1) Every student should Rei (bow) with a Kiai when they enter and leave the dojo. You should always turn to face into the room and Rei towards the most senior grade in the dojo, which is normally one of the instructors. If not, you should Rei towards the next most senior grade in the dojo at the time.

2) Your gi (uniform) should always be clean and ironed displaying the club badge on the left breast. Your grade belt should be tied correctly (see separate article here). If you wish to wear a t-shirt under your gi, it should be plain white or the printed White Tiger t-shirt. Again, this should be clean.

3) All jewellery should be removed (including watches, rings and earrings) before commencement of training for the protection of yourself and other students you may work with during the session. If an item of jewellery cannot be removed, it should be securely taped over.

4) Finger nails and toe nails should be clean and kept short to avoid injury.

5) Protective equipment should be worn during any sparring or contact sessions. This comprises of hand mitts and leg pads for all students, groin guards for males and chest guards for females. Your protective equipment should also be clean.

6) When you are watching demonstrations or not taking part in any aspect of a session you should be in Yoi (ready) position. This position is feet shoulder width apart and hands out in front with fists gently clenched. You should not have your arms folded or your hands on your hips.

7) When you partner with another student, you should Rei and move to them if they are a higher grade than you. This is basic martial arts etiquette. After each bout of working together you should Rei and shake hands.

8) You should show respect to your fellow students by making sure that all of your techniques in either sparring, partner combinations or self defence are controlled and stop short of a full blown hit. It takes more control and shows more focus to stop a technique short than to follow it through.

9) If you are suffering with an injury or illness you should make one of the instructors aware of this before the training session begins.

10) Always remember to bring a drink of water and a towel to each training session. Keeping the body hydrated during physical exercise helps to protect it from fatigue and injury.

11) Never neglect your stretching and flexibility as this helps to prevent injuries such as pulled or strained muscles. However, deep stretching should only be performed when the main muscle groups in the body are fully warmed up.

12) Always try to practice techniques at home whenever you can. Even 10 minutes of stretching a day will produce vast improvements.

13) Have fun and enjoy yourself but remember that the more you put into your training the more you will get out of it.