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The Purpose and Benefit of the
Student Handbook
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General Conduct *Instructors *Uniforms *Dojang/Dojo Etiquette *Working with a Partner *Weapons and Weapons Practice *General Weapons Practice Rules *Tae Kwon Do Weapons Practice Rules *Protective Equipment *Tae Kwon Do Protective Equipment *Jujitsu/Aikido/Judo Protective Equipment *Sparring/Kumite/Randori *General Sparring Rules *Tae Kwon Do Sparring Rules *Grappling Sparring Rules *General Sparring Recommendations *Monetary Issues *Class Fees *Belt Test Fees *Uniform, Equipment and Apparel Purchases *Payment of Invoices *Exposed Body Fluids *Precautions Before Class Starts *Body Fluids Exposed During Class *Injuries *Rules Regarding Injuries Sustained During Class *Rules Regarding Injuries Sustained Elsewhere *Recommended First Aid Treatments *The Body’s General Response to Injury *The Purpose and Benefit of the Student Handbook The purpose of this booklet is to provide you with information, rules and guidelines regarding your participation in Evergreen Martial Arts Academy’s (abbreviated to EMAA form now on) martial arts programs. To the majority of EMAA’s students, most of the rules and guidelines presented here will just seem like common sense, but presenting these rules and guidelines to you in a conveniently reviewable format reduces the possibility of oversight, misunderstandings and misconceptions. Please take the time to read this handbook and abide by the rules and recommendations presented in it. If any part of this handbook is not clear, or if you disagree with any part of it, please feel at liberty to discuss it with any of EMAA’s instructors. EMAA’s students are all expected to; Be respectful toward instructors. Be respectful toward all other students. Listen to and follow instructions from instructors. Only attempt techniques that are considered appropriate for your level according to the instructor. Please help to keep EMAA clean, tidy and in good repair. Please place trash in the trash cans, please clean up any messes, and please treat the facility with respect.
All of EMAA’s instructors are highly knowledgeable, skillful, safety-conscious and dedicated martial artists. It is important for students to realize that instructors do not get paid for their martial arts instruction, they volunteer their time for the advancement of their respective martial art. We are very fortunate to have so many superb instructors host their classes at EMAA. The following rules must be adhered to regarding student’s interaction with instructors; Instructors must be treated with the utmost respect and courtesy at all times. The instructor’s decision is never to be disputed during class. A student who disagrees with an instructor’s decision may politely and respectfully discuss the decision after the conclusion of the class. All instructors are to be addressed in a respectful manner using their appropriate title (Sabanim, Sensei, coach etc.), or by Mr. or Mrs. Followed by their last name. Instructors may also be referred to as ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’.
The following rules apply regarding uniforms; All new Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, Judo and Aikido students must purchase an all-white uniform with white belt. Jujitsu, Judo and Aikido participants must purchase a uniform or Gi that is designed specifically to withstand the rigors of throwing and grappling. Tae Kwon Do participants must purchase a ‘Traditional’ Tae Kwon Do uniform or Dobak. A Jujitsu/Judo/Aikido Gi is not appropriate for practicing Tae Kwon Do. Jujitsu participants must also purchase grappling shorts for use in the non-Gi class elements. The shorts must be specifically designed to withstand the rigors of grappling. Uniforms must be worn in all classes unless the class instructor explicitly states otherwise. Uniforms must be clean and in good repair. Uniforms and belts must be tied correctly. Uniforms must be the correct size for the wearer. At higher ranks, uniform colors other than all-white may be worn at the discretion of the class instructor. See the individual curricula for details. Uniforms must not be deliberately left at EMAA. Uniforms accidentally left behind will be placed in the ‘Lost & Found’ box. Students are strongly encouraged to purchase all uniforms through EMAA. Our prices are very competitive and it is unlikely that you will find a better deal elsewhere. Also, the delivery costs are paid by EMAA, further reducing the cost to you.
Most of the rules included in this section are imposed in consideration of other EMAA students. Please be considerate and consider the consequences of your actions on other students in your class and the students of other classes to follow yours. Please adhere to the following rules regarding dojang/dojo etiquette; Shoes must be removed before entering the dojang/dojo. No food or drink must be taken into the dojang/dojo. All Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, and Judo participants must bow when entering or leaving the dojang/dojo. All Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, and Judo participants must observe the formal ceremony at the beginning and end of every class. Bows must be performed in a sincere fashion, demonstrating respect for the instructor, the other students and tradition. After class, the dojang/dojo mats or floor must be swept or mopped by the lowest ranking students unless the class instructor explicitly states otherwise. Students must not leave the dojang/dojo without the class instructors permission. Students must make every effort to be on time for their class. Arriving late for class is a significant distraction for the other students and an inconvenience for the instructor. If a student’s tardiness is unavoidable, they should be as discrete as possible in preparing for the class and then wait at the side of the dojang/dojo until the class instructor invites them to join the class.
