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Beginner Student Information

We all remember our first class session. It felt daunting. People wear uniforms, count in Japanese, throw around unfamiliar terms, bow a lot, and make loud noises. Hopefully, some of this information will help to explain a little of what we are doing.

OSU! and Kiais

  • “OSU!” (sounds a little like “us”) means a lot of things—“I will be patient with myself,” “ I understand,” “I will try,” “Hello,” “Goodbye,” among others. Say it a lot.

  • A kiai is a brief verbal exhalation that accompanies a technique. Do not be afraid to make your kiais loud and intimidating. Make every kiai count.

Judo Lesson

Learn to Count in Japanese

1-Ichi

2-Ni

3-San

4-Shi

5-Go

 

6-Roku

7-Shichi

8-Hachi

9-Ku

10-Ju

 

The Uniform (Gi)

  • If you are just beginning, any kind of clothing that is easy to move around in (a T-Shirt and loose-fitting pants) will work until you decide that you want to pursue Seido karate.

​Picture of someone in “beginning” karate outfit

  • ​Gis can be purchased online or at brick-and-mortar martial arts stores. They should be karate gis (NOT tae kwon do) that open fully and wrap around to be tied rather than a top that you pull over your head. Gis generally come with white belts.

​Picture of someone in gi with white belt

  • Different colored belts are earned with formal promotions upon completion of a student's current syllabus and with express invitation of the student's instructor(s). Belts and kyu strips (indicating an "advanced" level of a belt) are included with the promotion fee.

Picture of different color belts and kyu strip

  • Seido Patches may be ordered at any time, but are required on a student's gi if that student is a) entering a Seido tournament; b) visitng Honbu in New York; or c) a green belt of above. Patches are $40 and will be ordered after payment is received. They can "travel" from gi to gi. Just because a gi is worn out doesn't mean the patches are!

Picture of Patches

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