Kids, especially, can have a hard time understanding how this idea connects to class behavior expectations. They’re here to learn to be a ninja, and so is everyone else in class — why are we stopping them from play-punching and silly slap fights?
Let’s look at how this saying is usually understood and see how it manifests in class.
Karate is partly mental. By training, we learn to be calm in the face of chaos and aware of our options, so that we have plenty of ways to deal with conflict that don’t involve striking out. Most obviously, we don’t pick a fight, whether by bullying, using verbal provocation, or committing physical assault. We also don’t take the bait when someone tries to set us off purposefully.
There’s a reason we practice running from time to time — when possible, leaving a situation or place that feels unsafe or angry is a far better choice than physical engagement.
Using our karate techniques is a LAST resort. Fights result in injuries. We must be aware of the cost to our opponent AND to ourselves.
In class, the idea of not striking first intersects with our emphasis on dojo etiquette.
Karate training works best when it rests on a bedrock of courtesy and trust. We bow in with partners, we listen to instructions from the sensei or sempai leading the class, we wait for the command before starting an exercise. These courtesies show respect, and they keep everyone safe by ensuring everyone is on the same page before we get going.
If a student throws a random punch at another student, that person may not be prepared. Even a playful punch hurts when someone who isn’t expecting it gets hit, and it raises the emotional temperature of an interaction. It’s not a good way to build trust or help other students improve. When someone ignores our courtesies, they ignore the set of agreements we make to engage with courtesy, respect, and safety.
A student may not mean it maliciously, but when they play punch someone, they’ve just violated the “no first strike” rule.
So: no first strike in karate — even in class, even if you’re friends, even to be funny or playful.