It is impossible to practice many martial arts skills without a training partner and thus, many drills and skills are practiced in student pairs. The following rules regarding working with a partner must be adhered to; Training partners must always be treated with respect, regardless of differences in rank and ability. Every effort must be made to avoid injuring training partners. Always fully cooperate with your training partner, do not make it more difficult for them to practice the technique by providing excessive resistance or by tapping-out too early. Make sure that your training partner gets an equal share of the available practice time. If you feel that your training partner is adversely affecting your practice time, politely ask them to adjust their behavior. If your training partner continues to adversely affect your practice, then politely inform your class instructor. Be patient and tolerant with less experienced training partners – remember that you were there once.
In order to minimize the risks of injury while practicing with weapons, the following rules must be adhered to; General Weapons Practice Rules There must not be any horseplay with weapons at any time. Any student behaving inappropriately with weapons will immediately be excluded from the current practice session. Students must have the instructor’s permission to practice with a weapon. Each weapon must be considered separately, permission must be sought for each individual weapon. Students must make sure that there is sufficient space around them to practice with their weapon without endangering other students. All students must be aware of their surroundings during weapons practice. No sharp or live weapons are allowed in EMAA at any time. Students may only bring their own weapons to EMAA classes if they have the class instructor’s permission to do so. Weapons must not be removed from EMAA without an instructor’s permission. Weapons borrowed from EMAA must be returned in good condition. If the borrowed weapon is lost or damaged, it is the student’s responsibility to pay for a replacement. Tae Kwon Do Weapons Practice Rules Students below the rank of green belt are not allowed to handle weapons at all and are not allowed to attend classes that are exclusively for weapons practice.
The following rules apply to protective equipment worn while participating in EMAA’s martial arts activities; Tae Kwon Do Protective Equipment All male participants must wear a groin protector (athletic support with cup) at all times. All participants in sparring activities must wear approved hand pads, foot pads and sparring helmet. All sparring pads and helmets must be in good condition and must be safely secured to the wearer (securing straps intact and fully functional, no large tears in the pads or helmet). There must be no residual body fluids on sparring pads and helmets. Sparring pads and helmets must be clean. Sparring pads and helmets must be the correct size for the wearer. It is strongly recommended that all participants in grappling or sparring wear a well-fitted mouth guard. Jujitsu/Aikido/Judo Protective Equipment All male participants must wear a groin protector (athletic support with cup) at all times. It is strongly recommended that all participants in grappling or sparring wear a well-fitted mouth guard.
To emphasize the importance of having correctly-sized safety equipment, a strike or kick to a male participant’s groin who is wearing an athletic support cup of the wrong size can actually result in a more serious injury than if the participant were not wearing one at all!
The purpose of sparring is; To practice combat skills under conditions as close as practicable to a real combat situation. To practice competition skills under conditions as close as possible to full-intensity competition. In order to reduce the incidence of injuries as much as possible, the following rules must be adhered to; Every effort must be made to avoid injuring training partners. Appropriate protective equipment must be worn at all times. Techniques must be executed with the appropriate level of control. Jewelry must be removed if possible. If the jewelry cannot be removed, then it must be secured, covered or taped so that it poses no significant risk to the wearer or the wearer’s training partners. Fingernails and toenails must be neatly trimmed so that there are no sharp edges that might injure yourself or training partners. Open wounds must be appropriately dressed and secured. See ‘Injuries’ and ‘Exposed Body Fluids’ sections for more details. Techniques involving any form of physical contact to the training partner’s eyes are not permitted. All injuries must be immediately and appropriately reported and treated. See ‘Injuries’ and ‘Exposed Body Fluids’ sections for more details. Sparring partners must always be treated with respect regardless of differences in rank and ability. Sparring partners must bow to each other or shake hands before and after sparring. Sparring hand pads, foot pads and helmets must be worn by all participants. All male participants must wear an athletic support (cup or groin protector). All techniques must be executed with light contact unless the class instructor explicitly states otherwise. Techniques must not be deliberately executed toward their training partner’s legs, knees or ankles unless the class instructor explicitly states otherwise. All ranks below blue belt must not deliberately execute any techniques toward their training partner’s head, neck or face. All ranks of blue belt and above may execute techniques toward their training partner’s helmet, but must not deliberately make contact to that target. All ranks of red belt and above may execute very light contact techniques to their training partner’s helmet. Chokes and strangulation techniques must not be held for more than 10 seconds. Submissions must be conceded by ‘tapping-out’, that is, by using a hand or foot to tap the mat or the training partner two or more times in quick succession. All submission techniques must be applied slowly and smoothly until your training partner taps-out. All submission techniques must be released immediately when the training partner taps-out or otherwise indicates submission. All male participants must wear an athletic support (cup or groin protector). Striking and kicking are not permitted. Finger locks or toe locks are not permitted. Biting and eye gouging are not permitted.
