Coming for Practice:

• If you have not yet purchased your Keikogi and Hakama, don’t worry; it is not completely necessary until you have progressed to wearing a Bogu. It is best to wear something comfortable in the meantime, something you would wear to a gym for instance, while also keeping modesty in mind. Do not wear jeans, you will regret it, and we will all find it very funny when you rip them! :D
• If you have any piercings on your face or ears, please remove them before practice starts. This is for your own safety. Accidents DO happen, and we can probably all agree that getting hit in the face is better than getting hit in the face AND having your lip ripped off simultaneously.
• Drink plenty of water and have some food (but don’t stuff yourself!) before coming. It may not feel like it at first, but as the semester goes on practices will get harsher. You will need all the energy you can get.
• If you are not feeling well from the start, please let a peer, senior member, or officer know, especially if you still decide to go through with practice. If you start feeling very ill midway through practice, please let someone know, do not just leave suddenly (to the washroom for example). Again, this is for your own safety.
• Remember to take your attendance with the secretary at the end of each practice. This will allow all of us to keep track of your progress, and help us learn your names quicker! Fear not! You will not be penalized for sloppy attendance; it’s entirely your perogative. As the weeks go on, this may not be necessary, as we would have learnt your names by heart ^-^. So till then, don’t forget to give us a heads up before you walk out the door!

 

Behaviors We Encourage:

- Patience:

Even if you feel as though the pace of the class is too slow for you, or feel like each session is far too easy, know that there is no harm in repeated practice of the foundations. You will find that those who are too eager to get on with the next step, often miss out on refining their fundamentals, and will encounter greater problems with them in the future. Do not rush your learning process!

- Responsiveness:

Maintaining a high level of energy throughout each practice session is important in motivating each and every member to put forth their best effort. Follow the instructions of the senior member or club officer leading the practice session closely and react appropriately to your partner in each exercise.

- Diligence:

Work hard! Do not take practice time as play time. Approach each learning step with seriousness and be focused on each task. There is nothing wrong with having some fun, but don’t lose the ability to bring your concentration back around.

- Respect:

Be respectful towards your peers, senior members, surroundings and even the equipment! Follow the rules of etiquette, which are universal for all practitioners of Kendo, no matter where. Any form of disrespect will not be tolerated and it is likely that you will be made to leave the practice session or be stripped of membership as a consequence.

- Regular Attendance:

Do not miss practice unless it’s for a good reason (i.e. exams, studying for exams, etc.)! If you do miss a practice, find out from a senior member what happened during that session, and try to catch up. If you miss more than 2 or 3 practices in a row, it is likely that you will be far behind everyone else and will probably have a hard time keeping up, which is always discouraging.

- Punctuality:

Being late is worse than not coming at all! Arriving in the middle of a session is not only rude, but it disrupts the rhythm of each practice, distracts your peers, and there is no guarantee that you will be able to find a practice partner. Always come on time so that each session can run smoothly.

- Continued Practice:

The best way to keep up with what you’ve accomplished over the semester is by joining a dojo over the longer breaks (Winter/Spring/Summer). Learning from a qualified sensei is key to advancing your technique. If you wish to find a dojo in the area you are staying in over any break, please approach any of the club officers for help several weeks before school is out, so that they can contact one for you. 

Membership - Trial Period:

Everyone who wishes to join PKC or simply give it a try will be allowed a 2-week trial period (an equivalent of 4 practice sessions) starting from the exact practice session you first attend, which should be no later than 1 and a half weeks (3 practice sessions) from the date of Callout. We request that you please take attendance with the officers for this purpose. After your 2-week trial period is complete, you can decide on whether to join as a full member of PKC or not. But of course you can take up membership even before those 2 weeks are over if you feel that you would definitely like to continue through the semester. (Please refer to the Treasurer’s Note for some further information regarding club dues.)