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bowlie
bowlie's picture
The GI

I was wondering what people here thought of wearing a GI for practice. I personally think you should only be forced to wear something if it is for extra preformance or safety. For example, a mouthguard should be mandatory for sparring. What I dont understand is how a GI helps with anything as opposed to shorts and a T-shirt. To my knowledge the GI is just a sport adapted kimono, and I can see why a heavyweight GI might be useful for something like Judo or BJJ where there is lots of grappling, or indeed a Karate class with lots of grappling where lightweight clothing might rip, but just wearing it for the sake of tradition seems strange to me.

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

I think the use of a gi is a tradition that many of us have gotten a bit addicted to--I know a lot of karateka that can get a little over-excited about the prospect of finding the perfect gi. From a practical standpoint, we don't really need it, although it definitely helps us not have to buy new t-shirts all the time from ripping them up with our grappling. The gi is, essentially, a set of heavy-duty workout clothes. If you threw on a pair of board shorts (MMA/grappling shorts) and a reinforced t-shirt made of heavyweight gi material, that might be a little better, but honestly I don't think training with a gi is necessarily a hindrance to practicality. Sure, if you rely on your attacker having long sleeves and sturdy lapels, you'll have a problem, but you can work around those things in your training.

bowlie
bowlie's picture

Its not a hinderance, I agree, but it is another cost. I have seen some beautiful Gis over the years and would love to get a proper heavy duty one. Maybe it was just my old club, but most seem to be cheap flimsy matterial that is overpriced and basically just for show.

Wastelander
Wastelander's picture

bowlie wrote:

Its not a hinderance, I agree, but it is another cost. I have seen some beautiful Gis over the years and would love to get a proper heavy duty one. Maybe it was just my old club, but most seem to be cheap flimsy matterial that is overpriced and basically just for show.

That varies from person to person, school to school, and style to style. In general, most of the karateka I know and have trained with have usually worn cheap lightweight gi for their first year or two, and then cough up the money for a heavyweight gi. After you rip a few lightweight gi, you've paid for an entry-level heavyweight gi, so it makes sense if you are planning to continue training. There are brands out there that sell heavyweight gi for about $60, so even if they aren't as high quality as the $300 custom-tailored ones, they are a better deal than the $30 lightweight ones that get destroyed in class, in my opinion.

Tau
Tau's picture

I spent a year doing Eskrima which was my first art without Dogi / dobok. My wife said she couldn't get used to me going out "training" in combats and t-shirt. It just wasn't right.

You don't stop being a Martial Artist when you take your dogi off, but my dogi does largely define who I am. 

ky0han
ky0han's picture

Hi everyone,

I really like training in a Dogi for practical reasons. First of all the Dogi (or at least the ones that I had in the past) really handles all the sweating very well. A T-Shirt would stick all over the place when it is soaked in sweat. Second the Dogi is way more suited for all the grappling stuff. T-Shirts are torn apart pretty quick.

And there is the whole cultural charm when practicing an oriental martial art. It is important to train in casual street clothes occasionaly but for the regular training I prefer the Dogi.

Regards Holger

Mr P
Mr P's picture

If I practice at home I do not wear a gi. If I am at the dojo I wear my gi. It's just the kit you wear for the sport you do. Every sport has its own style of kit to suit its purpose and will have some traditional element. In many ways the gi we wear distinguishes from other martial arts. Aikido people wear hakama. Those who do iado, jodo or kendo have specialist uniforms. Traditional jujitsu or judo people wear thicker gi. I do not know how to describe the stuff MMA people wear! I am very glad that my chosen art is not Sumo!

stephen
stephen's picture

There are both positives and negatives to wearing keikogi. In class (and if you give demonstrations) it provides a sense of belonging - a uniform to identify your group. Plus the clothing is "fit for purpose". And when someone new turns up they expect to see everyone wearing their 'karotty outfit'.

The negatives - it isn't necessarily realistic to train in comfortable clothing all the time unless you wear a gi during the day (which is unlikely). Plus the idea of uniforms to some people has pseudo-militaristic overtones.