In some cases, the interpretation of these rules could be considered subjective, for instance, rule 1 in the ‘General Sparring Rules’ section states that "Every effort must be made to avoid injuring training partners". While it is hoped that all students are responsible and respectful enough to assess what is reasonable here, if there is any dispute, then the class instructor’s judgment take priority. If the instructor considers that more care or control is required, then the student must comply. Failure to comply with any of these rules may result in the student’s exclusion from the current and possibly future sparring sessions. Consistent or regular failure to comply with any of these rules may result in a temporary or permanent exclusion from the class. In order to further reduce the incidence of injuries, the following recommendations should be considered; General Sparring Recommendations A mouth guard is recommended for all forms of sparring. Female participants should consider breast protectors and groin protectors. Control your anger. Anger will always have a negative effect on your sparring techniques – no exceptions. If you feel that taking a break from sparring is necessary to control your anger, then seek permission to do so from the class instructor. Every sparring partner provides an opportunity to improve your sparring skills, regardless of size, rank and ability. Always strive to get the most benefit from each sparring opportunity – sparring against a white belt sparring partner can provide you with the opportunity to practice techniques that would not work well against a more experienced sparring partner.
The most important fact regarding monetary issues that all participants in EMAA’s martial arts programs should know is that EMAA is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. All class fees and any other money generated from our activities contributes to the operating costs of the organization and nobody is making a profit. Class fees are set with the objective of meeting EMAA’s operating costs and not for profit. Nobody in the EMAA organization is making money, so please feel secure in the knowledge that EMAA participants are receiving the best possible deal for martial arts classes. All students are given the choice of paying class fees monthly or three-monthly and they are also given the choice of paying by check, credit card or direct bank transfer. Those who chose to pay three-monthly receive a 10% discount in class fees. Families with more than one participant in EMAA’s programs are eligible for additional discounts and students who participate in more than one of EMAA’s martial arts programs may be eligible for additional class fee discounts. Please see the complete fee schedule for full details. It is also the student’s choice as to how they receive invoices - mail or email. Invoices are issued at the beginning of each month for those who prefer monthly invoices. For those who prefer three-monthly invoices, they are issued at the beginning of the months of January, April, July and October. Class fees are paid in advance, so for instance, if a student prefers to be invoiced monthly and they receive an invoice at the beginning of January, the class fees are for the classes that they will attend during the month of January. Students are charged a small fee each time they participate in a belt test. This fee is to cover following costs; a. The cost of contributing to the rental of the test venue. b. The cost of certificates and belts. c. The cost of wooden boards and bricks for breaking. d. Other administrative costs. Once again, it is important to realize that nobody is making a profit from test fees. If there are any funds remaining after the test, those funds are used to contribute to the operating costs of EMAA and are not profiting any individual. Belt test fees are added to the student’s next monthly or three-monthly invoice as applicable. Uniform, Equipment and Apparel Purchases New students must purchase an appropriate uniform soon after their enrolment in an EMAA martial arts program, but additional uniforms, equipment and apparel can be purchased through EMAA at any time. EMAA holds wholesale accounts with a number of martial arts uniform, equipment and apparel vendors and as a result, will most likely give you the best deal available. Any purchases made can be applied to the student’s next monthly or three-monthly invoice as appropriate, at the student’s request. The option of paying for the item or items separately is still available, but there is the convenient option of just adding it to the bill. It is our objective to make the payment of class fees, belt tests and purchases as easy and convenient as possible. In return, we ask that students comply with the following rules regarding the payment of invoices; Please pay invoices promptly. If paying by check, please deposit them in ‘Matt’s Mail Slot’ located right next to the Dojang/Dojo. Alternatively, mail payments to the address shown on the invoice. Please contact EMAA immediately if there has been a mistake on the invoice. Please inform EMAA if there is a change in your postal address or email address that might affect the delivery of the invoice. Please contact EMAA if personal financial difficulties prevent prompt payment of the invoice.
