Dojo Etiquette
--- You can find your attendance card in the box at the corner of the front desk. Please arrive early enough to pull your card from that box and place it on the box on the bench nearest the mirrors.
--- Punctuality is appreciated!
--- Street shoes should not be worn on the mat. Only clean shoes that haven't been worn outside and that do not mark the mat are appropriate. Depending on the class you may prefer bare feet, shoes, or tabi (traditional Japanese training shoes, available at the Pro-Shop). Consider your comfort and safety. Socks should not be worn as they tend to slide on the mat.
--- Please remove rings, watches, and jewelry for the safety of your training partners and yourself. Tie back long hair.
--- Do not bring gum, food, or drink onto the mat.
--- If you have any questions about what is expected of you in a class, please ask! The instructors, coaches, and trainers all enjoy being asked questions (and will occasionally answer, though often cryptically).
--- Train safely. Consider your own condition and experience and train appropriately with your goals in mind. You may always choose not to participate in any class activity.
--- When working with a partner, keep safe training limits in mind. We signal “enough” to our partners by tapping our partner, or the ground, or saying “tap.” That signal means to immediately cease the technique to avoid injury.
--- Be responsible for the security of your own valuables while training. Write your name on all training gear articles so that others will not mistake your items for theirs. Do not leave personal articles or training gear in the Quest Center overnight. If you lose an item, check the lost-and-found box, or at the front desk for small items such as jewelry and phones
--- Always be alert in the training area.
About the Quest Centers
The Quest Centers were founded by tenth degree black belt Stephen K. Hayes. Stephen K. Hayes was the first martial artist in the western world to be taught the secrets of Ninjutsu by the 34th generation Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan. Mr. Hayes organized these teachings into an easily understandable curriculum called To-Shin Do. Mr. Hayes is a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame, and has been named Black Belt Magazine Instructor of the year. He is personal security advisor to Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the Dalai Lama of Tibet. He teaches skills to members of the U.S. Air Force Academy, the FBI Academy, Great Britain's SAS, and law enforcement agencies nationwide. He is a bestselling author and is well known for his books on the Ninja. The original Quest Center (the Hanbu Dojo) is located in Dayton, Ohio, and there are now Quest Centers located across the US and world. The Chapel Hill Quest Center is honored to host Mr. Hayes for two weekend-long seminars each year.
About the Chapel Hill Quest Center
The Chapel Hill Quest Center is the first Quest Center to open in North Carolina. It is a unique facility designed by award winning architect Richard Gurlitz to rival the finest dojo training halls in Japan. The school has been serving the Chapel Hill, Carborro, Durham area since 1998. The school was started by cardiologist and martial artist Richard S. Stack, M.D. Dr. Stack practices Cardiology at Duke and and has lived in Chapel Hill/Durham for the past 25 years. He is a fifth degree black belt and a Master Instructor in Ninjutsu. He is the personal student of both Stephen K. Hayes and Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi, with whom he has trained extensively in the United States and in Japan for the past 14 years. He serves on the Advanced Curriculum Advisory Board chaired by Stephen K. Hayes.
The Chapel Hill Quest Center has continued to grow and expand over the years to offer a diverse array of classes. Recent additions have included morning fitness classes and the opportunity to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. We strive to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and work to accomodate individual needs. The Quest Center is not like a gym where individuals train in relative isolation; it is a community. Families and friends abound, and the instructors and staff work hard to know everyone's name and story.