Having a uniform for the club can easily be achieved using standard colours or by having a t-shirt with the club logo on it. I do like training in t-shirt, I like the informality of it - I call it my "chilling out on the beach" training mind. But in the club I do like to wear more traditional attire.

nielmag
nielmag's picture

I find it quite amusing we associate the Gi with "traditional" Karate. My personal opinion was that the Judo Gi that Funakoshi adapted to become a "Karate Gi' was actually sort of like a new Nike/ Under Armour sweatsuit in the early 1900's. At the time it was the "new thing." Actual "traditional" Okinawan Te (and jujitsu in Japan for that matter) were practiced in essentially street clothes of their time. 

 

Mr P wrote:

If I practice at home I do not wear a gi. If I am at the dojo I wear my gi. It's just the kit you wear for the sport you do. Every sport has its own style of kit to suit its purpose and will have some traditional element. In many ways the gi we wear distinguishes from other martial arts. Aikido people wear hakama. Those who do iado, jodo or kendo have specialist uniforms. Traditional jujitsu or judo people wear thicker gi. I do not know how to describe the stuff MMA people wear! I am very glad that my chosen art is not Sumo!

Well said!  Im fine to wear it during our "traditional' class, but when training in a gym, outside, etc, I just use street clothes.

bowlie
bowlie's picture

nielmag wrote:
Well said!  Im fine to wear it during our "traditional' class, but when training in a gym, outside, etc, I just use street clothes.

This too, the Gi came with the sportification of karate. But the guy above raised a valid point, at least i dont have to wear anything too stupid :p Even boxing and muay thai have their own shorts too.

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

agreed, the Gi is a training aid. but from what I can see a Pair of sweat pants and a loose fitting "school rugby" shirt would suffice for grappling and throwing.

A Gi sets uniformity and smartness. I'm ex forces so I have a thing about it.

PASmith
PASmith's picture

I like a gi in class. I like the uniformity and the sense of being a group. I like that things are fairly standard so you don't have to worry about the other people having zips or buttons on their clothing. I like that they are robust and versatile enough to practice the whole gamut of defensive and offensive techniques without changing outfits. Sometimes I put a gi and belt on exercising in my own garage because it's now so linked to the mindset and context of training for me. Make me feel more martially. :)

People tend to fixate on the fact that people don't wear gis in reality but seem to forget that many people wear robust jeans, that are like gi trousers, and thick coats and jackets. If you wear trousers and a jacket and get into a fight then your opponent will grab them and rag you about so I think it pays to have that in training too. Even if you don't employ clothing grabs in your own approach to fighting. Someone that trains in shorts could be at a loss if an attacker grabs their jeans cuff while fighting for example. Whereas your average gi BJJ guy would be very used to that when passing or maintaining a guard.

I honestly think there's a market niche for dedicated cross training gi/dobok. So many people these days are mixing striking and grappling. Judo gis tend to be too heavy for striking (IMHO) while karate gis can be too light for throws. One karate gi of mine ripped in both armpits in my first knockdown grading. At a recent seminar with Iain we had to undo our Karate gi ties because they would rip off with the lapel grabbing and throwing we were doing. I think something like velcro would be ideal to keep a gi closed when exercising or striking but would come apart without damaging the gi during grappling. If I had a martial arts company that's what I'd be developing.

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

PASmith wrote:

I honestly think there's a market niche for dedicated cross training gi/dobok. So many people these days are mixing striking and grappling. Judo gis tend to be too heavy for striking (IMHO) while karate gis can be too light for throws. One karate gi of mine ripped in both armpits in my first knockdown grading. At a recent seminar with Iain we had to undo our Karate gi ties because they would rip off with the lapel grabbing and throwing we were doing. I think something like velcro would be ideal to keep a gi closed when exercising or striking but would come apart without damaging the gi during grappling. If I had a martial arts company that's what I'd be developing.

The ITF Dobok has velcro fastening, so a 14oz ITF Dobok would be the best thing for this Cross training uniform

PASmith
PASmith's picture

I thought the ITF doboks has a zip up the front?

Which always struck me as an odd thing to put in a training garment.

Black Tiger
Black Tiger's picture

PASmith wrote:

I thought the ITF doboks has a zip up the front?

Which always struck me as an odd thing to put in a training garment.

The one I have is Velcro fastening at the front