While the Center for Disease Control and other medical organizations have established that the risks of transmission of body fluid-borne diseases in contact sports is very slight, EMAA has established the following rules regarding exposed body fluids in order to further reduce those risks; Precautions Before Class Starts Any open wounds must be covered and secured in order to eliminate or at least minimized the risk of exposing body fluids to training partners or the mats. There must be no residual body fluid stains on uniforms from previous workouts. Fingernails and toenails must be neatly trimmed in order than they pose minimal risk of injuring training partners. Jewelry must be removed if possible and if removal is not possible, then the jewelry item must be covers and secured such that it poses minimal risk of injuring the wearer or training partners. Body Fluids Exposed During Class Open wounds and nosebleeds must be treated immediately. The wounded or bleeding student must stop training immediately, leave the workout area and treat the injury appropriately. If the wounded or bleeding student needs assistance, then the person assisting must protect themselves from body fluid exposure by wearing PVC or latex gloves provided in the bathroom cabinet. All first aid supplies and paper towels with body fluids on them must be disposed of carefully. Do not throw these items directly into the trash cans. Place body fluid contaminated materials into a plastic bag provided in the bathroom cabinet, tightly secure the plastic bag when finished and then throw the bag into the trash can. If body fluids have come into contact with student’s uniforms, then the body fluids must be thoroughly washed from the uniform in the bathroom sink and disinfectant applied to the contaminated area. Disinfectant is also stored in the bathroom cabinet. If the student has a spare uniform, then the contaminated uniform must be secured in a plastic bag so that there is no risk of it contaminating anything else. The uniform must be laundered and all body fluid stains removed before it is used again. If body fluids have come into contact with any other equipment (sparring pads, weapons etc.), then they must be wiped clean with a paper towel and then wiped again with a disinfectant solution available in the bathroom cabinet. The paper towels must then be disposed of correctly by securing them in a plastic bag and throwing them in the trash can. If body fluids have come into contact with the mat, then they must be wiped clean with a paper towel and then wiped again with a disinfectant solution available in the bathroom cabinet. The paper towels must then be disposed of correctly by securing them in a plastic bag and throwing them in the trash can. After the wound is covered and secured and any body fluid stains or spills have been cleaned up, students and assistants must thoroughly wash their hands with soap in the bathroom and dry them. Students must not return to the class until; a. The wound has been covered and secured in order to eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of further exposing body fluids. b. The student has received permission from the class instructor to rejoin the class. The class instructor’s decision in this issue is final.
For the safety and longevity of all participants in EMAA’s martial arts programs, all injuries should be appropriately cared for. In most cases, the decision as to whether to continue training with an injury will be the participant’s. However, if the class instructor considers that it is in the participant’s best interests not to continue, then the participant must abide by the instructor’s decision. The class instructor’s ruling is final. Rules Regarding Injuries Sustained During Class If a participant receives an injury of any kind during an EMAA martial arts activity, they must immediately report it to their instructor and treat it appropriately. The following rules must be adhered to; Report the injury to the class instructor and ask permission to leave the Dojo/Dojang in order to treat it. Treat the injury using the First Aid kit above the wall cupboard in the bathroom. If the First Aid kit is out of reach, ask for assistance. Ask for assistance in treating the injury if necessary. If body fluids (blood, for instance) are exposed, they must be isolated and cleaned up immediately. See the ‘Exposed Body Fluids’ section for more details. If the injured student wishes to return to the class after the injury has been treated, they must ask the class instructor’s permission to return. The class instructor’s decision on this issue is final. An open wound that may continue to bleed or weep must be covered and secured in order to eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of exposing body fluids during the remainder of the class. Rules Regarding Injuries Sustained Elsewhere Report the injury to the class instructor at the beginning of the class. Give a full account of the nature of the injury, how it was received and how it is likely to affect participation in the class. It is the class instructor’s decision as to whether the student can participate in the class or not. The class instructor’s decision in this issue is final. An open wound that may continue to bleed or weep must be covered and secured in order to eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of exposing body fluids during the class. If the injury is exposed or aggravated during the class, then the student must follow the rules outlined above, under the heading ‘Rules Regarding Injuries Sustained During Class’. Recommended First Aid Treatments This section is not intended to be a substitute for a trained medical professional, all injuries should be attended to by a medical professional at the earliest possible time. All of the martial arts instructors at EMAA have basic first aid knowledge, but they are not medical professionals and are no substitute for proper medical treatment. These recommendations are simply intended to help an injured student decide how best to deal with commonly-encountered injuries. Cuts and abrasions: Clean the wound thoroughly and apply antiseptic spray or antiseptic cream from the first aid kit. Use band-aids, gauze or tape to cover and secure the wound in order to eliminate or at least minimize the risk of further exposing body fluids. Nosebleeds: Pinch the bridge of the nose to stem the blood flow and wait until the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding does not stop after a few minutes, ask for assistance. If the bleeding persists, get professional medical help immediately.
