It is also the sempai's responsibility to make all new training members and guests feel welcome in the dojo. New members must be observant and are encouraged to ask questions. The classes are conducted in a supportive, non-competitive atmosphere with the emphasis on safety. The reason for this is because, as mentioned, the techniques are real and have not been adapted for use as a sport. They must be practiced in a certain way or injury will result.
All members train together when possible.
Rank and seniority bring more responsibility than privilege. All clap twice, bow once, clap once, and bow again. You will find that most of our training is done in pairs. You can do that at home. When working with a training partner, it is customary to bow before and after a training segment.