March 27th, 2026
Upon entering the dojang, you should stop by the entrance, face the flags, and salute by holding the right hand either open and across the chest with palm facing heart or with the right hand closed in a fist with the palm facing down. Both ways are acceptable. Salute in the direction of the flags which should always be present when a class is being taught. This demonstrates respect and appreciation for our country, our art, and our traditions. You should properly perform this discipline upon entering and leaving the dojang. You should also always remove your shoes before stepping onto the training floor or mat. The exception is if you need to wear white martial arts shoes which are designed for the martial arts. Other types of shoes should not be worn on the floor as they are not specifically designed for martial arts training and can cause damage to you, a training partner, or the dojang floor.
We remove our shoes whenever possible for many reasons. These include leaving our baggage at the door including anything we might have walked in with. This is not only a symbolic gesture, it helps keep the dojang floor clean which is extremely important for safety and proper personal hygiene. It is not proper protocol to wear basketball, running, walking, or tennis shoes on the training floor. Just as you would not wear tennis shoes to golf, one should not wear other than white martial arts shoes in a traditional Tang Soo Do class.
In rare incidences, the person will need to wear special shoes with orthotics which is permissible with the permission of the chief instructor. Typically, a medical note is required to properly document the need and also to help the school ensure all considerations have been taken into account.