Sprains strains and tears: Strains and tears, also known as ‘pulled muscles’ are used to describe injuries where muscle or tendon fibers have been torn open (ruptured). Sprain is used to describe the same kind of injury to ligaments. Strains are not normally caused by an impact, but by the force of the muscle’s contraction or by the muscle being forcefully stretched too far and sprains are normally caused by the joint being forcefully moved beyond its normal range of motion. A sprain or strain is normally used to describe the injury when some of the muscle, tendon or ligament fibers have been ruptured, but the muscle or ligament is still in one piece (incomplete rupture). The amount of pain and swelling involved in this kind of injury will depend on how many fibers are damaged and there may be some bruising. Healing is relatively quick with this kind of injury and the normal course of treatment is shown in the table below.
(This table is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or advice, it is for informative purposes only. Please seek professional medical advice for treatment for all injuries.)
Muscle, tendon or ligament tears are usually used to describe a much more serious injury where the muscle, tendon or ligament has torn into two separate parts or the tendon or ligament has separated from the bone (complete rupture). A ripping or popping sound is often heard when this kind of injury occurs and the amount of pain involved is much greater. The muscle or joint will no longer function as normal and, if the damaged muscle is close to the skin, it looks much different from normal. Because the muscle is no longer attached at both ends and held in an extended position, the muscle looks ‘bunched up’ at the end where it is still attached. Obviously, complete separation of the muscle, tendon or ligament needs immediate medical attention and surgical repair (the parts must be sewn together). If the muscle, tendon or ligament is no longer attached where it should be, there is no chance of it healing properly. Very heavy bruising is to be expected from an injury of this severity. Dislocations: No attempt should be made to reset the joint. Resetting a dislocated joint improperly may result in further damage to the joint and bursa (the fluid-filled bag around the joint) and could possibly damage surrounding nerves and blood vessels. The dislocated joint should be supported and stabilized with a splint or a sling and then the injured student should seek immediate professional medical treatment. The Body’s General Response to Injury The body’s initial response to injury is the same for all tissue types. This immediate reaction to injury is called the inflammatory response. For any tissue type (muscle, tendon, skin etc.), injury means that cells have been damaged. Because the cell wall (membrane) is the most vulnerable part of the cell’s structure, it breaks (ruptures) and the fluids inside (cytoplasm) spill out. When the contents of a cell spill out into the space between other cells (intracellular space), they trigger the release of a number of chemicals that cause swelling or inflammation to occur in that area. The chemicals released cause the following effects; Nearby blood vessels are opened as wide as possible (dilated) in order to allow as much blood to flow past the damaged area as possible. This allows for fast delivery of repair materials and fast removal of waste materials – i.e. faster healing. Nearby blood vessels become more leaky (permeable), which allows plasma and white blood cells to flood the area around the damaged cells (red blood cells are not flexible enough to squeeze through the gaps in the blood vessel’s walls). It is the presence of the plasma and white blood cells in the intracellular space that causes the swelling or inflammation. The white blood cells responsible for removing waste materials (monocytes) are signaled to clean up the remains of the damaged cells. There is no attempt to repair a cell that has had its membrane ruptured. The white blood cells responsible for removing bacteria and other foreign particles (granulocytes) are attracted to the area of damage, in case there is bacterial contamination. The third kind of white blood cells (lymphocytes) that are responsible for attacking and removing invading organisms (e.g. viruses) are also attracted to the area of the damage, in case there is any other contamination from outside the body. The presence of the damaged cell fluids (cytoplasm) in the intracellular space stimulates nearby nerve endings and generates pain, but the presence of all the other chemicals and white blood cells causes even more pain. As if that wasn’t enough, the pressure generated by the inflammation further irritates the nerve endings, creating even more pain. If the inflammation is close to a joint, it will reduce the normal range of motion of that joint and the increase in pressure that results from moving it, will generate additional pain. The swelling and its associated discomfort will stay until cleanup operations have finished. The damaged cells cannot be replaced until the ‘wreckage’ has been cleared away. A heavy blow to an area of the body that is relatively insensitive (such as a large muscle mass, for instance) may not hurt a great deal at the time of impact, but as the inflammatory response sets in, the level of discomfort grows. |
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