, everything else will fall into place.

[Tai Chi Shawn]

Originally posted by Ray Pina
That's not what he said.

Ok, but after reading the rest of the posts to see if I missed something, it seemed like DB was, in fact, saying so. If not, my mistake.

Of course, general politeness and respect are the orders of the day. I get that.

shawn

[Tai Chi Shawn]

Thanks for clearing that up delibandit. I'm only a little paranoid ... really.

shawn

[Ray Pina]

I've seen people with lots of ability either get kicked out right or just get the cold shoulder -- but in a classy way -- for being d!cks.

Who wants to help an a$$hole?

[Ray Pina]

I view it in even more simplified terms ..... my master willingly shares his treasure with me. How do you thank someone properly for that?

This is not simply a coach/player relationship.