Traditions

[karatekid1975]

Starting at 2nd gup in our school, we are required to help clean. They have a cleaning schedule for all the red and black belts. 5 of them come each saturday to really scrub the place down good. And the schedule rotates. During the week, the ones who work there do some cleaning, and two students from the last class of each day sweeps and picks up after class is done.

[manuelito]

at our school we clean afterwards. i think this is a good thing also. it is all part of training as far as i am concerned.

[markusan]

I sweep the dojang before and after training and mop down when it needs it. Students usually volunteer their help once they see me start. For me it's habit, the first Karate dojo I trained in years ago, the white belts cleaned the floor with towels as a warm-up. I don't do it in respect for the dojang. I do it so we don't have to train in a pig sty.

[P.A.L]

in our dojo the two lowest rank clean the wood floor after practice till the next white belt comes in.

[AngelaG]

We don't clean the dojo (well someone does but not the students) and I wouldn't be particularly happy if asked to... I have enough housework to do at home thanks!

 

there's nothing wrong with it. If you can use the facility, you can clean the facility, IMO. We clean the mats and ring every day. Each day, a different person is giving the task of doing it, that way everyone gets a chance, and there's no accusation of favoritism if someone gets looked over. The owners of the school clean the bathrooms and such, but the students clean the equipment.

Well it's just my opinion. When I used to go training at the gym I would obviously wipe down the equipment with towels when I got off so the next person didn't have to wipe off my sweat; but if they had got the vacuum cleaner out I would have laughed in their faces before cancelling my subscription. I use a supermarket but I don't clean up that either.

 

Perhaps if the dojo was run on a no-profit, everyone in together etc. basis I may feel different. But, despite the fact we have nice cheap fees, it is nevertheless a business and I pay my monthly subscription and don't expect to have to have to do the cleaning.

 

Just my opinion of course!

[TangSooGuy]

Before I moved to start my own club, We used to clean the entire school after every black belt/ instructor's class, as they were usually the last class of the day...

 

it was also a way to keep the black belts in check , to let them know they wren't " all that"....

 

I also remember one tournament where at the end of the day, the Grandmaster passed out Garbage bags to each of the 3rd Dans in attendance, and basically said "go clean up"...

 

it's a good lesson, and one that often isn't taught enough....

[BJJShotoshe]

TangSooGuy

 

Before I moved to start my own club, We used to clean the entire school after every black belt/ instructor's class, as they were usually the last class of the day...

 

it was also a way to keep the black belts in check , to let them know they wren't " all that"....

 

I also remember one tournament where at the end of the day, the Grandmaster passed out Garbage bags to each of the 3rd Dans in attendance, and basically said "go clean up"...

 

it's a good lesson, and one that often isn't taught enough....

 

I agree! this lesson should be taught more! I believe it humbles people and also gives self-confidence. The Higher Rankes (Green and above) get humbled because they have to clean the dojo just like the lower ranks. The lower ranks become more self-confident because they know the higher ranks are not "too good" to get down on their knees and scrub the DNA off the mats like them.

 

Thanks for all of your replies, it has been very enlightening to read your opinions.

[SevenStar]

We don't clean the dojo (well someone does but not the students) and I wouldn't be particularly happy if asked to... I have enough housework to do at home thanks!

 

there's nothing wrong with it. If you can use the facility, you can clean the facility, IMO. We clean the mats and ring every day. Each day, a different person is giving the task of doing it, that way everyone gets a chance, and there's no accusation of favoritism if someone gets looked over. The owners of the school clean the bathrooms and such, but the students clean the equipment.

Well it's just my opinion. When I used to go training at the gym I would obviously wipe down the equipment with towels when I got off so the next person didn't have to wipe off my sweat; but if they had got the vacuum cleaner out I would have laughed in their faces before cancelling my subscription. I use a supermarket but I don't clean up that either.

 

Perhaps if the dojo was run on a no-profit, everyone in together etc. basis I may feel different. But, despite the fact we have nice cheap fees, it is nevertheless a business and I pay my monthly subscription and don't expect to have to have to do the cleaning.

 

Just my opinion of course!

 

I guess you read my post wrong - essentially you are agreeing with me. When you were at the gym, you wiped down the equipment - it's the same. you are fighting in the ring, getting dirt and sweat in it - wipe it down. You are on the mats doing the same thing - wipe them down. We don't vacuum, clean bathrooms or any of that, only the equipment.