How does one perform the bow properly?
You should look down, not at the face of your opponent. The Japanese think that looking up when you bow is very rude, as it shows a lack of trust. Hollywood has convinced many people that bowing is done while carefully observing your opponent. This is myth and legend. You would not bow to a real enemy, and you are not allowed to attack while bowing in karate competitions. The bow begins quite formally by raising yourself up as if something is pushing up through the top of your head. Keep your heels together and your toes out at a 45 degree angle. Bowing should be performed from the waist, not with the neck. You should bend forward only about 30 degrees or so, hold for a half-second, then return to the upright position. Never rush. When bowing respect the intent and perform hte bow properly. One generally bows to the instructors when they enter the karate school(courteously saying hello and goodbye), when they leave the karate school, when they enter or leave the dojo floor, when they a
