After occasionally lurking here I decided to reply to this post. Bert, the
habit of not looking away from your opponents eyes when bowing goes way
back, over 50 years in Judo for me, and has always been taught in Martial
Arts dojos that I have been associated with.  BTW, Ishikawa Sensei was one
of our great teachers in the USA and while I never met him many of my
friends learned from him.

I lived in Miami for nearly 25 years from early 1973 until late 1996.  I
opened several Judo dojos there and taught until the early 1980's when my
knees gave out and Judo politics finally threw me over. I assisted at the
Kolligan Judo Club, and created the Sylvania Judo Club and Silver Bluff Judo
Club.  When Len Vieria left I took over his Homestead Judo Club.  That was
the last club I taught at and finally stopped practicing Judo in 1988.
Knees were shot.   Of course, I would remember the Judo guys and gals down
there if their names were mentioned, but at my age memories of those days
are foggy.

Jeff Beish (retired)


"BertS" <aasainz@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:zEqdc.1970$zj3.628@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> I learned Judo in Cuba in the early years of the Cuban revolution. I was
an
> orange belt at the time I left Cuba and never continued due to an injury
to my
>   right ACL. :-(
>
> We were taught that we would salute by bowing but never let our eyes move
away
> from our opponent's eyes and to keep our fists in front of the family
jewels
> to protect against a sneaky early attack. I am not sure where the custom
came
> from but both my teacher and his teacher trained under Ishikawa (later
> Ishikawa Sensei) at Havana's Judansha kai before he left Cuba to go to the
US.
>
> I had not seen a competition since then until last month's US Collegiate
> Championship in Miami and was curious why the competitors would shake
hands. I
> guess I am behind the times. :-)
>
> I did see a couple of strangulations that I thought were outlawed in
> competition. Something done with the lapel, okuri-something, lapel pulled
> tight across the neck. Are those allowed now?
>
> Bert
>
> Bruce Knight wrote:
>
> > The martial arts and Judo in particular "start with etiquette and ends
with
> > etiquette".
> >
> > Most asian arts use the traditional bow.  The bow signifies respect for
the
> > individual, the dojo or the mat area.  It reflects a thankyou for
allowing
> > you to practice your skills.  And should one of you get injured, there
was
> > no ill-intent meant.
> >
> > You're saying all of this with the bow and no handshake is needed.  The
> > Japanese only shake hands at the completion of International
Competitions
> > since most westerners do it.  In tournaments like the All Japan
> > Championships, they don't shake hands.
> >
> > ukemi7
> > Yondan
> >
> > "Jamie Labonte" <jamieandtracie@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > news:4072A79A.BC615011@sympatico.ca...
> >
> >>No, you can shake hands after a bow. After all, Japanese besinessmen bow
> >>repeatedly sometimes.
> >>
> >>Tom wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I'm in discussion with my constituents.  I believe a bow is a formal
> >
> > type of
> >
> >>>hand shake, and that to shake hands after a bow is actually not correct
> >>>etiquette.  Is this correct?
> >>
> >
> >
>