Commands

"The spirit of discipline, as distinct from its outward and visible guises, is the result of association with martial traditions and their living embodiment.” -B. H. Liddell Hart, Thoughts on War, 1944

A command is an oral order given by the instructor. The precision with which a movement is executed by the students is affected by the manner in which the command is given. Some commands have two parts: the preparatory command and the execution command. Neither part is a command by itself; each command part makes up the total command.

Preparatory Command

The preparatory command mentally prepares the student for its execution. For example, when counting out a series of kicks, give the preparatory command “Ready!” before executing the count. Alternatively, after giving a preparatory command, such as “Face the front,” give a “Kiai!” as the execution command. There should be one count interval between the preparatory command and the execution command.