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Bowing – The Polite Greeting

In martial arts we teach our students to bow. The bow is used as a salute and a greeting which usually also denotes seniority by way of the junior  first bowing  to the senior with the senior returning the courtesy. Sometimes we get so formal in our teachings and ways that we lose sight of the fact that it is a personal connection with another person. It is a connection from the teacher to the student and from the student to the teacher. It’s not an ego booster for the teacher! Nor is it teach the student to be submissive.

Here is a great short clip of Master Tom Callos teaching a youth class on polite greeting.