It appears well before the start of training, so one can move to rest and have some time to leave their everyday life behind.
Only appropriate shoes can be worn outside the mat area. Heel pads are not allowed in the mat area.
One’s clothes should be clean when they enter the mat so that body odors are avoided.
No watches and no jewelry should be worn during training (they can cause injuries). The toenails and fingernails must be short and clean.
The aikidoka bows in the direction of the shomen upon entering the dojo. The shomen is opposite to the entrance in the sports hall. An image of the aikido founder hangs or stands opposite to the entrance.
Then, the aikidoka bows in the direction of the shomen upon entering the mat.
The two partners sit down for about 1 minute before the start of the training and focus on the upcoming aikido lessons and training.
They bow before the image of the aikido founder at the beginning and end of the training session. This is a typical Japanese tradition. The bow is taken in the memory of Ueshiba O-Sensei’s work of a lifetime and to remind the ones in the hall that they should practice. It also has a religious interpretation. The bow is in Japan what shaking hands is in the United States of America and not only.
Subsequently, all bow to the coach or trainer (or sensei).
In tribute to the teachers, the practitioners say:
At the beginning of the training session: Onegaishimasu (which means “I ask for instruction”)
At the end of the training session: Arigato gozaimashita (which means "Thank you. It was my pleasure")
It is enough to bow and say Onegaishimasu to a different aikidoka if you want to practice with them.
Once the practice has come to an end, the two partners bow to each other in mutual respect.
Experienced aikidokas begins as Nage and the others as Uke.
The timing changes when practicing Nage and Uke moves. The switch from Nage to Uke is marked by a mutual bow.
If an aikidoka is late, they bow when entering the mat, retreat to the edge and greet in the direction of the shomen. When they finish, they wait until they complete the exercise cycle and stay longer in the training hall. All this ritual is skipped if the teacher asks them to join the group.
There should be as little speaking as possible on the mat. Aikido is primarily perceived and embodied as a spiritual experience.
The teacher must be informed if one leaves the mat for any reason.
The aikidoka has to accept the teacher’s comments and if they are corrected, even if the teacher’s arguments seem illogical. Thus, one is forced to understand the meaning behind these comments.
One should remain in seiza when a technique is explained and concentrate on the elements described by the teacher.
One should never back the shomen (this also applies when folding the hakama, for example).
The shomen enjoys teaching students who practice regularly and even during the holidays for a shorter or longer time. They are also usually prevented from illness. This is a way of showing how sincere one is and how much they value their relationship with the shomen and the martial art, ultimately.
