Bowing practices

[Dardee]

I am doing a research paper on bowing, especially while in your martial arts uniform. My question is, where do you look when you bow while in uniform? And does that differ on where you look when you are bowing in a social setting? (out of your martial arts uniform) The choices I have been given (thus far) are that you look at a person in the eyes or you look at the ground... Which is appropriate and when ? Does this differ from master to instructor to fellow non black belt student?

[karatekid1975]

That's a hard question, because I was in three different dojangs. My TSD dojang, you look the person in the eyes. My first TKD dojang, we looked at the ground. My TKD dojang now, we bow on our knees (similar to Shotokan and Judo since my instructor did these and/or with TKD first). I would say it depends on the dojang/instructor/style or a combo of the three.

 

In a social setting, I don't bow. Well, I can't say that either. Out of habit I do when I see a fellow student, but it's kind of a half hearted bow and a handshake. But they get the picture of what I'm getting at (respect).

[SaiFightsMS]

I am going to move this to general martial arts. I think you will probably get more responses there.

[WolverineGuy]

I've always looked to the eyes. The differences have been whether to step forward (in my okinawan dojo), or to keep both feet together.

[aefibird]

It depends where I am as to where I look when I bow. In my Shotokan dojo we tend to look at the floor when bowing, especially when bowing from seiza. However, whenever I visit the Chief Instructor's dojo we all look at the person we're bowing to. This is the same in my Aikido dojo.

 

As for bowing in a social setting, well, I don't tend to do that. I generally bow to the Chief Instructor of my Shotokan association whenever I see him out of uniform, but that's hardly ever.

[SevenStar]

Another thing to consider is the type of bow. For example, in both muay thai and longfist, you bow a different way to different people based on their status.

[Drunken Monkey]

and in japanese society there are two degrees of bowing.

[ZR440]

In my Filipino art there is no bowing.

[ninjanurse]

I have studied both Japanese styles and Korean styles and within each are differing opinions. Each dojo or dojang has been different however a common thread seems to be the intent. A bow of humility is with the eyes down, a sign of trust and deep respect. A bow of courtesy to another combatant is with an alert meeting of the eyes, a show of respect to their skills. That being said, the only time I make eye contact when bowing is at the start and end of a sparring match or similar combative situation. As far as outside of the dojo/dojang goes, I pay respect to all martial artists regardless of rank and/or style.

 

[Vash]

I'm firmly against bowing in martial arts practiced outside of Asia, and really of the inclusion of a culture foreign to the practitioner in official training.

 

I'm not racist, I just think it's a little dishonest to use another culture in this manner.

 

Take, for example, a painter. Though he/she may paint in a fashion/with the same tools as were developed in a foreign land, they usually don't feel it necessary to act with that cultural mindset during the painting process.

 

To be ignorant of the culture which birthed your art is, well, ignorant. But to feel compelled to live through this culture during training is pointless.